Food for thought: What must it be like to live in a “food desert”? The term refers to an area, like many parts of US inner cities, where residents are unable to access affordable, nutritious food. The social costs of this situation are enormous and novel ideas need to be brought to bear on the problem. A prior novel grocery concept led to the formation of Trader Joe’s, which has a unique approach to sourcing and pricing and is now a shopping destination for many. Doug Rauch, former CEO of Trader Joe’s, is now Founder & CEO of Daily Table and has been turning his attention to helping “green” the urban desert. We are delighted that Doug has agreed to tell us about the history of his Trader Joe’s success and also his start-up of a new non-profit grocery store in Dorchester, MA. Perhaps the approach could be replicated in other inner cities.
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