Beginning this week, participating Healthy Corner stores will be selling fresh, local, affordable corn on the cob! But there’s more to this story.
This August marks 15 years of our Healthy Corners program. For the duration of this groundbreaking program, we’ve done one very simple thing: ask customers what they want and deliver what we promise.
Shoppers in Wards 5, 7, and 8 consistently tell us that they want locally grown produce to be more readily available in their neighborhoods. In response, our local offerings from area farms have grown significantly in recent years, and now we’re not just putting our ears to the street—we’re bringing fresh ears to the corner! For only $1, shoppers will be able to purchase two ears of conveniently packaged in-season produce from Buster Petronglo & Son Farm.
After last year’s successful test run of corn offerings, we’re bringing it back while it’s at the peak of seasonal freshness. According to Healthy Corners Program Manager Kapi Berhanu, building on that pilot was a no-brainer for 2026. “Customers really loved it. It was nostalgic, having corn on the cob in the summer. Being able to pick it up at your corner store was kind of unheard of. It was new and it was exciting. We also got feedback from our Store Navigators. They told us our older consumers also really, really liked it.”
Store Navigators, a group of community members who work with DC Central Kitchen and the corner store in their neighborhood as community liaisons, play a large role in gathering meaningful feedback from customers. “They really help bridge that gap between us and the community,” says Kapi. “They have conversations with store owners and shoppers. They know the people that are in the stores and they know us. So that space of feeling really comfortable talking to somebody that looks like you, that lives in the same neighborhood as you, someone you can trust, is really important.”
In addition to corn, we’re also excited to once again offer late summer favorites fresh peaches and our top seller, locally grown watermelon.
You can find the full list of participating Healthy Corners stores on our site. Check the Healthy Corners app to see an updated inventory of items available in each store. The app also has some useful recipes if you’re looking for a way to incorporate your recently purchased corn, peaches, and watermelon!
