| Abstract | Growing up in a very small town in the south, going to the grocery store was always a journey for me and my family. Since I was ten years old, we have lived in a quaint rural town called Whitesboro, Texas, where the most reliable produce we could find was the kind we grew in our very own backyard; the closest supermarket was a forty-five minute drive away, making it more challenging to consistently access fresh fruits and vegetables. Although my family and I were blessed to have the option of driving to the store, a lot of people in our town did not?and this truly concerned me. In the United States it is estimated that 13.5 million people have restricted access to a supermarket. These communities, also known as food deserts, do not have reliable sources for fresh and affordable produce, which can contribute to a poor diet and unhealthy eating habits. Most food deserts are found in low-income communities, throughout rural and urban areas; however, 82% of people in these food deserts are living in urban areas (Ver Ploeg et al). This project will involve the branding and marketing for Millie's Market, a mobile farmers market that delivers fresh produce and goods to food desert areas, with the goal of increasing access to healthy food options and educating communities on sustainable consumption practices. This was achieved by conducting research surrounding food deserts and their prevalence, the impact of nutrition education, competing mobile grocers, and branding design that reflects community values. |
