Presenting Author: Jennifer Quinlan, PhD, The Mobile Grocer, LLC, and Drexel University

ABSTRACT

Background: The Mobile Grocer is a small business that aims to provide household goods and healthy shelf stable food products to food desert neighborhoods and older adults in Philadelphia. USDA SBIR Phase I funding allowed The Mobile Grocer to conduct market research with target consumers.

Objectives: To better understand what products consumers would like to see The Mobile Grocer provide to their neighborhoods and what type of mobile delivery system would appeal to the target market.

Methods: Focus groups took place from December 2015 to February 2016. A total of 75 volunteers participated in eight focus groups. A survey was developed which was informed by results from the focus groups. The survey was administered via Survey Monkey with a goal of 200 respondents who met the demographic criteria of the target consumer of The Mobile Grocer. Thematic analysis was used to analyze focus group data while descriptive statistics were used to analyze survey data.

Results: Results from the focus groups and surveys indicated that consumers do not only need more convenient access to healthy food choices but that they really need a more convenient overall shopping experience for a range of foods, household goods and personal items.

Implications: The Mobile Grocer, a novel retail outlet, will initially provide a convenient shopping experience for consumers 2 times a week for 2-4 hours in 7 low income neighborhoods. The business will stock healthy shelf stable foods, fresh produce that doesn't require refrigeration, and household and personal goods at competitive prices.

Author: Jennifer Quinlan, PhD.