Shelf with fruits in supermarket

Healthy Corner Stores

Public Health works with neighborhood corner stores to provide healthier food choices for the community they serve.

N.C. Healthy Food Retail Designation

The North Carolina Healthy Food Retail Designation (NCHFRD) program recognizes small food stores that meet product criteria established by the N.C. Healthy Food Retail Collaborative. This designation is important in creating healthier communities because people who live where healthy foods are easy to find are more likely to have lower risk of disease.   Any small food store in North Carolina that meets the designation criteria is eligible to receive a "Healthy Food Sold Here" certificate of designation and a door decal.  

Each small grocery store is unique; stores located in different communities or neighborhoods may require different approaches. Among the 6 criteria a store needs to meet to receive the North Carolina health food retail designation is to have a minimum quantity of mixed fruits and vegetables, whole grains, protein, and dairy/milk (1% or 2% cow's milk or soy milk). For more information about the requirements that the store needs to acquire the NCHFRD certificate, contact: Emma Leon at [email protected].  

The N.C. Healthy Food Retail Toolkit is available to help small food stores with increasing their healthy options and help them apply for the NC Healthy Food Retail Designation.

2023 Refrigerator Program

The Mecklenburg County Health Department has expanded the refrigerator program in corner stores with the North Carolina Healthy Retail Designation to incentivize small neighborhood stores in food insecure locations to increase their healthy options. See the list of seven stores below that have received a refrigerator to stock fresh fruits and vegetables:

Other Local Corner Stores that have the N.C. Healthy Food Retail Designation

Byrum's Food Mart Inc   1727 Oakdale Rd NC 28216

Davidson Convenience Store   624 N. Davidson St NC 28202

El Rincon Catracho   2125 Eastway Dr NC 28205

El Tigre #2   5025 North Tryon St, Suite #8 NC 28213

Frutería El Barrio   118 Tom Hunter Rd, Suite C NC 28213 

Hawl-Hang LLC.   4600 Monroe Rd NC 28205

La Corona Meat Market    6320 North Tryon St, Suite F, NC 28213

La Acapulqueňa   4709 Tuckaseegee Rd NC 28208 

La Estrella Market   7701 Sharon Lakes Rd, Suite E- F NC 28210

La Romero Market    6301 South Blvd NC 28217

La Unica Supermarket   5938 South Blvd NC 28217

Mi Tiendita Mini Market   2853 Eastway Dr NC 28205

Monroe Convenience Store   4726 Monroe Rd NC 28205

Oriental Food Market   4816 – B Central Ave NC 28205

OT Foods Inc   3600 Tuckaseegee Rd NC 28208

Shop N Go   1601 Remount Rd NC 28208

Skyline Superette   1725 Statesville Ave NC 28206

Supermercado El Rey   6300 South Blvd NC 28217

Related Services

The following resources were obtained from NC State Extension, which provide best practices for preparing for COVID-19 and managing risk for people at home and in food settings such as restaurants, supermarkets, food banks, gardens, corner stores and farms. These resources are based on guidance and best practices outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Download and print these posters and flyers to educate Healthy Corner Store staff and customers on how to stay safe from Covid-19.

Contact Us

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: 980-301-3920