Akeel Thomas was born and raised in a close-knit family with modest upbringing in the rural village of Toco. The dedication of his humble, hard working parents paired with his own drive, allowed him to not only complete A-Levels but undergraduate and master’s degrees at The UWI, St Augustine campus. With the entrepreneurial spirit and his personal goals forever at the forefront of his mind, he started Harvest 2 Home Premium Produce. As he told us, “I have a date with destiny and I am running late for it”. This is his MENtions story

My childhood was synonymous with country living. As children, we would spend hours under the fruit trees which were in season, days at the beach and flying kites. We also played a lot of sports, which is normal for most youth in Toco. Even with the easy living and fun times, my parents’ main goal was for me to gain a proper education. Education meant everything to them because it was our gateway out of poverty. From primary school to A’ Levels, my mother would wake me at 3 am and would stay awake with me while I studied. Although she couldn’t help with the actual work, it was her way of providing motivation and ensuring that I got the work done.

At the time, I never thought we were ‘poor’. We had love and basic food on our plate that was well prepared. The food tasted like we were eating in a five-star restaurant: except for when it was split peas and rice or pumpkin and rice, which were my least favorite meals. My father, in addition to being a Lighthouse Keeper, would rear cows, plant melon and fish to add extra income to the household. My mother had a small parlour in front of the secondary school and I used to assist her there as soon as the bell rang for lunch. I would also clean yards, catch and sell crabs on afternoons and weekends for extra pocket change.

After attending primary school at Toco Anglican, I went on to Toco Composite School where I completed CXC and A-Levels. With my parents’ education thrust and continued encouragement, I read for a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental and Natural Resource Management with Agribusiness (Double Major) and a Master of Science degree in Project Management; both from The UWI St, Augustine

Taking the harvest to your home

Although, I had these two degrees behind my name, I always believed in and saw the value of entrepreneurship. Wages would help you earn a living but entrepreneurship can provide you with a fortune as well as create opportunities for those around you. My first real entrepreneurship ventures were selling sneakers, health products and fishing. After these failed, I ventured into agribusiness. Being from an agriculture village like Toco, it felt natural. I would supply supermarkets, processors, restaurants and other roadside vendors with their produce and supplies. As the following on social media increased, this venture evolved into the sale of fruit, vegetables and provision packages. People would message to find out how they can purchase the healthy produce being posted on the business page. I knew individual retail sales would not be profitable because I didn’t have a physical storefront so I had to find a concept that can create value for the customer whilst creating a profit. This led to the birth of Harvest 2 Home in its current format.

2020 reminded me – Service to many, leads to greatness

Before the COVID-19 pandemic started, Harvest 2 Home Premium Produce was one of the main delivery services for fruits and vegetables. The pandemic, however, helped us to solidify our place as a key player in this niche market. During the first few months of the lockdown when there was extreme panic and hysteria, we were called upon to make a positive impact. Through our service, people were able to stay in the comfort of their home and out of harm’s way and receive fresh produce on their doorstep. During this time, we realised that it was important to provide a service which will help to ease the stress and worry that many were experiencing. Our visibility therefore increased tremendously. With that increase in visibility, we also had to enhance our safety protocols such as increasing sanitizing, limiting physical interactions with customers and enforcing cashless transactions. When the cases were at their highest and many were in home quarantine, with our revised protocols, we were able to deliver to a number of customers who were confined to their homes. These individuals were extremely thankful for such a service as it was one less worry for them.

While we provide almost every fruit and vegetable that is available to us here, we still want to expand our product offerings to cater to the ever-changing dietary plans of our customers. Our ultimate aim is to continue creating value, offering high quality produce and providing reliable, safe and convenient delivery options.

Quitting isn’t an option

Each day, I wake up with the drive to create a legacy that can be passed on to future generations. This is what keeps me going. The need to improve the standard of living for my family and those around me is also a key motivator. The inner desire to follow through to the end also serves as a daily reminder as to why quitting isn’t an option.

I didn’t have a mentor or guide when conceptualizing the business. Trial and error were the best teachers as they allowed me to learn first hand what works and what didn’t. My small circle of family and friends were instrumental in this process as I was able to discuss my ideas with them and come up with solutions to problems which I may have encountered. Although it this isn’t the traditional career path, my family has continued to support me tremendously because they know how passionate I am. It’s the first thing on my mind when I wake and the last thing before bed. Without my team, the business would not be where it is today. It started off in my bedroom and as the workload grow, the need for more resources grew. The team is the backbone of the company and I am really grateful for them.