It’s becoming widely known in the planning world and public health that food access is a major problem for some people. This problem usually affects people of low to moderate incomes. They live in areas known as “food deserts”. According to http://www.fooddesert.net, food deserts are large geographical areas that have no grocery stores or distant grocery stores. Within these food deserts, there is usually an abundance of fast food, convenience stores and liquor stores. This is a problem that needs addressing on a major scale because it affects the health of people living in food deserts. Studies have shown that people in areas with low to no access of affordable quality foods are in poor health; having diagnosis such as obesity, diabetes, cancer and heart disease, among others.
Research completed by the University o f Memphis shows that some of the poorest neighborhoods in Memphis have the worst access to quality grocery stores. Just like other food deserts, these areas have corner stores and ‘mom and pop’ shops where the food is most likely junk food or processed food. There is rarely any fresh produce available and prices for the food are higher than at grocery stores in other neighborhoods. Since the “People’s Plan” was passed by the City Council for part of the South Memphis area, a neighborhood Farmer’s Market has been in operation since the beginning of the summer. The market was developed as a response to the lack of high quality, fresh food. While it is a good start to providing food for South Memphis residents, it is not nearly enough.
On September 9, 2010, the Commercial Appeal published an article regarding the construction of a new Kroger. Kroger is constructing a new twenty million dollar building in the Poplar- Highland area.[i] This area is currently served by a Kroger that appears to be in good condition. This seems to be a waste of money and resources, as Kroger is providing a newer store to an area that has no need for one. The article outlines some of the new amenities that this Kroger will have that the other one lacks, including a bistro, an onsite chef, a sushi station and a fresh soup and salad bar. It is estimated to take anywhere from nine to twelve months to complete this project.
Because Kroger is a corporation, we cannot expect them to look for areas where there is a need for fresh, affordable food. As planners, it is our job to connect underserved communities with the appropriate resources. Research has already been done to show zones where access to grocery stores is limited. It is up to planners to take that information a step further and create proposals to give to grocers so that food can be provided in that area. It is unlikely that a large grocery store will go into some of the lower income neighborhoods. Grocers, along with other corporate retail businesses see these areas as a risk. A study by the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) has shown that grocery stores in inner cities can be successful. Most of these stores find their success by offer ethnic or culturally appropriate goods.[ii] They service a demand that would otherwise go unmet in these neighborhoods.
There are programs by the federal government that will give certain tax breaks or incentives for providing healthy food to an at risk neighborhood. The New York Times posted an article last year about a low income neighborhood in Philadelphia was able to get a grocery store in the area. The owner said that it would not have happened, but for a revolving loan program and a Pennsylvania grant that is aimed at improving access to healthy food in places with little to no stores available.[iii]
We have to be creative, persistent and convincing to corporations to entice them to these areas. We could show food chains that there is currently no competition in these neighborhoods. We need options other than solely asking grocers to build a freestanding store in food deserts. One possible program could include weekly trips by grocers to underserved neighborhoods, bringing basic foods where community members could gather and purchase the food without traveling great distances. We could connect with a grocer that specializes in small, wholesale food items such as Aldi or Save-a-Lot to get a small but full service grocery store in low income neighborhoods. Another option would be to contract with a large chain to provide fresh, healthy food to neighborhood corner stores.
These options may work, but it is up to community members and planners to try them. With solid market research and evidence of where these programs are working, we can begin to solve the food crisis in Memphis.
Photo courtesy of http://www.thesunblog.com
[i] Dowd, J. (2010). Kroger to invest $20 million to build new store in Poplar-Highland area of Memphis. Commercial Appeal. Retrieved 9 Sept. 2010 from http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/sep/09/kroger-invest-20m-build-new-store-corner-poplar-an/.
[ii] Bolen, E., & Hecht, K. (2003). Neighborhood Groceries: New Access to Healthy Food in Low-Income Communities. California Food Policy Advocates.
[iii] Pristin, T. (2009). With a little help, greens come to low-income neighborhoods. The New York Times. Retrieved 15 Sept. 2010 from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/17/business/17supermarkets.html.
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