The Bodega and Small Business Group (fiscal sponsor: The Institute for Family Health)

Low-income communities of color across New York City are less likely to have access to full-service grocery stores that offer high-quality, affordable food. Residents of these communities often rely on bodegas or small corner stores; there are an estimated 8,000 bodegas across New York City. Studies have shown that individuals shopping at these stores are more likely to purchase sugar-sweetened beverages, salty snacks, and candy. At the same time, research shows that when more fresh produce is available at these stores, consumers purchase more fruits and vegetables and fewer sugar-sweetened beverages. While there have been efforts to improve healthy food options at bodegas in the past, more work must be done to address the structural issues that make it difficult for small businesses to supply them. In 2024, NYHealth awarded The Bodega and Small Business Group (BSBG, formerly the Bodega Association) a grant to test replicable models to profitably source and deliver fresh, healthy, affordable foods to bodegas in the Bronx. 

Under this grant, BSBG will engage with nine Bronx-based bodegas on a pilot project to conduct real-world testing of a scalable business model to provide healthy and affordable food options. BSBG will conduct market research with distributors, store owners, and customers to understand their needs and preferences for supplying and purchasing healthy foods; examine consumer preferences and store profitability for different products, product sizes, packaging options, and price points; study different delivery methods; and analyze data to develop a business model for a bodega purchasing collective.