Grove Market, a convenience and liquor store in Lemon Grove, is the newest participating retailer in our Live Well Community Market Program. Grove Market primarily serves nearby Black and LatinX communities. Nearly 40% of the adult population in Lemon Grove’s 91945 zip code experience obesity and 7% of adult residents are low-income and experiencing food insecurity (California Health Interview Survey, 2018).
Community Food Specialist Nghi Dang recruited Grove Market and quickly learned market management was interested in offering fresh produce to their customers. Nghi advised the market owner and staff on best practices in produce stocking, handling, and display to get them started. The market owner sourced small quantities of bananas, apples, and oranges and Nghi assisted their team with pricing, display, and promotion. Market staff member Roy was thrilled to see one customer purchase 5 oranges almost immediately after setting up the display. We’ll assist the market in monitoring sales, spoilage, and customer feedback to inform produce inventory changes moving forward for best performance.
In addition to produce stocking, we provided Grove with resources and educational materials on COVID-19 to enhance health and safety protocols. They received a COVID-19 sanitation pack including: face masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, social distancing floor stickers, and bilingual signage reminding customers of COVID-19 precautions and polices.
The interventions completed at Grove Market bumped them up to enter Level 1 of our program in just their first month of participation! We look forward to supporting their progress.