Olympia Auset, a 26 year old Howard University alumna, has founded SÜPRMARKT, a low cost grocer that provides 100% organic food in low income communities in LA.
Olympia got the idea in 2009 while attending college. During that time she became vegan and soon became interested in creating solutions for food deserts.
According to the USDA, food deserts can be found in 371 California census tracts. 85 percent are in urban areas. More than 1.9 million people live in these census tracts, and about half of them have low access to retail food stores.
When Olympia realized that people won’t change their food habits unless the food is appealing and close to them, she decided to make good food and information about it, accessible. She does so through weekly pop up stores.
According to Olympia, since its inception in July 2016, SÜPRMARKT has provided nearly 200 cases of organic fruit, veggies, and seeds affordably in South LA, a community which has 1.3 million residents but only 60 grocery stores.
Her website has recipes and links to resources about nutrition and healthy eating. SÜPRMARKT also offers a subscription box with an assortment of fruits and vegetables. Through the subscription, you will receive a box full of organic produce each week.
Learn more about another California business owner providing a solution for the food desert problem here.
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