Progress 09/01/17 to 08/31/20
Outputs
Target Audience:Throughout the duration of the Healthy Corner Store Initiative, participating corner stores were targeted for their location in low-income and low food access areas, as defined by USDA's Food Access Research Atlas, in an effort to reduce barriers to purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables. Additionally, the program sought to serve communities that experienced higher rates of diet-related chronic disease. Based on USDA's Food Access Research Atlas, all but one participating store was located in low income and low food access census tracts; the one store was still located in a low-income neighborhood (as defined by USDA). Additionally, these stores were located in areas where there was reportedly low consumption of fruits and vegetables. According to Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data, between 11-21% of adults in these neighborhoods reported eating less than 1 fruit/vegetable per day (variation across the different census tracts). Demographically, the participating corner stores were located in predominantly Black and African-American communities, never representing fewer than 60% of the population. It should be noted that this is based on 2010 census data and we know that some of the neighborhoods are rapidly changing in demographics. However, corner stores have remained more common in minority majority neighborhoods. Each year the Richmond City Health District conducted a survey of store customers and participants of store events. The first year a 21 question survey was implemented. After analyzing the survey the number of responses were lower than anticipated. In an effort to increase participation, the survey was shortened to 9 questions. A Dot survey consisting of 2 questions was also offered for participants whose time was limited. The first iteration of the survey sought to understand multiple variables related to food access among our target audience, including but not limited to, where customers primarily shopped for fruits and vegetables, baseline consumption patterns, travel method to healthy corner stores, and shopper demographics. Richmond City Health Department hoped to use responsesin earlier iterations of the survey to inform the program efforts and design of the sustainable model. Later versions of the survey were designed to understand the effectiveness of the healthy corner store programming. Unfortunately, due to Covid-19 restrictions, survey collection in the final year was not feasible since the public health department researchers were reassigned to pandemic response efforts. Other key activities throughout the grant were focused on education and engagement around healthful food behaviors with customers at participating corner stores. Shalom Farms and Richmond City Health Department partnered to offer a variety of events to accomplish our Goal 2: to meet the food needs of our target audience through education and outreach events to expand exposure to and knowledge of fresh produce and nutrition. These included a variety of initiatives, such as: Hiring a chef, Victoria's Kitchen, to lead cooking food demonstrations at store events. In these demonstrations, we hoped to provide education around unfamiliar or new food products and identify ways to prepare them that families would enjoy and replicate at home. In year 3, Shalom Farms used in-house staff and resources for cooking demonstrations, including interns, Healthy Retail Manager, and the Community Chef. This model was implemented to maximize existing resources. A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist from Richmond City Health Department hosted a nutrition series to provide education on specific health benefits of the local fresh produce. Participants received cookbooks and cooking utensils for their participation in the series. She also made herself available for questions that store customers had about their personal dietary needs. The Health Department's chronic disease team offered preventive health services and education, such as blood pressure checks, information on local health programs such as Quit Now Virginia, a statewide smoking cessation hotline, and Fitness Warriors, free local group exercise classes. Events also included "challenges" (in store scavenger hunt for the "Eat Fresh, Feel Good" cooler) where participantscould win prizes, including kitchen utensils for participation, and enter into a raffle for a slow cooker. Partnering with the Richmond Food Justice Alliance, Healthy Corner Stores also became sites for ongoing community engagement in the city related to food policy to improve food access. In February 2020, Shalom Farms and Richmond City Health Department began meeting to outline the plan for hosting the final round of events for May-August. However, when social distancing began in late March we had to decide it would not be feasible to host a final round of events. Changes/Problems:The Healthy Corner Store Expansion model sought to increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables for low-income communities by identifying a unique business model that brought low-cost local produce to participating corner stores. Since its inception in 2012, the program has relied heavily on the agricultural and food access partner, Shalom Farms. This partnership ensured the success of the model to date and there are unique considerations that made identifying another for-profit model less feasible. Shalom Farms is able to heavily subsidize costs of produce grown