Whole Foods recently announced that they will open their budget-friendly 365 by Whole Foods Market subsidiary store in Cedar Park on April 26. This store is an attempt by the Austin-based company to fulfill its dream of making organic food appeal to everybody and tackle its decline in sales, which have dropped in the past six consecutive quarters. Unlike the original store, that often lives up to its nickname of ‘whole paycheck’ by selling overpriced products such as $6 asparagus water, the 365 store is designed reach a younger demographic through its affordably-priced products. 

It’s well worth wondering who really benefits from the affordability of a 365 store when Cedar Park has a median household income of $90,762 compared to the state average of $55,653. In this case, it’s a matter of choosing convenience over accessibility. The fact of the matter is, opting to place the new 365 location in Cedar Park taps into a market of customers who already have the financial means to purchase these products rather than seeking out low income communities to serve. 

Texas has the 10th highest adult obesity rate in the country, and it’s no secret that there is a relationship between poverty and obesity. Although there is not one direct cause for obesity, a predominant factor is accessibility to healthy food. And many Texans are left without reasonable options — Texas has the largest grocery gap in the U.S., and low-income communities in both urban and rural areas have limited access to supermarkets.  

The public is no longer in a position to remain passive about obesity since the Comptroller of Public Affairs estimates that taxpayers will pay $32.5 billion per year by 2030 if no action is taken. This problem isn’t limited to any one industry, a viable solution involves everyone’s participation, including private businesses like Whole Foods. 

States such as California have already taken initiative to address obesity through their FreshWorks Funds, a program designed to bring healthy food retailers to under-served communities. Texas should follow suit and create a similar program to incentivise corporations such as Whole Foods to bring 365 locations to low income areas. This isn’t just a social program, but a means for Whole Foods and similar companies to open doors to unexplored markets that could increase sales.

But extending the accessibility of healthy food retailers isn’t a quick fix or solution to obesity. It won’t erase a lifetime of poor eating habits, but it does provide options to make those lifestyle changes. It also addresses accessibility and that in itself is a strive, so we transform how we think of healthy foods as an expectation and not a privilege. 

Fernandez is a rhetoric and writing and Spanish senior from Allen. Follow her on twitter @blancoalyssa