Where Fresh Food is Far: Surviving North Baton Rouge’s Food Desert

By Ryan Chatman. Additional writing and reporting by Paul Tibbets and Katharine Sherrett.

BATON ROUGE, La.

At the intersection of Scenic Highway and Harding Boulevard, fast-food signs shine amongst longstanding limited grocery access. For North Baton Rouge residents, fresh food is far less accessible than fast food. Whether in a dorm at Southern University or living in Scotlandville, few residents would dispute that food insecurity is a major issue in this part of East Baton Rouge Parish. A study from Healthy BR, a government program, showed about 14%, or 64,120 people, in the parish, faced food insecurity in 2021, which the federal government deems as living more than a mile from a large grocery store.

For Southern students like Neisha Pascal, a sophomore majoring in plant & soil science, whether it is a lack of reliable transportation or budget concerns, it is almost impossible to secure healthy food. “If transportation were better, people would probably choose healthier options, but there’s just a lack of access,” said Pascal. “There is a new market opening nearby, though, and I’m excited about that. It’ll make things easier, even for people without cars.”

Pascal is referring to the Harvest Fresh grocery store at The BLVD at Harding, a

community project forged from the partnership of Associated Grocers, local and state leaders and developers known as The BLVD Group. The project, which is planned for the fall of next year, will mark the first grocery store in the area in nearly 15 years.

Edgar Cage, a member of the East Baton Rouge Food Access Commission, a citizen

panel, has worked on food deserts in this city for years as a leader at Together Baton Rouge. Together Baton Rouge, a citizen’s group, tries to eradicate food deserts by gathering its own data, building community support and presenting its findings to the city. Cage was a leading advocate for changes in public transit and previous initiatives to finance the construction of a grocery store in North Baton Rouge. But it was difficult.

“We actually got about $380,000 in incentives from the city to help with startup costs,”

he said. “Grocery margins are very tight — under 2% — so early years are tough, but we

couldn’t find any takers,” said Cage. “One grocery executive told me I was crazy — said no one would open in North Baton Rouge because of crime and perception.”

For those living at Southern or in the Scotlandville area, an economically disadvantaged urban community in North Baton Rouge, a routine grocery run is limited to either small corner stores or the local Family Dollar, where frozen and canned fruits and vegetables sell for $2 to $3 per item, but there is nothing perishable or locally grown.

Cage said that years ago he took a news reporter on a tour of small stores in North Baton

Rouge. She was appalled that fresh food options were limited and overpriced. He said most of the options were beer and junk foods, but that was not the worst of it.

“We once found a store selling expired food — six or seven months old,” Cage recalled.

“The manager said, ‘These people ought to be happy they have this.’ That mindset — it’s

wrong,” said Cage. “That keeps me going,” he said.

Cage provided 2011 survey data that Together Baton Rouge obtained from Scotlandville residents, noting there was no more recent comparable data.

Out of 1,246 residents surveyed, 92% said they would regularly shop at a high-quality

grocery store if one opened in the Scotlandville area. The survey also revealed that many

residents shop frequently, 38% reporting grocery trips three or more times per week. Harvest Fresh, which is planning to open in fall 2027, will encompass over 43,600 square

feet of total supermarket space, along with health and wellness services and other retailers.

“This is very much a long time coming,” said Carmen R. Austin, the assistant real estate

broker for The BLVD at Harding. “This is an area that is definitely underserved, that I think can sustain something like this dramatically,” she said.

Located on the corner of Harding Boulevard and Howell Place, the $50 million retail and grocery development is highly accessible to public transportation, even including walking paths and proximity to well-established neighborhoods. Austin hopes that Harvest Fresh will help transform the community in this busy area. Taking a look at the recent success of Rouses supermarket on Florida Boulevard, in an older part

of the city, Austin sees Rouses as a model to address food insecurity.

Peter Roy, the real estate director at Rouses, emphasized that the people in his company are also committed to doing their part to inspire growth and address the food desert concern in the South. However, simply throwing money at the problem is not the answer. “It’s very expensive to open these stores,” said Roy. “It’s in the neighborhood of $18 million.” This high number does not include the cost that goes into maintaining and stocking a grocery store.

Roy understands that these stores are not a cure-all for food insecurity, as merely opening a store does not fix the breadth of issues that still remain in the North Baton Rouge area. Pascal also speculates that having a new market nearby will not instantly bridge the divide.

“It might not be in a walkable area. Safety can be an issue. There are also logistics —

staffing, supply chains and pricing,” said Pascal. “If items are more expensive than Walmart, people will still go to Walmart,” several miles away, if they can. “Payment matters too,” she said, “do they accept EBT or WIC?” referring to the electronic payment system for government benefits. “Some places don’t even take cash.” Pascal said.

Jared Barbarin, a psychology major at Southern University, struggles with budgeting on account of having to pay rent, and contemplates whether to sacrifice nutrition over cost.

“If I buy cheaper, lower-quality food, I can get a lot more of it, and it can last weeks or

even a month,” said Barbarin. “If I buy higher-quality food, it costs more and doesn’t last as

long, so I have to budget carefully.”

Since he resides in an apartment on Southern’s campus, Barbarin buys groceries at the nearby Family Dollar, or drives about seven miles to the Walmart in Baker. However, if he wants healthier food choices, he has to drive further to the Rouses (up to 13 miles away). The Together Baton Rouge survey also shows that North Baton Rouge residents are already traveling significant distances for groceries. The majority reported shopping at stores like Walmart in Baker or Central, as well as supermarkets outside their immediate area.

When asked what delayed the construction of a grocery market in the North Baton Rouge area, Baker Mayor Darnell Waites explained that it has to do with factors shaped by public opinion and juggling priorities.

“It has a lot to do with economic development, housing and schools,” Waites said.

“Environment matters, and leadership matters. Funding doesn’t always come this way, and people don’t always look this way,” he said.

While many businesses often frame North Baton Rouge as unprofitable or too dangerous

to invest in, Waites and Tony King, a podcaster and former radio host, recognize it as an

untapped market with boundless potential.

“Our [Baker] situation is slightly different, but we still share similar economic challenges

with surrounding communities,” said King. “That’s why partnerships matter.”

“Leaders are working together to bring grocery stores into underserved areas, including

projects that are already in development,” said King. “Supporting those efforts is part of what city leadership does.”

This story was reported and written by students with the support of the nonprofit Louisiana Collegiate News Collaborative, an LSU-led coalition of eight universities funded by the Henry Luce and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur

foundations.