Philly Grocery Chain Blooms in Food Deserts

It’s a success story that nobody saw coming. Brown’s Super Store has seven locations in and around Philadelphia, in low-income areas known as “food deserts.” A food desert is a poor neighborhood with few or no options for residents to buy groceries. Consequently, it becomes hard for people to obtain affordable, nutritious food. Food deserts exist because it is hard for grocery retailers to do business in areas where people may not be able to afford fresh food items. For a grocery chain to thrive in a food desert is rare indeed.

Fresh groceries and a great shopping experience set apart Brown’s Super Stores.

Brown’s Super Store was founded by Jeff Brown, who opened his first location in a low-income Philadelphia neighborhood in 2004. Many people thought he was crazy – doing business in a food desert is an obstacle difficult enough to have made several other stores founder after a short amount of time. Brown says that he owes his success to having met up with several community leaders before opening. He asked them what they wanted out of a grocery store and did his best to cater to those wishes.

Brown says that he takes his cues also from stores like Whole Foods, which expends plenty of energy into marketing and presentation. For instance, he ensures that produce in the fresh foods section is stacked neatly into little pyramids to appear eye-catching and to prevent bruising. He employs talented butchers, fishmongers, and in-store chefs, all of whom enhance the customer experience. He also pushes healthier choices, such as roasted chicken instead of fried chicken. All in all, Brown’s willingness to go the extra mile and provide a high-quality shopping experience for his customers has paid off.