Food Retail Initiatives

Supermarkets

Farmers Markets Mobile Food Vendors

Bodegas

2

Goal: Work with all types of food retail venues to increase access to healthy foods

Health Bucks Program• 138 markets now in NYC, EBT accepted at 90% of

them (125)• Health Bucks are $2 Coupons for purchase of fresh

fruits & vegetables at participating farmers markets. • Get an additional $2 Health Buck for every $5 spent

using EBT at the farmers market, representing a 40% increase in purchasing power

• NEW! Map locator• New! Expansion beyond DPHOs

Green Carts

• Starting in June 2008, rule change to allow 1000 Green Cart Permits over 2 years

• Can only sell fresh non processed produce in designated areas

• To date, over 450 permits allocated

Bodegas Represent Majority of Food Outlets

Access to Healthy Food in North and Central Brooklyn: A Report from the Brooklyn DPHO

Shop Healthy NYC

• Worked with over 1000 bodegas and 50 supermarkets since 2006

• Increase inventory of healthier foods• Promote healthier foods and replace

ads for unhealthy products• Connect stores to technical assistance

like low interest loans, applications for stoop line permits, energy audits, community sites, etc.

What is Shop Healthy NYC?• Environmental changes are among the most promising strategies for addressing obesity and

improving diet and physical activity. • Shop Healthy NYC is an innovative neighborhood-based approach that simultaneously addresses

both supply and demand, the two elements required to effectively and sustainably affect access.

Sustainable lasting inventory changes in store and neighborhood access to

healthier foods

Support From Suppliers and Distributors

Increased Inventory, Improved

Placement, Increased

Marketing of Healthier Food

Demand From Customers for Retail Change

Starting in the Bronx: Why here?Acces

s is Fundamenta

l

• A survey of Bronx residents identified access to quality fruits and vegetables as a critical step to improving the eating habits of individuals in the borough.

• Access to healthy food retail was identified as a top priority in a series of meetings with over 50 community stakeholders.

Partnership

s Sustai

n Chang

e

• Strong existing initiatives and partnerships will sustain the program.• Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr and Senator Gustavo Rivera’s CAN Initiative

(Changing Attitudes Now) support health for all borough residents• Bronx DPHO and Montefiore Medical Center’s CATCH initiative supports neighborhood

level change by partnering with community stakeholders and clinical staff

Potential

Impact

• Two zip codes identified as high need and with strong interest in food retail work: West Farms (10460) and Fordham (10458)

• With over 250 community groups and 210 food retail venues, work in these two zip codes has the potential to impact almost 137,000 people

Over 250 Community

Sites

~40 Schools

3 Libraries

5 NYCHA sites

~60 Medical Facilities

~25 Community

Based Organizations

~120 Faith-Based

Organizations

Area Resources and Assets

~250 Food Retail Venues

~190 Bodegas

18 Supermarkets

~16 Green Carts

3 Farmers Markets

1. DOH: Changing the Inventory, Placement and Marketing in Stores

• Phase 1: – Audit all food retail establishments to document basic inventory and

marketing practices– Provide technical assistance to promote existing healthy inventory

(low/no calorie drinks, fresh produce, low-salt/sugar canned goods, healthy sandwiches and meal combos)

• Audit conducted and marketing materials posted at more than 70 sites to date• Phase 2:

– Identify at least 40 establishments willing to make intensive store changes and participate in “retail challenge”

– These stores will be provided with incentives to support store changes and will be heavily promoted by elected officials, press and community groups

• More than 30 stores have been recruited for the retail challenge

Changes Required for Stores to meet Retail Challenge

-stores that complete 4 of 7 receive Shop Healthy Here decal

• Offer & promote a healthy sandwich and meal combo at the deli counter

• Stock low-sodium and no-sugar-added canned goods• Stock 2 snacks that meet NYC Healthy Snack Standards

Inventory

• Remove all advertising from entry door• Promote healthy foods & beverages with Shop Healthy

marketing materialsMarketing

• Offer fruits and vegetables at the front of the store or the cash register

• Display water and other low-calorie refrigerated drinks at eye level

Store Environment

Promotional Materials Provided to Stores

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Incentives Provided-upon completion, Proclamation from Bronx CAN initiative and certificate

from Bronx Chamber of Commerce

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2. Increase Demand from Customers for Retail Change

• Invite community stakeholders to a forum to discuss neighborhood food access. Introduce role of customers in changing store inventory. – COMPLETE: Over 50 participants from schools, faith based, senior centers,

health care sites, tenant associations, and community members.• Outreach to all community stakeholders to discuss Shop Healthy Bronx

and invite participation– IN PROGRESS: Have reached out to more than 150 sites

• Offer Adopt a Shop Workshops to train residents to adopt local stores and support inventory and marketing changes. Offer trainings at LIC for non-zone organizations. Participating sites receive Shop Healthy Bronx decal.– IN PROGRESS: 5 workshops held, 2 stores being adopted, 13 scheduled

• Connect customers to stores to create sustainable neighborhood driven change

Empower Communities to Make Change

Adopt a Shop!

3. Obtain Support from Relevant Suppliers and Distributors

• Identify major wholesalers that distribute/sell to target supermarkets and bodegas– COMPLETE: Jetro (99%), Krasdale (15%) and White Rose (1%)*

• Partner with major wholesalers to ensure retailers can easily purchase healthier foods to sell– COMPLETE:

• Visited Jetro to scan all items meeting criteria. Jetro to identify items with Shop Healthy shelf talker, through promotional flyers, and discount.

• Met with Krasdale and White Rose. Both will identify items meeting criteria on order sheets with Shop Healthy logo and will promote the program to their stores. Both will ensure healthy items in each category are available for purchase.

• Nutrition Strategies working with Jetro to label items in Restaurant Depot with log to facilitate purchasing by restaurants etc.

• Retail Challenge to be Announced at July 7th CAN Event22

Questions?

Sabrina BaronbergDeputy Director

Physical Activity and NutritionNYC DOHMH

347-396-4307sbaronbe@health.nyc.gov

www.nyc.gov/health/obesity