Fresh & Easy aims to provide greater food access and healthier options to the communities where it operates, vice president says.
Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market broke ground on a new commercial office and retail center on the corner of Crenshaw & Jefferson Boulevards in South Los Angeles earlier this month.
The 45,000-square-foot West Angeles Plaza was led by West Angeles Community Development Corporation (CDC), and is directly across from the North Campus of West Angeles Church on Crenshaw Boulevard. The project will feature a new Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market, as well as a bank, and aims to bring fresh, wholesome food to the neighborhood.
“We want to continue to be part of the solution in providing greater food access and healthier food options to all types of communities,” said Fresh & Easy Vice President Mary Kasper, who spoke at the groundbreaking, where she was joined by Bishop Charles Blake of West Angeles Church of God in Christ, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, City Councilmember Herb Wesson, County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, City Controller Wendy Greuel and CDC, to celebrate the new location.
“We’ve found everyone wants access to the same types of foods–fresh produce, quality meats and poultry, and family staples like eggs and milk–at prices they can afford, right where they live,” she added.
Fresh & Easy recruits from the neighborhoods it serves and the Jefferson & Crenshaw store is expected to employ 20-30 people. Entry-level positions start at $10 an hour in California and offer quarterly bonuses of up to 10%, as well as a 401(k) with company match. The company believes everyone deserves access to affordable and comprehensive healthcare and provides all employees the opportunity to work at least 20 hours per week, which entitles everyone to vision, prescription drug, dental and medical coverage with Fresh & Easy paying at least 75%.
One year ago this month, Fresh & Easy, which operates more than 150 stores in California, Arizona and Nevada, opened its first South Los Angeles store at Central & Adams as part of a mixed-use development that has already started to transform the neighborhood.
