Distributing and Sourcing Local Produce in Latino-focused Food Stores: A Qualitative Study with Stores and Small Farmers in San Diego County

ABSTRACT

A strategy to address challenges in sourcing and maintaining produce in tiendas is to build a new localized food economy. Key informant interviews were conducted with tienda owners and managers and small produce farmers to understand produce distribution and sourcing behaviors, and to identify the potential to connect tiendas with small produce farmers. Interviews were analyzed using an inductive coding approach and were summarized into three themes: people, place, and product. Results provide context for understanding factors that affect access to local produce in Latino communities. Future research should be conducted with produce distributors, and policy-level strategies should be considered.

KEYWORDS:

• Healthy food retail
• latinos/hispanics
• small produce farmers
• local produce
• food access

Additional information

Funding

Research reported in this manuscript was supported by the National Cancer Institute Training Program: Cancer Education & Career Development Program (T32CA057699), the National Cancer Institute under Award Number R01CA140326 (Ayala, PI) and a Diversity Supplement to the parent grant (3R01CA140326-03S2; Sanchez, PI).