KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Walking into the convenience store at 8505 Hickman Mills Drive, you’ll notice something a little unique — a designated area for fresh fruits and vegetables.
“I think it's a really good idea. I'm surprised to see it,” Kansas City resident Michael Fields said. “We've seen bananas in convenience stores for some time, but now we have apples, oranges, tomatoes, potatoes, onions.”
The initiative is through Kanbe’s Markets, a nonprofit placing fresh produce in communities where it’s affordable and accessible.
“It's 2018. Everybody should have access to affordable, fresh, healthy fruits and vegetables,” Kanbe’s Markets founder Maxfield Kaniger said.
Currently the nonprofit works with six convenient stores in the KC area.
“All of the sales have come from people coming in to buy a bag of chips and seeing this is there and getting excited about it and wanting to do that,” Kaniger said.
Fields lives just a mile from this convenience store.
“This is a grocery store blighted area, so to see this, I'll be using his stuff. This is a store I come to on a regular basis,” Fields said. “I can see myself barbecuing a week from now and I'll be grilling some of those asparagus possibly, so yes I think it's a great idea.”
Eight additional stores will be partnering with Kanbe’s to combat food insecurity in the Kansas City area.
The nonprofit is looking for donations to work with more stores in the area.
