2. “There is more hunger
in the world for love and
appreciation than for bread.”
– Mother Teresa
3. the national crisis
Our nation is faced with an obesity crisis
that threatens to be a greater danger to Low-income, urban communities of color
public health than smoking. Nearly one are at the center of this public health
third of Americans are now obese, crisis. The rates of obesity, diabetes, and
mostly due to diet. If we continue on this other diet-related chronic disease in
path, nearly 50 percent of Americans these communities dramatically surpass
“I see more illnesses in my
will be obese by 2020. Medical experts the national rates. In West Oakland, CA,
community than I’ve ever seen predict that, for the first time in 48 percent of residents are obese or
generations, many younger Americans overweight. The community is in the
before. I’m a native of Oakland, are on track to have a shorter lifespan 67th percentile for diabetes in Alameda
than their parents. County. Every household has been
my dad died and my daughter’s impacted by the crisis.
father has diabetes.”
-Resident, West Oakland
4. the community need
In the United States there are 23.5 served in food retail by over 70 percent
million Americans – including 6.5 of demand. Many residents must
million children – living in over 40O either travel far distances to get to
communities that have limited access supermarket or shop at corner stores
to affordable and nutritious foods. This that offer mostly processed, poor
limited food access is a primary cause quality foods at high prices. “We don’t eat right. We can’t make
of higher rates of obesity and chronic
disease in these communities. Often The food spending leakage that occurs the healthy choices. We can’t get the
called “food deserts”, low-income com- as a result of having to leave the
fresh food. We only got poor quality
munities lack in sufficient retail outlets community to shop for better food
and are often underserved in food choices not only impacts the com- stuff that isn’t providing us with
retail by 30-80% of their demand. munity’s health and wellbeing, but
affects the local economy due to the what we need.”
West Oakland is one such food desert lost opportunity to create jobs and
community. With over 32,000 local tax revenues. – Resident, West Oakland
residents, West Oakland is under-
5. the emerging movement
Across the country there is a growing
“There’s a difference in the stores
movement to transform our food
system into one that promotes health, A movement is also afoot in food desert in our area compared to the stores
social equity, and sustainability. communities. Low-income residents are
Consumer values of purchasing making the connections between their in Montclair or somewhere else.
sustainable, organic, local and healthy diets and the health problems they
foods have entered the mainstream. face. More than ever, these residents You know, the vegetables are great
Communities and organizations are view quality fresh foods as the
up there, everything is so beautiful.
developing innovative solutions to foundation to their health. Low-income
consumer needs. Policymakers are residents also recognize the disparities And you come down, I think we get
passing legislation to support the in access to good food that exist
changes. And the mainstream media is between communities. A passionate ours last off the truck.”
increasingly covering food related call for justice is emerging from
issues. America’s most marginalized neighbor- -Resident, West Oakland
hoods. Low-income residents are
demanding better quality food choices
and better health for their families.
6. the solution
People’s Community Market (PCM) is an
emerging response to the public health The characteristics and cultures of low- residents to buy fresh foods in their own
crisis and growing demand for healthier income urban communities require neighborhood. Combining attributes of
foods in food desert communities. PCM business that are designed for and grocery stores, food coops and farmers
is addressing these trends, as well as the dedicated to those communities. Local markets, PCM will support healthier food
market opportunity presented by unmet food retailers with deep community ties choices among shoppers by specializing
food demand in the West Oakland and an understanding of the unique in affordable and high quality fresh foods
community, by creating a fresh food retail desires of these communities can and prepared foods that cater to the
pavilion that serves the nutritional and successfully craft a compelling solution unique preferences and cultural interests
the social needs of low-income residents. for these culturally diverse markets. of the local area. PCM will create value
PCM will support customer desires for for customers through exceptional, high
better health/wellness and more social People’s Community Market (PCM) will touch customer service, a unique store
interactions by incorporating consumer become such a solution in West Oakland. environment and enriching, memorable
education, community partnerships, Placed in a central and accessible customer experiences.
social events and cultural activities. location, PCM will make it convenient for
7. the emerging model
More Than a Grocery Store. This is help invigorate excitement about the more meaningful experiences,
our guiding principle. It conveys our role of food in people's lives. And they knowledge and connection to their
belief that food markets can play can become sources of inspiration for health, communities and cultures.
meaningful roles in serving and re-imagining our lives, our
nourishing communities. PCM will communities and our world. A food culture revolution is happening
demonstrate ways that food stores in food desert communities. PCM will
can support, build relationships with PCM is being designed to provide become a model for how that food
and engage low-income shoppers. stimulating spaces and opportunities revolution can be given life within a
for customers to interact and pursue community food store by providing as
Supermarkets often feel like sterile their aspirations. From ample seating much attention to culture, tradition,
warehouses lacking culture, creativity and gathering space to a calendar of education and relationships as to the
and warmth. But they don't have to social events to consumer education food products on the store's shelves.