at their farm so that they can then be sold to corner stores at prices significantly below market prices. These lower prices are maintained for consumers because the program is designed to not allow stores to mark up more than 100%. Shalom Farms grows these products for a variety of programs, and as a result it ensures that produce is not wasted in the scenario the store had lower sales one week. Any leftover produce not distributed to corner stores one week can be used in other programs, including the Mobile Market, or be donated to their partners. In order to maximize the unique low-cost quality offerings of Shalom Farms, we instead explored ways to make the model sustainable for Shalom Farms programming, without grant support. As a result, there were a few shifts in the program implementation to reduce Shalom staff time; they include: Taking orders over the phone the day before delivery and delivering pre-packed boxes for store owners to stock the refrigerators, reducing prep time, inventory waste, and staff time. All deliveries were shifted onto Shalom Farm's Mobile Market route to build them into a system that already exists. Identifying low and high priority stores and only offering Shalom Farms produce deliveries to high priority stores. High priority stores were identified based on their produce sales, variety and quantity of produce offered, and local offer of other options. High priority stores are required to a $20/week order minimum to receive deliveries. Low priority stores were connected to other produce distributors in the region. These off-boarded stores will be visited 3-4 times per year, to ensure that required fridge provisions are being followed, answer questions, discuss produce sourcing options, connect stores to the Shalom Farms Mobile Market, and update contracts. Based on our product sales analysis from 2019, we learned a greater detail of what level of "food access" these low priority stores were offering. As a result of the low volume being sold and the variety of produce being offered at the store, we recognized that these stores were not serving the community as a fruit and vegetable access point. Through conversations and surveys, we learned the geographical barrier to access was not the main barrier; families were traveling the further distance in order to purchase produce at a conventional grocery store where all products could be purchased in one trip. However, as seen in Goal 1, some stores continued to grow, and as a result we focused program resources to the high priority stores to strengthen their capacity to increase service to families. Even with these shifts in the model to ensure ongoing sustainability, it does not replace the conventional grocery store for families. While Shalom Farms has unique organizational characteristics that ensure high quality products at a low-cost and hands-on assistance to store owners, their production is limited to what is seasonally available in central Virginia. Corner stores often decide to purchase other, non-local produce, which has a higher cost for both store owners and consumers. We know that in Richmond, VA., affordability is one of the most common barriers customers face in accessing foods, and through anecdotal information, we know that customers will make the effort to get to a grocery store if they know they can find cheaper produce and grocery items there. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? During the final year of this program, the Healthy Corner Store Program Manager attended the National Healthy Corner Store Forum to network with nationwide partners and identify other common barriers and successes. During the final year of the program, Shalom Farms' Director of Programs presented at the National Corner Store Network's Virtual Conference "Local Sourcing & Supply Chain" panel. 30 attendees learned about this unique Healthy Corner Store model, discussed the benefits and costs of prioritizing local food, and discussed ways to incorporate more local food sourcing into their own programs. As a result of participating in the grant program, the Healthy Corner Store Program Manager and the Richmond City Health District's food access specialist were invited to present at the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth Conference in 2017. In this presentation, they discussed city-wide initiatives that aimed to improve nutrition and reduce obesity among Richmond residents. As provided throughout the entirety of the program, the Healthy Corner Store Program Manager provided ongoing technical assistance to corner store owners and their staff. This assistance varied by specific store needs and often included: identifying spoiled produce, setting produce prices, and creating an attractive produce display. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The Healthy Corner Store Program Coordinator tracked monthly and yearly produce sales for each store in Tableau. An annual summary was provided to each store owner in paper printouts. Data included total produce pounds sold, total revenue, and a list of the most popular produce items sold. This information was shared & reviewed with them so that they could see the ongoing demand for the fresh produce, ask questions, and make informed decisions about inventory management in their store. