Healthy, conscious eating should be a choice, not a privilege.

Entrepreneur Olympia Auset recognized this and took action. In LA, the second most vegan-friendly city in the US according to PETA, fresh, quality produce is still unavailable to many communities in the south-central region. A study by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research found that 4 out of 10 low-income adults in LA County are food insecure. Less than 20 percent of adults eat fruits and vegetables daily and more than 50 percent of children eat fast food at least once a week, according to the LA County Department of Public Health.

As a response to the underwhelming number of quality grocery stores in the area Auset created an alternative to drive-thrus and local mini-markets with limited options.

“We exist to ensure that the best foods are no longer limited to nice areas […] This single, obvious barrier gives people the idea that they can never be vegan or eat healthily because it is too expensive and too much of an inconvenience,” the SÜPRMARKT website states.

Partnering with community-driven organizations, Auset brings SÜPRMARKT to low-cost organic food options to low-income communities. SÜPRMARKT is a weekly pop up that makes its presence known at food festivals, art walks and wellness events around the city.

“Far beyond providing food, we aim to educate and create experiences around food that encourage and empower people to look, feel, and eat their best. We feel nutrition is at the forefront of liberation on many fronts and we exist to serve communities,” Auset explained.

But SÜPRMARKT doesn’t just want to provide the tools for success; they want to help build the bridge that leads to healthy lifestyle changes.

“We are developing a body of content and resources which will lead viewers on a path of discovery as it relates to health. It will take the guesswork out of starting to eat better, settle some of the conflicting information out there about health and provide suggestions that make things affordable,” she said.

SÜPRMARKT offers monthly subscription boxes and accepts EBT to make these options available to those who otherwise can’t make the commute to shop the nearest organic grocer.

“I want people everywhere to start enjoying delicious meals which are great for them and to understand that what you put into your body, you get back in your life. I want food deserts to be a thing of the past and want to see food be a foundational springboard for people becoming conscious consumers and citizens of Earth. It is time everyone understood and embraced the power of food to empower and to heal,” she said.

De'Janae Tanye

Writing since November 2016 · 1 story contributed