MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu is addressing the national food desert issue through three of its 11 banners, said Mark Lavin, vice president, real estate & store development yesterday at the Food Marketing Institute's Energy & Store Development Conference here.
"If you look at Save-A-Lot, Supervalu has built stores in food deserts in Philadelphia and Cleveland," said Lavin, who participated in a panel discussion on store development with four other Supervalu executives.
Other Supervalu banners addressing the needs of food deserts include Shoppers Food & Pharmacy in Washington and Baltimore, and Shop 'n Save in St. Louis, he said. Food deserts are lower-income neighborhoods — both urban and rural — where access to affordable, quality and nutritious foods is limited.
