NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – A new Rouses Markets location opened Monday on Chef Highway, bringing fresh produce, seafood, and bakery items to a neighborhood that has historically struggled to maintain healthy supermarket options.
The New Orleans Health Department found in 2024 that nearly half of all New Orleans residents eat fruit less than once a day and a quarter eat vegetables less than once a day. The issue is particularly strong in New Orleans East.
Limited grocery options create food desert
The Health Department’s report identified only two major grocery stores in the East: Walmart and a former Winn-Dixie location. That compares to neighborhoods like Mid-City, which has at least four major supermarkets in one zip code.
The limited access created what researchers call a food desert. The city found more than 62,000 people in Orleans Parish are food insecure…