Where ya shop? Do the prices fit the community’s need?

By Zoe Sullivan
The Louisiana Weekly

Many people have lamented the lack of grocery stores in New Orleans post-Katrina. One group went so far as to organize a new food co-op in the Upper 9th Ward to try to provide healthy, locally produced food to the community. And while the nutritional value of food is critical to people’s health and well-being, in many communities, price is the ultimate decision-making factor. For this reason, The Louisiana Weekly went to six different supermarkets in New Orleans to compare prices on a basket of fairly basic items. These included a loaf of bread, a dozen eggs, a gallon of whole milk, half a gallon of ice cream, canned tomatoes, a whole chicken, four rolls of toilet paper, a jar of peanut butter, among others.

According to data from Healthynola.org, at least 29 percent of the families in the St. Claude and Bywater neighborhoods are living below the poverty line. That figure spikes to 45.6 percent or higher for children living in poverty in both those areas.

The Louisiana Weekly examined food prices at three grocery stores in this area: Mardi Gras Zone, the New Orleans Food Co-op, and Save-A-Lot. One difficulty in comparing the latter with the first two is that the first two stores focus more on organic and high-end products targeted to the young professionals living in that area. Save-A-Lot offered consistently lower prices for its products, such as a package of four rolls of toilet paper for $.89, and all gallons of milk for $3.99, but these are also generally foods with more additives and processing than many of the items at the other two shops.

To offer a direct comparison, however, the co-op charges $5.49 for a gallon of milk, while Mardi Gras Zone has a price tag of $5.99 on a gallon of Kleinpeter’s whole milk. Looking at a traditional New Orleans staple, a one-pound bag of Camelia red kidney beans went for $1.89 at Mardi Gras Zone, $1.49 at the Food Co-op, and $1.29 at Save-A-Lot. According to Healthynola.org, the average income per capita in the Bywater between 2005 and 2009 was $18,195.20. Arguably, that community has changed in the last two years, as evidenced by the opening of the Food Coop and the success of restaurants such as Satsuma’s and Bacchanal. It has become a hub for young artists and transplanted New Orleanians, which may mean that this figure is no longer accurate. Additionally, however, the economic downturn of recent years may also figure into this mix.

The St. Claude community, in contrast, which surrounds the Save-A-Lot store, reports an average per capita income of $13,843.60 or less, an almost $5,000 difference compared to the area closer to the river. While there is a difference in these figures, the data on healthynola.org indicates that both communities have at least 32.2% of the population living below the poverty level.

Income, diet and the availability of healthy, affordable food are a potent mix. Diseases such as diabetes and heart disease are linked to nutritional and exercise habits. In this sense, the St. Claude community registered 126.6 admissions per 100,000 residents who were admitted to hospitals for medical treatment as a result of short-term complications resulting from diabetes. This places it in the lower-third compared to other city neighborhoods. In spite of the presence of stores with healthier products, the diabetes hospitalization figure spikes in the Bywater neighborhood, hitting 463 admissions per 100,000 residents.

The three other stores that we visited were the USA Super­market on Morrison Avenue in New Orleans East, and the Rouse’s in the CBD and on Carrollton. 58.2 percent of the children in the Mid-City area are living in poverty, according to healthynola.org, and the average income for the community is $16,025.50. The area does have a farmers’ market once a week, but the Rouse’s is the main grocery store in the area. A gallon of the store brand milk goes for $4.99, while a dozen large grade A eggs sell for $2.05. A one-pound bag of Camelia red beans sells for $1.79. In contrast to the Bywater/St. Claude neighborhoods, Mid-City only registered 64.90 admissions for complications resulting from diabetes, a figure that puts it in the top two-thirds of the city.

While the Rouse’s in the CBD ostensibly targets the people working in that area more than a community store such as the one on Carrollton, the prices at the two stores were comparable, although surprisingly, the price of a one-pound bag of Camelia red beans was $1.60, 19¢ lower than the Carrollton store. We also found a difference in the price of a half-gallon of Blue Bell ice cream, but some would argue that this is not a staple food item.

In the Little Woods area where the USA Supermarket is located, 38.2 percent of the children live below the poverty level and 20.3 percent of the families in the area fall below the same line. Similar to Mid-City, the average per capita income is $16,662.00. Although this area of the city is removed from the commercial center, residents have a comparable commute time (27.30 minutes) to those who live in the St. Claude community. This neighborhood also experiences a significant incidence of complications from diabetes, with 101.30 people out of each 100,000 undergoing hospitalization for this reason.

The USA Supermarket is smaller than the Rouse’s on Carrollton and doesn’t have the same broad selection of items. Nor does it have much to offer in terms of fresh food. In spite of this, it offers a reasonable value in comparison to the other stores in our sample, with milk offered at $3.99/gallon and a dozen grade A medium eggs for $1.35. The store also offers meat specials, giving customers an opportunity to buy in bulk and save.

This article originally published in the February 20, 2012 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.