HARVEST Clean Eats: From Nova Scotia Roots to National Growth

When HARVEST Clean Eats opened its first location in Bedford, Nova Scotia five years ago, its founder & CEO, Connor Stoilov, was driven by a simple idea: a gap in the market for healthy fast food.

“Connor noticed that there is a gap in the market for healthy fast food that not only tastes great, but makes you feel good after you eat it,” explained Thomas McVicar, Franchise Sales & Real Estate Manager.

Founded during the pandemic, HARVEST launched with a focus on fresh, scratch-made food and a community-first approach. In just a few short years, the company has grown to 10 locations across four provinces and carved out its niche in the fast-casual market.

“Other fast-casual or fast-food restaurants use frozen chicken and frozen sauces,” noted Victoria McDermott, HARVEST’s Director of Marketing. “Harvest is making those in-house every day with fresh ingredients.”

Sourcing locally wherever possible is another differentiator. By working with regional farmers and suppliers, HARVEST ensures freshness while strengthening ties to the communities it serves.

Innovation has also been central to HARVEST’s rise. The company’s newest concept, the HARVEST Smart Fridge, brings its food directly to customers in unexpected places.

Launched at Halifax’s IWK Health Centre, the Smart Fridge combines convenience with cutting-edge technology. Customers choose their items on a touchscreen, tap their card to unlock the door, and weight sensors paired with AI technology track what’s taken before charging their card.

“It’s a very cool piece of technology,” said McVicar. “It knows what you take, and it charges your card directly.”

The response has been strong, with the pilot bringing in more customers than anticipated. Demand has already spread to universities, hospitals, and local businesses. McDermott sees a big opportunity on campuses.

“Students can grab a bag of chips, but that’s not fueling them for the day. Having healthier options and making the space around it more interactive – that’s really exciting for us.”

The leap into Ontario marked a major milestone for the Nova Scotia company. Their most recent opening at Toronto’s Union Station, HARVEST’s 10th location, opened on Canada Day to significant success.

“Our Union Station store has been a huge success since opening on July 1,” said McVicar. “We were able to take over the market here in Nova Scotia, learn a lot, and now we’re applying it to our national expansion. You’re going to see HARVESTs popping up all over Canada in the next few years.”

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Union Station was a deliberate choice, offering high visibility and foot traffic. To ensure its success, the Nova Scotia-based team temporarily relocated to Toronto during the launch.

“We’re committed to making sure the team on the ground is supported,” McDermott said. “Our Founder himself and our Director of Operations goes and trains the staff. Everyone’s there to support.”

Looking forward, HARVEST has set its sights on opening 100 locations across Canada in the next five years. Despite that national outlook, the company remains firmly rooted in Nova Scotia, keeping its head office and core team in Halifax.

“As we grow, we want to keep our head office here,” McDermott emphasized. “We’re going to continue to employ Nova Scotian and Atlantic Canadian employees for the head office and we’ll continue to grow with that.”

The company’s growth has been supported in part by Invest Nova Scotia. Founder Connor has previously accessed provincial programs, including Invest Nova Scotia’s Export Development Program (EDP) stream, to support HARVEST’s expansion efforts.

“From my experience, Invest Nova Scotia has been amazing with helping Nova Scotia businesses. I only have good things to say,” McVicar noted. “We are so rooted in Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canada and we’re always trying to find ways to continue working together and leverage opportunities here.”

Technology will continue to play an important role in HARVEST’s future. Beyond the Smart Fridge, the company is exploring other applications for artificial intelligence, from catering outreach to marketing analytics.

“There are endless ways to implement AI in the business,” said McVicar.  

McDermott added that AI is already making a difference in marketing strategy. “We use AI every day as a tool to help with campaigns and figure out better strategies to reach wider audiences. As we expand, we’re going to need to leverage AI to make processes more efficient for franchise partners.”

Importantly, the team stresses that AI will complement, not replace, its people.  

“I don’t think AI is going to be replacing Harvest employees,” McVicar said. “It’s going to be a tool we use to leverage more output for what we input.”

From a single Bedford location to a national brand in the making, HARVEST Clean Eats has come a long way in a short time. With fresh, locally sourced food, a focus on community, and innovations like the Smart Fridge, the company is reshaping what healthy fast food can look like.

“There’s lots on the horizon – new locations, lots of conversations happening,” McDermott said. “There are going to be a lot more HARVESTs popping up really soon.”