Business of the Month - August 2004: Great Harvest Bread Company

What could be better than a loaf of freshly baked bread on the table?  Whole grain wheat freshly milled into flour and blended with all natural ingredients is the basis for each and every loaf of bread baked at the Great Harvest Bread Company.  There are no preservatives or additives.  David & Julie Cole, owners of Northville's Great Harvest Bread Company, insist on using fresh, local ingredients, whenever possible, such as Guernsey Farms Dairy products from Novi, Traverse City cherries, and honey from Howell.  Seven days a week, 25 different varieties of bread are made fresh and baked on site including their signature bread, honey whole wheat.  Michigan Cherry Walnut, Oregon Herb, Irish Brown Bread, Lemon Raspberry, Apple Scrapple...try a new one each week.  For a complete list of which days your favorite breads will be fresh from the oven, visit the Great Harvest website. 

Great Harvest is now open for the early birds at 7:00am Tuesday through Saturday.  After your morning walk or on your way to work, stop in for a Lemon Poppyseed Muffin or Vanilla Pecan Scone and coffee or tea. Scrumptious cinnamon rolls are fresh from the oven on Fridays.  It’s a yummy way to start the day!  Visit Great Harvest for a relaxing light lunch or dinner.  Homemade soup with a slice of fresh bread topped off with one of Great Harvest’s famous cookies makes a delicious and nutritious meal.  Eight varieties of cookies are also made fresh daily including the ever-popular Dillon, Chocolate Chip & Walnut, Oatmeal Raison, and Snickerdoodle.

All of Great Harvest’s breads, cookies, and specialty items can be packaged into attractive gift baskets.  On hand is a Basket Coordinator ready to help you fill your basket. They can be as elaborate as you like or as a simple as a Kiss Wrap, which is a loaf of your favorite bread or cookies wrapped in either mylar or mesh. The perfect hostess or teacher gift!  Great Harvest offers a variety of standard baskets or you may choose your own selections.

• Try a specialty basket incorporating your favorite breakfast items such as Cranberry Almond Oatmeal, Gourmet Granola, and pancake mix with maple syrup made locally in Northville. Include Banana Walnut Muffins, Hummingbird Scones, or your favorite toaster bread and jam with Great Harvest’s own label. 
• Have you been invited to friends for a Labor Day barbeque?  Include in your gift basket spice rubs for steak, chicken, or pork by Stonewall Kitchen or Anna Mae’s Sweet Smokey Oven & Grill Sauce by Robert Rothschild.  Elena’s Dipping Oils such as Red Wine Vinegar or Chianti Vinegar are the perfect compliment for a fresh loaf of bread.
• For the snowbirds that winter in warmer places – take a little piece of Northville with you. Pack a few loaves of your favorite breads; when you run out, give Great Harvest a call.  They will be happy to ship you more.
• Sympathy baskets can be delivered locally to funeral homes – a new and thoughtful alternative to flowers. 
• Don’t forget the college bound kids.  Send a little bit of home with pizza rolls and cookies. 

All gift baskets include freshly baked products and are mylar wrapped complete with a bow.  In a matter of minutes your gift is ready to take with you or if need be shipping is available throughout the U.S.  All baked goods are guaranteed fresh for 7-10 days. Gift baskets can also be ordered via Great Harvest’s website.

Great Harvest has been tempting Northville residents with the wonderful aromas of freshly baked bread for ten years.  David and Julie Cole purchased the franchise not quite two years ago, but have already received the distinction of being in the top ten in sales in the United States. Competing with other Great Harvest franchises in major cities such as Chicago, Indianapolis, and Denver, its an outstanding achievement to be 7th in sales out of 220.  David and Julie are City of Northville residents and pride themselves on giving back to their community.  Northville Seniors and Star Manor Nursing Home have received numerous donations of day old products. Baked goods are never sold 30 hours after they come out of the oven. More than a hundred baskets a month are donated to local food banks, soup kitchens, fundraisers, and various other charities. 

Eat fresh bread daily.  Make Great Harvest your meeting place for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!