Dollar General recently announced the completion of two store remodels in Baton Rouge that expands affordable and nutritious foods through the addition of fresh fruits and vegetables. The remodeled stores are located at 6315 Scenic Highway and 5455 Airline Highway in Baton Rouge and offer area residents a selection of fresh produce, alongside expanded frozen and refrigerated food offerings.
Dollar General partnered with Baton Rouge’s Mayor-President Broome’s Office to find a mutually-beneficial solution to support the community despite the retailer not being a grocery store and carrying a curated assortment of produce in approximately 650 of its stores. Dollar General’s two remodeled stores with fresh fruits and vegetables struck a balance between the needs of the City of Baton Rouge, Mayor-President’s Geaux Get Moving Initiative and the Company’s resources.
“Today’s announcement on additional produce options in Baton Rouge represents numerous constructive conversations with Mayor-President Broome, her entire staff and the Geaux Get Healthy Initiative. It also demonstrates the possibilities when cities and companies to work together to find solutions for their communities,” said Jason Reiser, Dollar General’s executive vice president and chief merchandising officer. “This year, Dollar General plans to add our produce assortment to approximately 400 stores across the country, and we’re excited to have two of these locations in Baton Rouge. We appreciate the collaborative spirit from Mayor-President Broome and Baton Rouge, and we look forward to continuing our longstanding, positive relationship with the City.”
Mayor-President Broome introduced a new program called “Geaux Get Healthy” in February 2019, which aims to increase access to fresh fruit and vegetables through public and private partnerships, as well community education and engagement.
"We are thrilled that Dollar General has partnered with my office to increase the product offerings of their stores on Scenic and Airline Highway to sell fresh produce,” said Mayor-President Broome. “This public-private partnership is part of my administration's goal to address food access issues in our community. We look forward to continuing to work with Dollar General."
The produce set at Dollar General offers an assortment of fresh fruit and vegetables, including lettuce, tomatoes, onions, apples, strawberries, potatoes, sweet potatoes, lemons, limes, salad mixes and more. Dollar General’s produce offering provides the top 20 items typically sold in traditional grocery stores and covers approximately 80% of the overall categories grocers carry. The store will also continue to carry components of a healthy diet including dairy products, bread, eggs, proteins, grains and frozen fruits and vegetables.