Great Harvest is a community of people who give back to their communities and love what they do. Read what they have to say about this business...

"We left corporate America and have never looked back. We love being the 'bread man (lady).' People stop us everyday to express their gratitude for our great bread, our fun store, and the fact that we are so involved in this community. Great Harvest has been a wonderful example to our children that when you give, it comes back to you - ten fold!"

“In the past few years we’ve looked for a small business that involves having fun, supporting the community and generally helping others. We wholeheartedly support the natural offerings of wholesome foods that this franchise provides to our future customers. When we lived in Salem, Oregon we stopped by the Great Harvest bakeries and enjoyed the varieties of bread, pastries, cookies and Peet’s Coffee. The enjoyable atmosphere and conversation is one not easily found in businesses, and is a nice way to start the day”.

Listen to an interview with Bill about his experience of owning and operating a Great Harvest bakery within his community.

"My husband and I both have legal backgrounds, and when we had our children, we decided that we wanted something that would provide more for them. We never thought that owning a business would be our career choice! We were big fans of Great Harvest and decided to give it a go. We wanted an outlet to fulfill our lives in every way possible. Great Harvest embraces those beliefs with open arms. Every night, we smile that we are eating the best bread on earth, providing the best bread possible to our customers that will benefit their lives, reaching out to charities and providing a fun, sometimes quirky, atmosphere that takes the seriousness out of the daily routine. It is truly our business and we definitely have the pride of ownership! The Great Harvest franchise office is there to assist and support us (and not run us) and has become very close to us. I have always felt that you should reach high for your dreams, and my children will always know that we made our dreams happen with Great Harvest. It’s not a business, but an extension to our family."

"As a family, we have always chosen to eat natural and organic foods, and our Great Harvest business reflects our own personal philosophy. What better job is there than to feed people? We appreciate having the freedom to run our shop as we know is best for ourselves and for our neighborhood. For us, the best quality ingredients are organic and the franchise has supported us along the way. Our shop is a unique reflection of who we are as individuals as well as what Great Harvest means. We are very proud to be part of this community of phenomenal bakers and people. It’s a relief to be able to talk with other owners when issues come up, you can draw on the experience of Great Harvest veterans. Quality is as much about the loaf as it comes out of the oven as the individual ingredients going into it. We have the power to help customers by providing the healthiest and best tasting food possible. Quality is also about who we give our business to. Buying organic and local ingredients supports the little independent guy, we are also that little, independent guy. We like the freedom to spend our money with folks whose business practices reflect our own. While a small business is always concerned with the bottom line, we know our customers really can taste the difference in high quality food. At our Great Harvest, our motto is: We love what we do and hope it shows!"

"Even though Great Harvest is a franchise, it affords us the opportunity to own a business that truly feels like our own creation, and not just a small cog in someone else's big wheel. We make our own decisions about location, bakery decor, makeup of the menu, and many other details that would be made for us by most franchise companies. We have the freedom to run our own stores, yet help from the franchise company or fellow owners is available when we need it. Great Harvest has the best bread, the best bakery concept, AND the best franchising arrangement."

"We've worked hard to create a business that gives back to the community since we opened Great Harvest in 1982. What has surprised us most is how rewarding it's been to grow and partner with our employees. We have been able to share a work environment that is fun, allows us to do our own thing, and provides a balanced work life. We feel lucky to have discovered and passed along a business philosophy that allows us to nurture family while prospering at the same time."

"When we decided to leave the corporate world behind and go into business for ourselves, the decision between a franchise and an independent business start-up was a very difficult one. While we had significant business experience and confidence in our philosophy of doing that which is "right" come what may, we lacked the knowledge to dot all the i's and cross all the t's. On the other hand, we were completely turned off by the controlling influence of the franchisor in the vast majority of traditional franchise systems we encountered. This is why the Great Harvest system is perfect for us. The franchise team and other Great Harvest owners offer tremendous support and guidance while the system allows owners all of the freedom in the world to run their business and live their dream."

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