The convenience store Dollar General supplies produce to food deserts in Baltimore and across the country.
Updated: July 29, 2024 5:16 PM ET
Dollar General, a national convenience store chain, is working to reduce the number of food deserts. Food deserts are areas with limited or no access to healthy, affordable food. They also include areas with plenty of convenience stores and supermarkets, but lacking fresh foods like fruits and vegetables. Dollar General offers produce, salad greens, and fruit to pack for school lunches. People who live in the area are happy to have it in their neighborhood. “I think the African-American community needs more fresh produce, not sweets and sugar,” says Garrett McFadden. “I work in a building not far from here,” says Pablo Gonzalez. “So I like to come here for lunch and get fresh fruit. It’s a nice addition.” Dollar General carries the top 20 produce items typically sold in traditional grocery stores, covering about 80% of the produce most grocery stores carry. These include onions, apples, strawberries, potatoes, sweet potatoes, lemons and limes. “This is great because we have a lot of food deserts, so any place you can get fresh produce is always a plus,” Wanda Tucker said. “It’s always healthy,” “It’s convenient to have fresh stuff here,” Aaron Thompson said. As of March 2024, Dollar General sells fresh fruits and vegetables in more than 5,400 stores across the U.S., many of which are in USDA-defined food deserts.
Baltimore —
Dollar General, a national convenience store chain, is working to reduce the number of food deserts.
A food desert is an area that has limited or no access to healthy, affordable food, or that has many convenience stores and supermarkets but lacks fresh foods like fruits and vegetables.
Dollar General sells produce, salad vegetables, and fruit for school lunches.
People who live in the area say it’s a welcome addition to the neighborhood.
“I think the African-American community needs more produce departments, like fresh vegetables, rather than candy and sugar,” Garrett McFadden said.
“I work in a building not too far from here,” Pablo Gonzalez said, “so I like to come here for lunch and have some fresh fruit, so it’s nice to have that added.”
Dollar General carries the top 20 produce types commonly sold in traditional grocery stores, covering about 80% of the produce most grocery stores carry, including onions, apples, strawberries, potatoes, sweet potatoes, lemons and limes.
“It’s great to have a place where you can get fresh produce because there are a lot of food deserts. If you have a place where you can get fresh produce, that’s always a plus,” Wanda Tucker said. “It’s always healthy.”
“It’s very convenient. It’s good to have fresh stuff here,” Aaron Thompson said.
As of March 2024, Dollar General sells fresh fruits and vegetables in more than 5,400 stores across the United States, many of which are located in food deserts as defined by the USDA.
