The Hartford Food System

Food Policy · Grow Hartford · Holcomb Farm CSA · School Food · Healthy Retailers

Click here to read our
2008 store measurement study

The Healthy Food Retailer Initiative

Shopping for groceries in inner-city communities can be a challenging task. Hartford has only one major supermarket, a Stop & Shop just a few blocks from the city line.

In the absence of larger stores, urban residents rely on local retailers like corner markets and bodegas for their grocery needs, or travel regularly outside their own communities to buy food elsewhere. These local retailers typically offer substandard choices compared to regular supermarkets. Shelves at corner markets and bodegas are overflowing with snack foods, since these items sell quickly and have a higher profit margin than regular food staples like boxed pasta or canned soup. Prices are generally higher as well.

The Hartford Food System is partnering with smaller retailers to improve the nutritional quality of the groceries they sell. Through the Healthy Food Retailer initiative, stores receive promotional assistance and grassroots outreach in return for shifting a portion of their shelf space from junk food to normal groceries. We've joined forces with the University of Connecticut's Center for Public Health and Health Policy to investigate what kinds of healthy food sell best among local consumers, and partnered with the Spanish American Merchants Association to help these small businesses thrive.

Recent inventory measurements confirm that Healthy Food Retailers have shifted 8% of their junk food inventories to regular groceries since 2007. Congratulations to our store partners on this important achievement!

Read the full report here, which includes these other key findings:

While inventories improved in the aggregate, not all stores had positive shifts individually: two-thirds made gains over 2007 and one-third did not.

More stores are now stocking low-fat milk and whole wheat bread compared to 2007.

Three-quarters of stores have expanded shelf space and some owners have added new stores, suggesting business growth.

Forty stores have joined this project since April 2006 and are making excellent progress in offering a healthier selection of food choices. You can download a 22"x17" map of store locations throughout Hartford by clicking here.

Look for the Healthy Food Retailer sticker on the doors of these community partners:

Anamil Grocery, 546 Park Street
Barbour’s Market, 206 Barbour Street
Bella Vista Grocery, 57 Fairmont Street
Boricuas Market, 183 Lawrence Street
Brito Market, 2 Baldwin Street
Carlos Supermarket, 189 Farmington Avenue
Center Market, 256 Albany Avenue
Charter Oak Market, 365-367 Capitol Avenue
Ciales Market, 616 Maple Avenue
El Coqui Grocery, 1081 Capitol Avenue
Los Cubanitos Market, 206 Park Street
Cruz Market, 655 Blue Hills Avenue
C-Town, 392 New Britain Avenue
DiMauros, 238 Franklin Avenue
EnR Market, 431 Zion Street
Ernie's Grocery, 236 Albany Avenue
La Familia Market, 84 Van Block Avenue
Family Grocery, 275 High Street
Flatbush Market, 273 Hillside Avenue
El Gitano #1, 673 Park Street
El Gitano #2, 15 Lafayette Street
Glorimar Grocery, 158 Hillside Avenue
Hernandez Market, 1093 Broad Street
Hot Corner Market, 717 Albany Avenue
El Kiosko, 570 Wethersfield Avenue
Kwik Stop Mini-Market, 2543 Main Street
Martinez Mini-Market, 110 South Street
New York Grocery, 593 Broad Street
People’s Market, 158 Franklin Avenue
Polo Supermarket, 270 Albany Avenue
Los Primos Market, 594 Broad Street
Ramon Market, 199 Westland Street
Reyes Grocery, 125 Zion Street
Romny Mini Mart, 1892 Broad St
Rumaldo’s Food Market, 438 New Britain Avenue
Shop Fair Supermarket, 685 Maple Avenue
Sigourney Grocery, 97 Ashley Street
Urelio Grocery, 132 Homestead Avenue
Williams Grocery, 247 Sigourney Street
Y2K Supermarket, 714 Albany Avenue

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