A taste of New Haven is taking off, as one city native is using his background to introduce more local cuisine to a national network of food lovers.
CHESHIRE, Conn. — From his well-appointed Cheshire garage, Steve Thomas is busy boxing up the goods, and the goods are all about New Haven.
“Our food is one of our greatest exports,” exclaimed Thomas, who is the owner and operator of “New Haven Direct Connect”.
Thomas, who was born and raised in New Haven and who comes from a corporate marketing background, began New Haven Direct Connect 18 months ago. The premise is to deliver all of the famed gourmet eats that the Elm City is famous for.
“I saw people on some of the social media pages I belong to from New Haven saying, ‘Oh my gosh, there’s no good pizza in South Carolina,’ or ‘I really miss my Lucibello’s,'” Thomas said.
“So, I put out a trial balloon and I said if there was a service that shopped for you would you use it and people were like, ‘You have to do this.’”
Thomas added that the demand for all things New Haven gourmet is up since he launched his service.
“Our volume is double what it was last year,” he said.
From Grand Apizza to Foxon Park sodas to Durante’s Pasta Sauce, Thomas carries hundreds of famed items from New Haven that he is now shipping across the country.
“Anywhere in the U.S., you can order from us – if you’re in California, we have tons of customers in California. They know how good it is, and they miss it and they have to have it,” said Thomas.
Then he added, “We are sharing the love, that New Haven love.”