Healthy Corner Stores: Partnering with Wholesale Suppliers to Improve Healthy Food Access

In communities that lack supermarkets, families depend on corner stores for food purchases. The choices at these stores are often limited to packaged foods with few healthy options. In partnership with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health as part of Communities Putting Prevention to Work, The Food Trust's Healthy Corner Store Initiative is working with both corner stores and corner store suppliers to increase access to affordable healthy food through social marketing, store owner trainings and strategic investments in store layout.

In Philadelphia, 80% of corner stores participating in the Healthy Corner Store Initiative (HCSI) purchase food and supplies at Jetro, a national wholesale cash and carry business. By leveraging the buying power of over 500 Philadelphia corner stores enrolled in the initiative, the HCSI was able to effectively work with Jetro to introduce new healthy product options, nutrition guidelines to identify these healthy products and healthy product identification marketing which is posted throughout Jetro to direct storeowners to healthy products. In corner stores, promotional materials were developed and posted, and events were held in Jetro to inform storeowners of new healthy foods at Jetro.

Jetro introduced additional fresh produce, a new line of low-sodium and low-sugar canned fruits and vegetables and low-fat dairy products. New items continue to be introduced.

Working with businesses that supply corner stores is an effective strategy to get healthier products into corner stores.