Manhattan's Milk Guy

Frank Acosta doesn't mind the milkman jokes. Being 6 feet, 1 inch tall, 210 pounds and a hunk by any standard, those remarks are pretty much inevitable for him.

"We love it — we eat it up. But we're very professional with our company," he says of the attention he and his equally dashing business partner, Matt Marone, have received for their dairy delivery business, Manhattan Milk.

Sorry, ladies! (And perhaps gentlemen, too.) While that might be a disappointment to some, customers find themselves plenty enamored of Manhattan Milk's personal door-to-door service and wide selection of organic, hormone-free products.

Acosta, a Michigan native, started Manhattan Milk five years ago with Marone, who already had a delivery route in Westchester County. The idea of starting a niche company that banks on nostalgia and serves up locally sourced goods might sound glamorous, but it's a lot of hard work, Acosta says.

His day usually begins at midnight, when he leaves his Midtown apartment for the company's Westchester-based warehouse. It takes about an hour and a half to load the trucks with the fresh milk, eggs, meats, vegetables and assorted dairy items Manhattan Milk offers to its customers, then he's on the road by 2 a.m.

"From there we're out all night, and we'll get done at 10 or 11 a.m., so it's a long day," Acosta says.

His route winds down through Manhattan and into Brooklyn and changes every day. Traffic jams are a regular feature of his deliveries, even in the wee morning hours. "I was out at 3 a.m. the other day, and there was a traffic jam — ridiculous," he says. "Sometimes in the nice weather people are out and about, so it can be crowded. In the summer you can get a lot of construction, so you have to be careful which way you go, otherwise your day can start late."

Once the workday ends, Acosta might rest a bit before waking up to take orders or heading off to his day job as a personal trainer.

"Fitness has always been a priority in my life," he says. And that includes his social life. In his spare time you might find him running along the West Side Highway or hitting golf balls with his buddies at Chelsea Piers. You're also likely to spot him at David Barton Gym in Chelsea, which he loves for its unique and energetic vibe. "He has this lighting in there that's stage lighting," Acosta says. "It's really cool. Then you have a live DJ. There is nothing like it."

His health nut tendencies have become part of his business philosophy. The Manhattan Milk blog features lifestyle, diet and exercise tips. And its roster of healthy foods and beverages continues to expand.

"I like to stay in shape, I like to look good," Acosta says. "But we also sell a lifestyle of being healthy. You only get one body, and you've got to take care of it."

Check out Frank's New York City.