Black-owned health-conscious store delivers freshness to Atlanta
theGRIO REPORT - Nestled in the Castleberry Hill section of Atlanta is a bright, modern corner store that sells all natural produce and products for residents who seek organic alternatives...
Dr. Juliet E.K Walker, founder and director of the Center of Black Business History, Entrepreneurship, and Technology at The University of Texas at Austin states that food businesses that cater to a particular niche seem to have more success than the ones that are African-American owned.
“Simply put, small food enterprises are usually not successful,” Walker said, “although it seems that when these stores are operated by immigrants who supply food specific to an immigrant culture, they survive.”
Alison and Alphonso Cross aimed high when they established The Boxcar Grocer. They sell organic products to a community that is typically overridden with fast food restaurants. Alison Cross said that marketing is a key factor in sales.
“I had a guy come in here with a gold grill, pants hanging down his legs asking for kale,” she said. “We’ve sold him that once before and he likes it. It’s beautiful. No one’s marketing kale to him.”
She continued: “Our competition is not Whole Foods because they’re not in the black community. Our competition is KFC and Popeye’s and Churches Chicken. We need to market healthy food more to our community the way that Popeye’s does their chicken.”
Food access leads to prime health
From a health standpoint, The Boxcar Grocer is a critical solution to the food access crisis in the African-American community. Fresh food options and learning to cook with better ingredients can stave off obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. Lawrence Williams, President of the United States Healthful Food Council, states that having neighborhood grocers can lead to better eating.
“Unfortunately, the disappearance of neighborhood markets in many communities has left consumers to base their decisions almost solely on price, leaving many to rely on frozen and processed foods, as well as fast food restaurants, which have been major contributors to the dramatic rise in obesity and diabetes over the past few decades,” said Williams.
“Re-introducing a grocery or convenience store with fresh produce and healthier products on the shelves will not only make such products more convenient and accessible to local consumers, but will also have the affect of making the shopper better informed, resulting in better eaters.”
The Boxcar Grocer has individual stations where local vendors can come in and demonstrate how to use the organic products in recipes and sell prepared foods.
Alison Cross added, “Health is not about just getting a carrot into someone’s hand. Health is about your entire life. When you come here, you should know that it’s safe to eat. We are here for your health.”
Candace Y.A. Montague is a health advocate and freelance writer in Washington, D.C. She is the DC HIV/AIDS Examiner for Examiner.com. Candace is also a contributor to The Body.com, The Black AIDS Weekly, and East of the River Magazine, a publication of Capital Community News. Writing is her activism.
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