be that way. Food stores can become programs delivered by community
vibrant community centers and hubs and healthcare partners, PCM will
of community interaction. They can respond to its customer's desires for
8. the product offering
PCM will be a smaller fresh food retail
pavilion of 12,000 sq ft. This will PCM will offer a simple and targeted PCM will focus on quality fresh foods
enable PCM to better service the product assortment and will carry and prepared foods as signature
typically smaller and more frequent about 30% of the inventory of large offerings. Fresh foods will include
purchases of low-income shoppers, to supermarkets. This will enable PCM to produce, meat, seafood, cheese, and
create a dynamic and intimate store optimize its product assortment by dairy. Prepared foods will include
environment and to provide a easier closely targeting its offerings to the soups, pot roasts, sandwiches and
store navigation. The store will still be specific food preferences of its salads. The prepared foods will be
large enough to provide ample space customers. The store inventory will made off-site and sold through a full-
for wide aisles, checkout counters, still be broad in selection and will service deli. Organic and non-organic
seating and many aspects that are include many categories that are products will be offered across all
key to a great customer experience. important to local shoppers. categories. PCM will also emphasize
ethnic and locally-sourced foods.
9. “Hip-hop music fills the West
the company origins Oakland neighborhood as the
bright orange Mobile Market
In 2003 Brahm Ahmadi co-founded
People’s Grocery, a widely recognized People's Community Market was makes its way down the street,
nonprofit organization based in West formed to expand on People's
bringing healthy food to a
Oakland. Among its many projects, Grocery’s mission by responding to
People’s Grocery’s launched the demand for a fresh food retail store in community not served by
nation’s first “Mobile Market” - a West Oakland. Under Brahm Ahmadi’s
traveling food store that sold fresh leadership PCM is building on supermarkets.”
foods at affordable prices to West People’s Grocery’s eight years of track
Oakland residents. The Mobile Market record and experience to strengthen -Dwell Magazine, 2004
provided People’s Grocery with its competitive advantage. The
experience in marketing healthy foods nonprofit organization has built
and providing education and training community relations, social capital
in an inner-city community. The Mobile and brand visibility that PCM will
Market was replicated by inner-city employ to build a strong positioning in
communities throughout the nation. the community.
10. the building
PCM is receiving pro-bono services from
Oakland-based Lowney Architecture to Blending attributes of the grocery store,
design a unique commercial footprint. food coop and farmers market formats,
Inspired by food stores such as Milk Pail the distinctive pavilion design will be an
Market and Monterey Market, PCM’s important component of the PCM brand
design will include these features: experience and will set PCM apart from
other food retailers as a destination for
• a semi-enclosed pavilion format with residents aspiring for more authentic
ample frontage and visibility and delightful experiences.
• a roll up wall for fresh air, natural light
and open atmosphere
• outdoor “Back Porch” area featuring a Architect: Ken Lowney, AIA, LEED AP -- www.lowneyarch.com
Over the last 20 years Ken Lowney has focused on promoting the civic and environmental well-being of
patio, stage and demonstration garden Oakland, California and the Greater Bay Area. Ken founded Lowney Architecture in 2003 to provide elegant,
• rustic, modern and minimal décor functional and environmentally progressive designs to the commercial, retail and residential sectors. Ken is
• floor plan combining fresh food a regular contributor to the Greenbelt Alliance’s Compact Development Team, is a member of the East Bay
American Institute of Architects (AIA) and is a LEED AP (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
marketplace with grocery and deli Accredited Professional.
11. proposed location
People’s Community Market has identified a location at the corner of West Grand Ave &
Market St. in the heart of West Oakland that offers many positive attributes for the business.
• Once home to the main shopping center and grocery store in West Oakland.
• Surrounding area has highest population density in the community.
• Situated in the very center of the West Oakland trade area.
• Over 17,000 residents live within a 15-minute walking distance.
• Over 66,000 people live within a 5-minute driving distance.
• Located at busiest intersection in West Oakland with over 19,000 vehicles daily.
• Located on primary corridor connecting Bay Bridge and downtown Oakland.
• There are 10 bus stops and 5 routes within a 5-minute walking distance.
• Features a large adjacent parking lot with ample ingress and egress.
12. marketing
PCM will create a human touch
in all of its marketing efforts. PCM will use the in-store Community and peer outreach
And providing an exceptional environment to craft attractive and creative, personalized
and differentiated customer and memorable customer one-to-one promotional tactics
experience will be one of PCM’s experiences and emotional will be core aspects of PCM’s
primary marketing strategies for ques. Social and cultural marketing. PCM will utilize
creating customer loyalty and activities held in the store popular culture marketing
word-of-mouth promotions. where customers can interact, approaches such as partnering
socialize, share a meal or attend with local musicians/artists
PCM will focus on building real an event will accentuate the and collaborating with well-
relationships and positive customer experience, transform known personalities.
social interactions. Everything PCM into a destination and
that customers experience will provide a wider scope of unique
be cornerstones of its brand. marketing opportunities.
