LOUISVILLE, KY - Kroger is taking its brick-and-mortar concept and putting it on wheels as a means of meeting the needs of all of its shoppers. This week, the retailer rolled out its new Zero Hunger Mobile Market format, a single-aisle grocery store literally on wheels. According to Kroger’s partner in this endeavor, Dare to Care, the Mobile Market is designed to serve neighborhoods with limited or no access to fresh fruits and vegetables.
“It does not have to be a brick-and-mortar store for us to provide access to healthy food for people,” said Erin Grant, Corporate Affairs Manager and Media Spokesperson for Kroger’s Louisville Division, according to the courier journal. “That might not always be the solution. There really are other ways.”
Despite being smaller in scale, the market touts a long list of fresh produce items, including avocados, lettuce, celery, cucumbers, bell peppers, bananas, mangos, onions, squash, potatoes, berries, watermelon, citrus, and more.
“You might not find 100 percent of what’s on your grocery list, but you sure are going to be able to make great, nutritious meals for your family,” added Annette Ball, Chief Programs Officer for Dare to Care.
A total of three employees run the market, which features an entire wall display of fresh produce; two refrigerated units housing fresh meat, dairy products, and eggs; and a row of shelves stocked with baking ingredients, pasta, cereal, and other pantry staples.
“We wanted [our shoppers] to still have a similar experience as our customers do when they shop a store,” Grant continued. “We wanted there to still be that warmth and newness and that brightness to it.”
The news source noted that the Mobile Market helps Kroger access more of its shoppers. Specifically, the competitive grocery market has made it incredibly difficult to open new stores, so the new concept is one strategy to not only help shoppers, but Kroger as well.
The market officially launched this month and is slated to make 35 stops at 29 locations in the Louisville market.
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