NEW YORK—Fresh produce is now just a walk away for some South Bronx residents. Western Beef is the first supermarket to open with assistance from the city’s Food Retail Expansion to Support Health (FRESH) program.
The program gives incentive, in form of tax exemptions and loans, for the establishment of new supermarkets in neighborhoods labeled as “food deserts.” South Bronx is considered one such area, with little access to fresh fruit and vegetables in its desert of junk-food grocery stores and bodegas.
“It [the FRESH program] increases access to nutritious and affordable foods,” said Seth Pinsky, president of New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC). “And that’s critical to the future of all of the communities like Tremont, which for too long have been underserved.”
“I just want to thank the city of New York and Western Beef for bringing healthy living to what’s considered to be the poorest and hungriest district in America,” said Assemblyman Eric Stevenson. “I think this is a start in the right direction,” he added.
Lack of food access in these food deserts has been linked to increased rates of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity in a study conducted for the Mayor’s Food Policy Taskforce by the Department of Health, Department of City Planning, and NYCEDC. Mayor Michael Bloomberg developed the FRESH program in response to these findings.
“It’s nicer, it’s brighter,” said Wisnelda Perrilla, 39, from Washington Heights in Manhattan, of the new store. “The prices are always better. Our prices in Manhattan are very expensive, but we can always get a deal here.”
Western Beef applied to the program two years ago. The store opened one month ago. The project cost a total of $13 million and received $5.6 million in real estate and sales tax exemptions through the FRESH program. The store created 120 permanents jobs.
“The city agencies were fantastic to work with. They were very helpful, very thorough,” said Western Beef’s CEO Patrick V. Delorio. “Without them we couldn’t have done what we have for the residents of South Bronx,” he added.
The produce aisle was neatly stocked with fruits and vegetables. Families came around the aisles with carts, picking out ginger roots, plantains, and yams. Customers have been letting the store staff know that they are very pleased.
“They’re all so happy. They thank us every day that we’re here,” Delorio said.
Western Beef is a large privately owned supermarket chain, with 28 supermarkets operating in New York, New Jersey, and Florida. Chris Italia, marketing director for the chain, said that each supermarket keeps in touch with its neighborhood.
“We’re talking to customers constantly,” Italia said.
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