Good Eggs
So, is the right question why are you expanding to Brooklyn? Or what took you so long?
Good Eggs was founded by tech and food veterans in San Francisco in 2011 with the mission to grow and sustain local food systems worldwide. So empowering the grassroots food communities that are popping up across the country was central from the start. Our website allows folks out of our current range to request Good Eggs in their neighborhood. Brooklyn is an exciting food landscape, and last year we got more requests for here than anywhere else. That made the already persuasive case undeniable.
What are some misconceptions people have about Good Eggs?
I’m not aware of any particular misconceptions about Good Eggs. It can be hard for people to make the connection between new technology and the production and distribution of food. The deck is stacked against small foodmakers. They have to compete with the scale, marketing, and cheap chemical-laden food of large agribusiness and processed food giants. But we have something powerful on our side. Food that is grown and sourced locally and made with care is tastier, healthier, and better for the planet, and people are realizing that and wanting more. With the right tools and innovations to power our smaller engines, we stand a fighting chance.
Do you live in Brooklyn? If so, what neighborhood? Do you like it? How’d you end up here? If not, why not??
I love Brooklyn. I split my time between the city and my family farm, Fishkill Farms, which I run in East Fishkill New York. I stay in the city with family when I’m down here, but I’m looking for reasonable housing in Brooklyn, specifically in the Prospect Heights, Crown Heights, Bed Stuy area. It is proving to be no small feat.
Also, what’s your role there? “Founding farmer”—are you setting up the operation on the East Coast?
I’ve devoted the past several years of my life to growing and marketing apples and other produce at my family farm in East Fishkill, NY. I’ve seen firsthand how difficult it can be to attain profitability as a small food business. I’m convinced innovation will be fundamental to new foodmakers’ success.
I’ve jumped into working as the lead for Good Eggs Brooklyn to create a new market for local food. The past few months dozens of foodmakers and farmers in the Brooklyn, greater New York and Hudson Valley areas have reached out to us. We’ve been onboarding some amazing producers- setting them up with webstands to power their existing direct sales. We have over a dozen live webstands and lots of local customers shopping from them already! Right now, producers can choose exactly how they want to distribute their food: through neighborhood pickup spots, delivery or both.
The big picture is gearing up to do our own distribution here in New York which we plan on launching this Summer. This will be an online marketplace where customers can shop from their favorite farmers, bakers, cheesemakers etc. all in one “basket.” We will aggregate these goods in our warehouse, pack them, and deliver them to people’s homes or to pickup spots with our own fleet. We’re tremendously excited to make this happen in Brooklyn. We’ve been fueled by the passion and creativity of the food community here.
Pie Corps Pies (Egg & Roasted Mushroom Hand Pie, Minted Lime Pie and Spring Greens Souffle with Blue Cheese)
Sweet Deliverance Satsuma Tangerine Marmalade and Concord Grape Jam