Creating Community Through Food: The joint mission of Bi-Rite Market and 18 Reasons
Take a seat with Sam Mogannam, founder of the Bi-Rite Family of Businesses, and Sarah Nelson, Executive Director of 18 Reasons, as they reflect on the inspiration, partnership story, and shared vision that brought 18 Reasons into the Bi-Rite family.
Meet Sarah and Sam
Sarah Nelson: “I’m Sarah Nelson, the Executive Director of 18 Reasons.”
Sam Mogannam: “And I’m Sam Mogannam, the founder of the Bi-Rite Family of Businesses in San Francisco.”
Sarah Nelson, Executive Director of 18 Reasons | Naveed Ahmad
A Chance Meeting Turns into a Partnership
Sarah:
“When we started working together in 2011 or 2012, I had this tiny nonprofit running out of my living room. One of my board members read Sam’s book and said, We’ve got to get this guy to come speak at our fundraiser. At the time, our ‘fundraiser’ was a $10 brunch we cooked ourselves.
We met with Sam, and I nervously explained what we did. He nodded and said, You’re doing the work, man. I shot back, No, you’re doing the work, man! We went back and forth like that until we realized we were both doing the work, and we wanted to do it together.
We collaborated on a film festival with a lot of help from the Bi-Rite marketing team, and before long we merged my nonprofit into 18 Reasons, creating the cooking school and community programs that exist today. Now, we offer cooking classes here in the kitchen as well as free programs for low-income families all over the Bay.”
Building Community Through Food
Sam:
“When I learned about Sarah’s nonprofit Three Squares, I thought, You’re doing the work we’ve been trying to figure out how to do. We wanted to reach beyond our four walls and connect with people who couldn’t come into 18 Reasons, and Sarah’s work showed us what was possible.
Co-creating the Food and Farm Film Festival was incredible. San Francisco, as foodie as it is, didn’t have a food film festival until then. Once we got a taste of working together, we knew it was time to take 18 Reasons further. The merger wasn’t just additive—it was synergistic. Together, we created something bigger than either of us could have done alone. That makes me proud as hell.”
Sam Mogannam, founder and co-owner of Bi-Rite
Joy, Experimentation, and Learning
Sam:
“18 Reasons began around the corner on Guerrero Street, in a space called The Blue Space. It was owned by Fayes Coffee and Video, and when they decided to give it up, they offered it to us. The idea was to connect the rural—farmers, ranchers, winemakers—with the urban community cooking and eating their food. We wanted people to understand the why behind their food.
When you meet the farmer, hear their story, and taste their peaches or wine, it transforms you. That spirit carried into cooking classes, knife skills workshops, and wine tastings with local winemakers. We didn’t know where it would go, but it was joyful and experimental. For me, the joy of connecting over food is at the heart of creating community.”
Teaching Food Differently
Sarah:
“A lot of food education is dry and nutrition-focused: vitamins, minerals, fiber. But no one comes home at night saying, I need more vitamin A today, let’s eat some carrots. That’s not how most of us think about food. We ask: What tastes good? What will my family enjoy?
I wanted to teach food through a farmers market and culinary lens—celebrating fruits and vegetables as delicious and beautiful, not just nutritious. That’s how our nonprofit began.
Our classes are hands-on. We bring a mobile kitchen with knives, cutting boards, pots, pans, sometimes even butane burners, so people can actually cook. Every participant cooks, eats, and takes home groceries to recreate the meal. It’s not easy, but it’s empowering.
The mission of 18 Reasons is to empower our community to buy, cook, and eat good food every day.”
The Power of Partnership
Sarah:
“What makes our relationship strong is that Sam and I both have an idealistic vision of how people and food should connect. We’re both risk-takers, a little wild, and excited about big ideas. We share a deep belief in the power of food and community.”
Sam:
“I agree. Sarah and I, and 18 Reasons and Bi-Rite, connect because we’re rebels. We like to break rules, think outside the box, and focus on getting things done with as few barriers as possible. We’re fearless—we try, we fail, we learn, and we keep going. It’s fun, and I’ve learned so much from you, Sarah.”
Food Education as a Lifelong Journey
Sam:
“At Bi-Rite, food education is integral. We’re not just feeders—we’re teachers. You can’t expect to nourish someone without education along the way.
What matters is teaching in a way that’s accessible, non-dogmatic, and respectful. It should make people feel whole, not insignificant.
And teaching only works if you’re also learning. I consider myself a lifelong learner, and I ask the same of everyone in the Bi-Rite family. Food education never ends; it’s a process of constant learning and growth.”
A Call to Support Local Food and Community
Sarah:
“Buy local food. Support local farmers. No one is more marginalized in our society than farmers and farmworkers. They work incredibly hard for very little.
If you can afford to, pay more for your food. Pay the most you can. Buy organic meat until it hurts. Support local businesses like Bi-Rite so our cities aren’t just filled with chain stores.
And support organizations like 18 Reasons. You can volunteer in our kitchen or at community classes, donate at 18reasons.org/donate, or simply join us for a class. We all eat every day, so there are countless ways to get involved.”
Together, Bi-Rite and 18 Reasons are Creating Community Through Food. One class, one meal, and one connection at a time.
