Deerfield, IL — In underserved areas, Walgreens has committed to opening or converting at least 1,000 Food Oasis stores over the next 5 years.
Deerfield, IL — In conjunction with efforts by First Lady Michelle Obama and the Partnership for a Healthier America to fight the childhood obesity epidemic and provide better food options and accessible health care to under-served communities, Walgreens is committing to convert or open at least 1,000 food oasis stores across the country over the next 5 years.
“With more than 45% of our stores located in areas that don’t have access to fresh food, Walgreens is uniquely positioned to bring more food options to Americans and also provide needed pharmacy, health and wellness services directly in those communities,” says Walgreens President and CEO Greg Wasson.
Walgreens began addressing this issue last year when it initially opened 10 food oasis stores in Chicago neighborhoods identified as food deserts. These stores increased their food selection by up to 60% by offering a larger assortment of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and other healthy meal components to help address the need for greater access to affordable, nutritious food.
Walgreens is the nation’s largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2010 sales of $67 billion. The company operates 7,733 drugstores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.