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Goal 1: When we look to understand our impact on improving access to fresh produce at corner store locations, we first analyze our growth in store numbers and geographical reach in Richmond City. Then, we look to see the growth of sales individually within those stores. In the first year of the grant (2017), there were nine participating healthy corner stores that had been developed over 2015-2016. While the first year of the grant was focused heavily on building out new aspects of education and training for consumers and store owners, a focus on growth and expansion of the program began in 2018. Over the grant period, the program expanded to serving 19 stores. One store was added in 2017, four in 2018, four in 2019, and one in 2020. While these stores have had various levels of success in the program, there are a few stores that we see as meeting a community need based on their sales. From June-August 2020, these four stores in addition to two others, were retained on the delivery schedule, while the others were offboarded from HCSI deliveries. Those offboarded remain members of the Healthy Corner Store network, are allowed to keep their coolers under agreement they continue to stock fresh produce and other healthy items, and receive technical assistance on sourcing produce to ensure they continue to meet the goals of the program to improve access to fresh produce in their communities. These programmatic changes and changes in demand and delivery with social distancing caused slight decreases in total produce pounds sold by the following stores. However, when we analyzed the overall decrease in sales in 2020, purchased produce (from other vendors) expenses decreased over 50% while overall farm pounds sold through this program only slightly decreased. Of the six remaining stores receiving deliveries, the majority of the produce they purchase comes directly from Shalom Farms. Total sales and pounds for three stores over time River City, Onboarded: April 2019 2020 January - July: $1,428 / 1,648 pounds 2019 May - December: $1,826 / 2,553 pounds Race Track, July 2018 2020 Jan - July: $1,036 / 1,395 pounds 2019 $2,214 / 3,087 pounds 2018 July - Dec: $590 / 251 pounds Hopkins, 2015 2020 Jan - July $790 / 851 pounds 2019 $2,332 / 2,929 pounds 2018 $3100 / 1317 pounds 2017 $1740 / 417 pounds Red Mini Market June 2019 2020 Jan - July $1,735 / 2,216 pounds 2019 June - December $1,523 / 1,868 pounds Goal 2: Throughout the course of the grant, the Richmond City Health Department and Shalom Farms' program manager offered a myriad of engagement and education opportunities. Details of each event are covered in the Efforts Section. However, these events tended to have fairly low participation because of the fast pace and quick visit nature of corner stores. Although corner stores have high rates of traffic, including many customers that frequent the same store multiple times a week, they are often not at the store for longer than five minutes. This brief visit made it particularly challenging to implement effective behavior change programming, such as cooking demonstrations, taste test events, or nutrition education. In an effort to alert customers to nutrition tips, newly stocked produce and event reminders in the store, Shalom Farms created a text messaging campaign to engage with customers outside of the store. Flyers were placed on fridges with code to text to enroll and numbers were collected during store events. However, enrollment to this program was extremely low without the store owners encouraging participation to customers. Goal 3:In our original grant proposal, we aspired to develop a hub model where multiple local producers could partner with a distributor to increase local fruit and vegetable offerings in partnering corner stores. However, as described in the problem change section in last year's report, the local distributor and the corner stores could not come to an agreement on pricing where it was financially viable for both parties, while maintaining an affordable price for the customers. Since the goal of the program is largely focused on increasing access to affordable fresh fruits and vegetables, we could not sacrifice the price point preference of the customer. As a result, Shalom Farms continued to operate as the primary producer for the HCSI program. Detailed changes to the model are described in the problem change section. To create a more sustainable delivery model, produce deliveries to the Corner Stores were shifted onto the Shalom Farms Mobile Market route, utilizing a delivery system and schedule that already existed. Previously, produce orders were placed on the day-of delivery based on current fridge inventory. This required HCSI staff to inventory the refrigerator, and then stock the produce. Under the new model, produce orders are taken the day before delivery over the phone. Produce is delivered in pre-packed crates, and store staff are required to stock produce and maintain fridges. Moving forward, the Shalom Farms team will provide technical assistance on a monthly basis while collecting monthly payments. This change in ordering and delivery schedule embeds the program within existing programmatic infrastructure and increases its long-term sustainability while minimizing staff investment for this non-revenue generating program.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/18 to 08/31/19
