ATLANTA — Invest Atlanta is seeking qualified firms to partner with it to develop and operate a municipal grocery store.
According to its website, it's the city's official economic development authority, and its purpose is to strengthen Atlanta's economy and global competitiveness.
On Tuesday, Mayor Andre Dickens took to social media to make a plea for qualified contractors to help develop the grocery store. He said that despite offering incentives to chains, there are still no businesses that are helping this idea come to fruition.
"I am serious about making sure we eliminate food deserts in our city," Dickens said on Instagram. "We've reached out to the grocery chains and even offered incentives -- no takers. So, we will make it happen for the people directly!"
According to an online form about the request, the goal is to identify no more than three qualified firms that could partner with Invest Atlanta on this idea. It also wrote that in 2015, 52% of city residents lived within a half-mile of fresh food, and in 2020, 75% of residents had access to affordable fresh food. The goal is to increase the number of residents with a half-mile of fresh, affordable food to 85% by 2025.
In addition, the objectives of the project are to:
- Increase access to fresh and healthy food options -- especially in underserved neighborhoods and food deserts
- Enhance food security and food accessibility for residents of all income levels
- Foster partnerships with wholesalers, local farmers, growers and food producers to showcase and support regional agriculture
- Establish a sustainable and community-focused grocery store that meets the diverse needs of the City of Atlanta's residents
Invest Atlanta is particularly interested in contractors that want to extend offerings to areas typically characterized as highly disinvested communities with food accessibility challenges, according to an online document.
For more information about this project and how to submit a response, click here.
