Ariell Ilunga is a businesswoman who has brought the city of Northeast Los Angeles a place to enhance the residents’ shopping experience and overall health.
In November of 2023, Ilunga opened the doors to Carla’s Fresh Market, which offers fresh produce, food and beverages from small Black-owned businesses, according to Essence. The 3,000-square-foot brick-and-mortar is full of character with “colorful walls,” and provides guests with multiple seating areas. Although the store is large, the design and layout offer customers a familiar but luxurious shopping experience as the space gives boutique vibes.
“I want to change the grocery shopping experience…. I want it to be a place of discovery. I want to have fresh local produce and a vibrant setting,” Illunga said in an interview with Essence.
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Her late friend, Carla Anderson, who lost her battle with cancer in 2020, inspired the store’s name.
“She was always like my champion, always just saw me before I saw myself. She always said you’re going to do great in this life; you have everything it takes,” she said. “I just wanted that energy woven into the space like this.”
After the LA native quit her job in New York City as a fashion publicist in 2016, she moved back to California to figure out her next moves. During this transition, her love for being in the kitchen resurfaced, which led to her visiting farmer’s markets often and learning more about farming.
“I just started working at markets from the ground up. I did everything from taking out the trash and setting up tents to finally running one of the largest farmers’ markets in the country, called the Hollywood Farmers Market. That whole experience changed my life,” she said.
She continued, “I have an appreciation for really good food but didn’t know much about how we get it and who does it and any of it. And so, for five years, I spent a lot of time with farmers, I spent a lot of time on farms, and I’ve hugged so many baby goats, which is very therapeutic; I highly recommend it. It just changed my life.”
As a wife and mother, Ilunga opened the location after noticing the gap between healthy food choices and underprivileged communities, which usually consist of minorities.
“We’re feeding families. We need value, we need accessibility, we need ease,” she said.
Customers of Carla’s Fresh Market will be introduced to curated food options from a wide range of Black-owned and operated culinary companies and brands, including Ghost Town Oats, Trade Street Jam, Mumgry and Jah Mama Sauce. This is a short list of businesses since the store carries nearly 700 products from diverse owners. In addition, the store has a wine section from LaShea Delaney selling wine and spirits crafted by minority winemakers.
Ilunga eventually plans to host events at her market like cooking classes and wine tastings.
“I think that starts with us. We are here to help people set the table with warmth, and then people will open up to you and ask you a question,” she said.
“We’re going to say, hey, we’re going to remember the baby’s name and tell you your dog’s cute because it is,” she added. We are creating a special environment for the community to build and grow.”
