Hi, it's Monday. Here's an excerpt from our 5 things post, along with a question...
When Whole Foods just isn't a fit: I was living in Chicago in 2016 when Whole Foods announced it would open a store in the impoverished south side neighborhood of Englewood, an area that has historically struggled with having fresh grocery resources. There was a lot of hubbub at that time: how the brand wasn't a fit, how residents wouldn’t be able to afford to shop there. (Though the store did offer reduced prices on some items). Now, six years later, the store is closing, prompting a local commissioner to declare that the “only brand” that the community can count on is a local brand. For instance, in spring of this year, a different grocery shop opened in the area: Go Green Community Fresh Market, a nearly $5 million community effort that’s part corner store, but with healthy fresh options, meals cooked on site, and items from local food entrepreneurs. Perhaps Go Green will be the right fit, time will tell. —Chloe Riley ** How important are local brands and grocers to their communities? Let us know your thoughts in the comments here or email your comments to SN Executive Editor Chloe Riley at chloe.riley@informa.com WHAT DO YOU THINK? |