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience reached by the Healthy Corner Store Initiative Expansion includes corner store owners, residents living in food desert neighborhoods, and any customers who enter a participating corner store. Changes/Problems:In the first year, we learned that this free market model may not be feasible or appropriate for all stores, as there are many barriers to purchasing produce from a conventional produce distributor (including high order minimums, infrequent deliveries, and lack of technical assistance). We piloted a central hub produce pick-up at a local store called Cash & Carry - where many corner store owners shop for items. It was unsuccessful however. In the remaining one project year, RCHD and Shalom will continue to test new models for produce distribution, with a focus on transitioning program responsibilities to community residents that live near and shop at the Healthy Corner Stores. We believe by hiring local community residents to promote, engagement and support the program a stronger model of community engagement and ownership of the program will develop. Produce Distribution: Our initial model we were testing relied on the concept that when a store began selling approximately $50 per week of produce,they would be eligible for a weekly delivery partnership with Rudy's Exotic Mushrooms and Produce. Given Rudy's existing delivery routes to restaurants and other locations within HCSI neighborhoods, that deliveries for Healthy Corner Stores could be incorporated seamlessly into Rudy's weekly delivery schedule. However, this model has not proven to work because stores are not selling this much of Rudy's produce per delivery. Our bestselling store barely meets this requirement, and sometimes doesn't meet it at all. This model doesn't work because stores aren't selling this much of Rudy's produce per delivery. Our best selling store barely meets this requirement, and sometimes doesn't meet it at all. Evaluation:The primary evaluation tool for this project was the Nutrition Environment Measures Surveydeveloped by the University of Pennsylvania, which measures community and consumer nutrition environments which include the type and location of food outlets, availability of healthful choices and information, pricing, promotion, and placement of healthier food products. However, after further testing and research of the NEMS tool we discovered it was not an appropriate tool to measure the outcomes of the Richmond Healthy Corner Store Initiative (RHCSI) because of the following reasons: RHCSI is implementing an intervention only on fresh produce in corner stores. So a change is not expected in the types of other items measured on the NEMS (e.g. dairy, canned items, cereals, etc.). The frequency at which the NEMS would need to be conducted to measure a statistically significant change in items that a store stocks and to accurately control for the variation in inventory is unrealistic for our staff capacity. The NEMS has been used previously to measure the food environment across an entire community, not to measure environmental changes within a store, which was our intended purpose of using the tool. Baseline and ongoing customer surveys are also conducted to measure the number of fresh fruits and vegetables servings consumed and consumer level of satisfaction with variety, quality, and taste. In addition, store owners are interviewed in order to gauge their satisfaction with the program and identify needs for further technical assistance, training, or marketing support in order to ensure continued buy-in at each corner store. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?We have developed a technical assistance protocol that the Heathy Retail Manager implements with each of the participating store owners. This technical assistance "curriculum" is used as a training for the store owners to have better success selling fresh produce in their stores. In addition to store owners receiving training the project staff have familiarized themselves with evaluation methods and marketing research to enhance the output of the healthy corner stores.In year three the program has decided to shift to a model that incorporates the training and hiring of local residents to work as "store ambassadors". We believe by training local community residents to promote, engagement and support the program a stronger model of community engagement and ownership of the program will develop. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We plan to explore a myriad of different ideas and models that have been used in other healthy retail programs to ensure sustainability of the services in neighborhoods that need it most. There is also a plan to invite and compensate community members/residents in food desert neighborhoods to inform program design for future initiatives that can lead to program sustainability in the Richmond area.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
As we mentioned in the other products section, goals one and two are in progress to being achieved. The addition of 4 new stores increased the number of people living in a food desert neighborhood living within 1 mile of fresh local food to more than 45,567 people, combine in year 1 and 2 we have increased our reach to additional residence by 80,461. Store outreach and promotional events included nutrition education and through those avenues we collect customer surveys to track our fruit and vegetable consumption objectives, as well as shopping behavior objectives to determine baseline measurements for grant year 3. Lastly, we have added another regional farms outside of the program implementer to make three total that have been in partnership with the project to provide their local produce in the participating corner stores.
Publications
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