Expand Mandela Foods Cooperative to better meet the food needs of the community, and increase ownership and wealth building opportunities with an additional 25 jobs
Supported by the California Endowment FreshWorks Initiative, Mandela Foods Cooperative is engaged in expansion planning that will significantly increase affordable, healthy food options for West Oakland residents, and create new business owners in the community.
In the meanwhile, product selection in the current store now
includes eco-friendly cleaning supplies, bath and body, paper
products, and more grocery variety on
the floor.
Look for outdoor Cafe Seating coming soon!
Build out a new wholesale warehouse on 7th Street.
Our Wholesale Distribution Center is 98% complete!
The cold box is up and running – and winter season produce is on hand. Sweet Paige Mandarins from Sweet Home Ranch farms in Dinuba, Robust Greens from Catalan and Nunez Farms, Beets and Cauliflower from Avilla farms, and the list goes on. In 2011, we provided over 100,000 pounds of fresh, local, affordable, and chemical free produce to West Oakland residents and businesses!
Expand the HNSA program in partnership with Alameda County
Public Health, West Oakland Health Center, supported by Building Blocks
Collaborative and Kresge Foundation and USDA’s Community Food Projects.
Our
youth team members are quickly becoming serious business professionals. They have improved their produce service
business for our two clients:
Bottles Liquor and Millenium Market. If you stop in those markets, you will be awed by the beautiful displays installed by our youth team leaders. They have increased their marketing and outreach activities – and are quickly selecting new stores to add to their client list. They now have a third client -- N&A Market -- that will receive its first delivery on January 13, 2012.
We have provided over $2000 in fresh produce coupons redeemable at Bottles, Millennium, Mandela Foods, and now N&A to participants in the Food 2 Families program, supported by Alameda County Public Health and Kresge Foundation.
3) Build allies in Ashland/Cherryland to support their community-led efforts to create a thriving, healthy food enterprise network, including a community-owned grocery retail.
The Ashland Cherryland Garden and Arts Network, and broader community, are planning for their Garden District community designation and a vibrant, local marketplace. Residents involved in nutrition and healthy living education, policy and landscape design are working together to form a food policy council to increase the political voice in the community – and keep Ashland/Cherryland green!
West Oakland Environmental Justice Transportation Plan