Progress 09/01/20 to 08/31/21
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience reached during this reporting period is residents of Historic South Atlanta, the small neighborhood where Carver Market is located and serves. Historic South Atlanta has approximately 2,800 residents. 93 percent of the population is African American, 6 percent is White, and 1 percent is other such as Asian or Native American. Many of the residents live below the poverty line and many of them also do not have means of transportation. This is why we strive to keep Carver Market affordable and accessible to the local residents. They are the main audience and why we needed to expand the store in the first place. Before the expansion, Carver Market was only 2,400 square feet and had been that size since it opened in 2015. We packed as many products in the store as we could, but we were limited by its size and therefore could not offer everything that our customers wanted or needed. A main focus of the expansion was adding more refrigeration to be able to offer more fruits and vegetables, meats, frozen items, and grab-and-go items. By adding more refrigeration and freezer space, we are able to provide our customers with fresher, healthier options. We have also reorganized the layout of the store to place a refrigerated cooler full of healthy grab-and-go snacks such as salad, smoothies, and hummus near the checkout aisle. All of these changes have taken place over the last few months, and have been met with much positive feedback from our customers. Changes/Problems:Due to the pandemic, we did face increased construction costs and minor delays for product availability and delivery, but we did not have any major changes or problems. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The employees at Carver Market and Community Grounds receive ongoing training and support as they learn their roles and responsibilities. We are proud to provide 15-17 job opportunities for residents of Historic South Atlanta, a neighborhood that has long suffered disinvestment and has only a few other retail businesses. For many of our employees, their job at either Carver Market or Community Grounds is the first job they've ever had, and we take great care to teach them skills they can take with them wherever they go next. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The expansion of the market and addition of new products has been advertised to our customers through our social media channels, email newsletters, and via text message to everyone who has signed up for our loyalty program. We have offered several discounts on new products to encourage customers to come and try them. We also hosted an event on Friday, November 12th, called Breakfast on the Block. Over the course of 4 hours we hosted 4 groups of people on a masked, socially distanced tour to come to our office and visit the expanded market. This was a great way for our supporters and customers to learn about and visit the newly expanded market. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?This is our final reporting period; however, several of our goals were ongoing and will take multiple years to achieve. Beyond this period, we will continueto add new, affordable products, expand our customer base, hire more residents, increase our sales, and work towards profitability and sustainability.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Impact Statement: Our project addressed the issue of local food access. The main goal of our project was to increase the offerings of our local grocery store in order to better serve our customers by improving their access to healthy, affordable foods. The main beneficiaries of this project were the local residents who shop at the market because they now enjoy a wider selection of products including healthier options such as fresh produce, more accessible options such as premade sandwiches, and higher protein options such as high quality meats. The benefit to society at large stems from the benefits of healthier families which create healthier neighborhoods and healthier communities. In a neighborhood where 100% of students at the local schools qualify for free or reduced lunch, we are proud to be an important source of local, healthy, accessible foods and groceries. Objective #1: The market will expand its footprint to increase its capacity to stock groceries, and install additional refrigeration equipment, shelving, and other materials. The major activity completed was construction in our current space that took place during June, July, and August 2021. The market expanded into the adjacent unit that FCS also owns when the wall separating them was torn down and a new wall, further back, was erected. This added the majority of the new square footage, but more floor space was also created in the store when we removed a very large, concrete stoop that protruded into the sales floor. The data collected was the increase of square footage and the increase in display space for each department. The square footage of the grocery store increased from 2,400 to 3,600 square feet. Display space increased by 125% for meat and 75% for produce. The key outcome realized was the additional capacity for our market to stock groceries and install additional refrigerators and freezers. Objective #2: The expanded market will offer more produce, meat, and a wider variety of other products. The major activity completed was the sourcing and addition of new products to our sales floor. The data collected was the number of SKUs that were added to each department. The number of SKUS in the produce department increased by 10%. The number of SKUS in the meat department increased by 65%. The number of SKUS in the dairy department increased by 55%. The key outcome realized was the increase in product variety for our customers. Objective #3: The expanded market will serve more customers, and provide more service to those customers. The major activity completed was serving more customers. The data collected was the average number of customers per day, their average ticket size, and total sales. Before the expansion, Carver Market served 220 customers a day with an average $6 ticket size. After the expansion, Carver Market is currently serving an estimated 300 customers a day with an average $8 ticket size. Sales are up 90% for meat and 85% for dairy. The key outcome realized was an expanded customer base, and an increase in the average amount purchased which indicates that customers are purchasing the additional products we are now offering. Objective #4: Increased earned revenue will