13. media
Natural Foods Merchandiser: “40 Under 40”
http://naturalfoodsmerchandiser.com/tabId/66/itemId/3157/40-Under-40-Brahm-Ahmadi.aspx
East Bay Express: “Gardening Eden” http://www.eastbayexpress.com/ebx/gardening-
eden/Content?oid=1834160&cb=d61b46ab684b5d6b95a659ceef9245f3&sort=desc#readerComments
Delicious Living Magazine video interview:
http://views.newhope.com/VidoePlayer/tabid/58/VideoId/227/Default.aspx
Oakland Magazine: “Populist Farmer” http://www.oaklandmagazine.com/media/Oakland-Magazine/January-
2008/In-the-Mix/
Utne Reader: “50 Visionaries Who are Changing Your World” http://www.utne.com/2008-11-13/50-Visionaries-
Who-Are-Changing-Your-World.aspx
14. leadership
Brahm Ahmadi is President and Francisco Bay Area. Mr. Gilmore brings extensive
CEO of People’s Community Market expertise, experience and industry networks to PCM
(PCM). Brahm is a co-founder of the and is assisting in fundraising, operations planning
nonprofit People’s Grocery and was and talent recruitment.
the Executive Director for eight Ari Derfel is serial food entrepreneur
years, when he left to launch and lead PCM. Brahm in the San Francisco Bay Area. Ari
has real world experience in executive leadership, opened Gather, an all-organic,
organizational development, management and sustainably designed restaurant, at
planning. He also brings extensive, first-hand the renowned David Brower Center
experience in developing food enterprises, marketing in Berkeley, California. From the con-
healthy foods in the inner city and providing training struction materials to the computer driven exhaust
and education to low-income residents. Brahm has units and remote refrigeration systems, Gather is a
received national media attention for his work to leader in innovative design and has set the bar for
improve inner city food environments and has the future of the restaurant industry. Ari also
developed a network of food industry professionals. founded Back to Earth Organic Catering in 2003, the
Brahm has an MBA from the Presidio Graduate first organic catering company in the US. Ari is
School and a BA from the University of California. Treasurer of PCM’s Board of Directors and is
Anthony Gilmore has 33 years of assisting in finances and procurement.
experience in the supermarket Michele Thorne has a background in
business. Currently Mr. Gilmore is the food & beverage industry in sales
Chief Strategist and Administrative and marketing, as well as wellness
Officer at Andronico's Market. Prior education and community outreach.
to his current position, Mr. Gilmore Michele was the Wellness and Out-
served as Vice President of Safeway's Lifestyle and
reach Director for the SOMA Beverage Company and
Concept Development Division. He came to Safeway
Metromint, and before moving to the Bay Area, she
after a twelve year tenure with Whole Foods Market,
was the Executive Raw Foods Chef at the award
where he was successively the regional president of
winning Counter Restaurant in New York City.
the Midwest region, the Southwest region and the
Michele is Secretary of PCM’s board and is assisting
Northwest region. Prior to joining Whole Foods
in brand development, marketing, social media and
Market, Mr. Gilmore worked at Safeway Stores for 20
in-store wellness education.
years, where he managed seven stores in the San
15. advisors
•Brian Rohter, Founder & Chairman of New Seasons Market
•Bu Nygrens, Co-founder & Co-owner of Veritable Vegetable
•Paul Saginaw, Co-founder & Co-Owner at Zingerman’s Deli
•Rene Cage, Chef/Consultant at Cage Dining Experiences
•Ahmed Rahim, Co-founder & CEO at Numi Organic Tea
•David Guendelman, Co-founder & CFO at World of Good
•Paresh Patel, Director of Corporate Finance at Shoreline Pacific
•Jose Corona, Executive Director at Inner City Advisors (ICA)
•Nina Kahori Fallenbaum, Special Assistant at USDA
•James Johnson-Piett, CEO at Urbane Development
•Mary Hashem, Partner at Brownfield Partners
•Jason Corburn, Professor at UC Berkeley Dept. of City Planning
consultants
•Susan Morgan & Jenny Kasson, Attorneys at Katovich Law Group
•Lief King, Attorney at Skadden, Aarps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
•Mark Halpert, Principal CPA at Halpert & Associates
•PJ Hoffman, Manager at UNFI Store Development Services
•Ken Lowney, Principal at Lowney Architecture
•Wally Naylor, Vice President at Pankow Builders
•Pete Davis, Market and Location Analyst
•Jean Selkirk, Accounting and Financial Analyst
