ST. LOUIS – Operation Food Search’s St. Louis MetroMarket program launched this week, bringing fresh, affordable food to underserved areas in the St. Louis region.
The program introduced a new fleet of vehicles, including two custom-built farmers market trucks and a refrigerated van, to replace the original retrofitted Metro bus.
“What we do is we bring the farmers market experience to many neighborhoods in the region that would be classified as food deserts,” Carlton Adams, Chief Operating Officer of Operation Food Search, said.
The upgraded trucks provide an open-air shopping experience, while the refrigerated van serves shoppers who order from a menu of items.
The USDA reports that as much as 18% of the St. Louis regional population lives in a food desert, highlighting the importance of the MetroMarket program.
With the new vehicles and expanded reach, the St. Louis MetroMarket program aims to improve access to nutritious food for those living in food deserts across the region.
All facts from this article were gathered by KTVI journalists. This article was converted into this format with assistance from artificial intelligence. It has been edited and approved by KTVI staff.