cover the cost of all basic operations. The major activity completed was selling more products which generated more revenue. The data collected was the amount of annual earned income and amount of philanthropic income. Before the expansion in 2019, Carver Market was earning 75% of its revenue and relied on philanthropy to subsidize the other 25%. The additional products were added in Fall of 2021 and their impact on overall revenue will be measured in the fall of2022. However, based on the increased number of customers and increased average ticket size that we are currently experiencing, we anticipate that we will successfully accomplish our goal of having the market earn 92% of its revenue within 5 years of the completed expansion. The key outcome is in progress. The goal is to move our grocery store closer to profitability and self-reliance. Objective #5: The market will continue to draw on philanthropic support to ensure affordability and present events that enhance our community. The major activity completed was securing philanthropic support that allowed us to sustain our 2-for-1 produce program, maintain affordable prices, and present an event for our community. (The majority of community events were suspended due to the pandemic.) The data collected was the amount of philanthropic support received. In 2021, we secured $17,500 in philanthropic support for non-capital expenditures for Carver Market. The key outcome realized was continued affordability and community engagement. Objective #6: The market will have an impact on healthier eating habits in our community. The major activity completed was customers purchasing more produce. The data collected was the increase in produce sales. Produce sales have increased by 33 percent compared to this time last year. The key outcome is in progress. Objective #7: The market will prioritize sourcing produce from local farmers when it is in season. The major activity completed was continuing to purchase produce from local farmers through Common Market. The data collected was the amount of produce sourced locally. Before the expansion, Carver Market had 25% of the produce locally sourced. We are maintaining this and expect this measure to increase in the spring when more local produce is available. The key outcome realized was the ongoing support of local farms and small businesses. Objective #8: Carver Market and Community Grounds will further support our community by employing local neighbors. The major activity completed was continuing to employ local residents in the grocery store and coffee shop. The data collected was the number of local residents employed. Before the expansion, Carver Market and Community Grounds employed anywhere from 10-15 people at a time. We have retained those positions and added 2 new positions as a result of the expansion. The key outcome realized was providing stable employment, training, and job opportunities for residents of Historic South Atlanta.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/20 to 08/31/21
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience reached during this reporting period is residents of Historic South Atlanta, the small neighborhood where Carver Market is located. Historic South Atlanta has approximately 2,800 residents. 93 percent of the population is African American, 6 percent is White, and 1 percent is other such as Asian or Native American. Many of the residents live below the poverty line and many of them also do not have means of transportation. This is why we strive to keep Carver Market affordable and accessible to the local residents. They are the main audience and why we needed to expand the store in the first place. Before the expansion, Carver Market was only 2,400 square feet and had been that size since it opened in 2015. We packed as many products in the store as we could, but we were limited by its size and therefore could not offer everything that our customers wanted or needed. A main focus of the expansion was adding more refrigeration to be able to offer more fruits and vegetables, meats, frozen items, and grab-and-go items. By adding more refrigeration and freezer space, we are able to provide our customers with fresher, healthier options. We have also reorganized the layout of the store to place a refrigerated cooler full of healthy grab-and-go snacks such as salad, smoothies, and hummus near the checkout aisle. All of these changes have taken place over the last few months, and have been met with much positive feedback from our customers. Changes/Problems:Due to the pandemic, we did face increased construction costs and minor delays for product availability and delivery, but we did not have any major changes or problems. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The employees at Carver Market and Community Grounds receive ongoing training and support as they learn their roles and responsibilities. We are proud to provide 15-17 job opportunities for residents of Historic South Atlanta, a neighborhood that has long suffered disinvestment and has only a few other retail businesses. For many of our employees, their job at either Carver Market or Community Grounds is the first job they've ever had, and we take great care to teach them skills they can take with them wherever they go next. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The expansion of the market and addition of new products has been advertised to our customers through our social media channels, email newsletters, and via text message to everyone who has signed up for our loyalty program. We have offered several discounts on new products to encourage customers to come and try them. We also hosted an event on Friday, November 12th, called Breakfast on the Block. Over the course of 4 hours we hosted 4 groups of people on a masked, socially distanced tour to come to our office and visit the expanded market. This was a great way for our supporters and customers to learn about and visit the newly expanded market. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Impact Statement: Our project addressed the issue of local food access. The main goal of our project was to increase the offerings of our local grocery store in order to better serve our customers by improving their access to a variety of healthy, affordable foods. After several months of construction, our market expanded from 2,400 to 3,600 square feet. The number of products increased 10% in the produce department, 65% in the meat department, and 55% in the dairy department. The amount of display space where customers browse items also increased by 125% for meat and 75% for produce. Sales are up 90% for meat and 85% for dairy, and the average ticket size increased from $6 before the expansion to $8 now. Based on the increased number of customers and increased average ticket size, we are on track to increase the amount of earned revenue and therefore reduce our dependence on philanthropy, moving our store (and the model we want to share with others) closer to sustainability.? The main beneficiaries of this project were the local residents who shop at the market because they now enjoy a wider selection of products including healthier options such as fresh produce, more accessible options such as premade sandwiches, and higher protein options such as high quality meats. Additional beneficiaries are the 2 new employees that we have hired for the positions we created after the expansion. The benefit to society at large stems from the benefits of healthier families which create healthier neighborhoods and healthier communities. Successful retail activity in the neighborhood also helps to bring in other businesses and investments. In a neighborhood where 100% of students at the local schools qualify for free or reduced lunch, we are proud to be an important source of local, healthy, accessible foods and groceries. Objective #1: The market will expand its footprint to increase its capacity to stock groceries, and install additional refrigeration equipment, shelving, and other materials. The major activity completed was construction in our current space that took place during June, July, and August 2021. The market expanded into the adjacent unit that FCS also owns when the wall separating them was torn down and a new wall, further back, was erected. This added the majority of the new square footage, but more floor space was also created in the store when we removed a very large, concrete stoop that protruded into the sales floor. The data collected was the increase of square footage and the increase in display space for each department. The square footage of the grocery store increased from 2,400 to 3,600 square feet. Display space increased by 125% for meat and 75% for produce. The key outcome realized was the additional capacity for our market to stock groceries and install additional refrigerators and freezers. Objective #2: The expanded market will offer more produce, meat, and a wider variety of other products. The major activity completed was the sourcing and addition of new products to our sales floor. The data collected was the number of SKUs that were added to each department. The number of SKUS in the produce department increased by 10%. The number of SKUS in the meat department increased by 65%. The number of SKUS in the dairy department increased by 55%. The key outcome realized was the increase in product variety for our customers. Objective #3: The expanded market will serve more customers, and provide more service to those customers. The major activity completed was serving more customers. The data collected was the average number of customers per day, their average ticket size, and total sales. Before the expansion, Carver Market served 220 customers a day with an average $6 ticket size. After the expansion, Carver Market is currently serving an estimated 300 customers a day with an average $8 ticket size. Sales are up 90% for meat and 85% for dairy. The key outcome realized was an expanded customer base, and an increase in the average amount purchased which indicates that customers are purchasing the additional products we are now offering. Objective #4: Increased earned revenue will cover the cost of all basic operations. The major activity completed was selling more products which generated more revenue. The data collected was the amount of annual earned income and amount of philanthropic income. Before the expansion in 2019, Carver Market was earning 75% of its revenue and relied on philanthropy to subsidize the other 25%. The additional products were added in Fall of 2021 and their impact on overall revenue will be measured in the fall of 2022. However, based on the increased number of customers and increased average ticket size that we are currently experiencing, we anticipate that we will successfully accomplish our goal of having the market earn 92% of its revenue within 5 years of the completed expansion. The key outcome is in progress. The goal is to move our grocery store closer to profitability and self-reliance. Objective #5: The market will continue to draw on philanthropic support to ensure affordability and present events that enhance our community. The major activity completed was securing philanthropic support that allowed us to sustain our 2-for-1 produce program, maintain affordable prices, and present an event for our community. (The majority of community events were suspended due to the pandemic.) The data collected was the amount of philanthropic support received. In 2021, we secured $17,500 in philanthropic support for non-capital expenditures for Carver Market. The key outcome realized was continued affordability and community engagement. Objective #6: The market will have an impact on healthier eating habits in our community. The major activity completed was customers purchasing more produce. The data collected was the increase in produce sales. Produce sales have increased by 33 percent compared to this time last year. The key outcome is in progress. Objective #7: The market will prioritize sourcing produce from local farmers when it is in season. The major activity completed was continuing to purchase produce from local farmers through Common Market. The data collected was the amount of produce sourced locally. Before the expansion, Carver Market had 25% of the produce locally sourced. We are maintaining this and expect this measure to increase in the spring when more local produce is available. The key outcome realized was the ongoing support of local farms and small businesses. Objective #8: Carver Market and Community Grounds will further support our community by employing local neighbors. The major activity completed was continuing to employ local residents in the grocery store and coffee shop. The data collected was the number of local residents employed. Before the expansion, Carver Market and Community Grounds employed anywhere from 10-15 people at a time. We have retained those positions and added 2 new positions as a result of the expansion. The key outcome realized was providing stable employment, training, and job opportunities for residents of Historic South Atlanta.
Publications
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