Why Food Justice?
The Problem
Annually, in the United States, a staggering 118 billion pounds of food intended for human consumption end up in landfills, while a reported 38 million adults (alongside 12 million children) grapple with daily food insecurity. Within our own community, 1 in 7 people in Kansas City lack financial and physical access to affordable, nutritious food. Estimates suggest that as many as 1 in 4 children in our city face this crisis.
According to Mysidewalk data, approximately 2,190,000 residents of the Kansas City, MO-KS area are food insecure, that’s 56% of our residents qualifying as having "low access to healthy food". Despite the evident need for fresh produce in these neighborhoods, for-profit supermarkets often hesitate to establish themselves due to concerns about their bottom line. Consequently, the responsibility of providing essential groceries in affected neighborhoods often falls on the shoulders of small corner stores, which face numerous financial and logistical hurdles of their own.
Who we are
Kanbe’s Markets is a 501(c)3 non-profit on a mission to build a more inclusive food system in Kansas City by transforming food loss into food access. We achieve this through a distinctive business model that connects local food sources, supports small businesses, and uplifts communities one neighborhood at a time.
what we do
Our partnerships with over 50 stores in low access tracts across Kansas City have demonstrated the sustainability, scalability, and effectiveness of our model. By installing stand-alone coolers and tiered racks of baskets in convenience stores, gas stations, and corner markets, Kanbe’s provides access to healthy food choices while boosting the bottom line of store owners who partner with us. Operating on a consignment basis removes the store owner’s risk, while daily deliveries ensure excellent food quality. Moreover, offering 30% of our sales to our store owner partners contributes to the sustainability and profitability of these neighborhood businesses. By offering this service in areas where small retail already exists, we ensure that we work with, not against the existing fabric of the community, and reach those most in need, who are within walking distance and are frequent visitors to these stores.
Kanbe’s Markets offers a practical solution to food insecurity in our city. Additionally, we divert hundreds of pounds of food waste by hand sorting discarded or imperfect food from large-scale distributors and excess from local farms, redirecting this rescued produce to areas of greatest need. Half of the food we rescue goes directly to feeding our community, with 10% being of high enough quality to be rotated into our Healthy Corner Stores (HCS). The remaining 40% is immediately shared with our region's food banks and pantries through over 30 hunger relief partners, while 25% is used as animal feed and the remaining 25% is composted and shared with area farmers weekly.
Healthy Corner Stores
Our flagship program puts fresh and affordable fruits and vegetables in neighborhoods that need them most.
