Ryan Mathews

Baltimore Goes By-The-Book Dealing With Food Deserts

August 13, 2010

FROM RETAILWIRE:
Food deserts, most public health officials agree, are a major problem when it comes to tackling some of the most pressing issues of the day. But, the fact that many of these deserts are located in poorer neighborhoods means that grocers are not rushing in. What do you think of Baltimore's virtual supermarket approach to dealing with the food desert issue?      [more...]

It is innovative and I assume will either (a) charge the poor too much for groceries or (b) lose tons of money.

It also begs another question--the consumer last mile program. It is one thing to walk to a library if you don't have transportation; it's quite another to walk home carrying a week's worth of groceries.

If people solve that problem by placing multiple smaller, more manageable orders, the delivery costs would seem to go up exponentially.