Luis Quismorio refuses to believe that eating healthy, organic food is reserved for the wealthy. He and business partners Anthony Bermudez and Ruben Perez started Figueroa Produce in Highland Park almost three years ago with a mission to provide high-quality food at low prices, in a family-friendly environment. Located in a strip mall next to a 99¢ store, Figueroa Produce stands out as a healthful alternative to the numerous fast food chains and discount stores in the area. According to the Los Angeles Times neighborhood maps, 45% of Highland Park's residents are immigrants, rates of single parenthood are high compared to both Los Angeles and Los Angeles County, and the median household income is low ($45,478) compared to the county.
In an interview with the Huffington Post, Quismorio spoke passionately about issues of equal access to nutrition for working class people. For him, working at Figueroa Produce is a vocation: "It's a great feeling to know that we're providing fairly priced, organic, and healthy foods so that it's reachable to all income levels." The founders' commitment to family values also means that the store "doesn't sell anything we wouldn't feed our own families," including alcohol and tobacco products. And almost three years later, the founders are gearing up to launch a second store in Eagle Rock called "Organics."
Figueroa Produce
A lot has changed since the store first opened. "We thought we knew what customers would want grocery-wise when this store first opened, but I would say that has changed about 90% per customer request. We got a lot more organic, a lot more vegan items." Now the vegan section occupies a healthy corner of both the store and the deli counter. Vegan blogger QuarryGirl calls the market a "vegan-friendly oasis" because of beloved products like Blissed Out Chocolate and brands Gardein, Quorn, and Fry's in stock.
Invariably, customers that come to Figueroa Produce appreciate it for the niche it fills amidst the discount stores and small ethnic markets in Highland Park. While the nearest Whole Foods is less than three miles away in Pasadena, it sometimes seems a world away because of the starkly different neighborhoods and clientele. Longtime shopper Maria Delgado, who was in the store with her two small children, admitted, "Whole Foods would also be an alternative. But because this is a local business, it's just better than going there... It's just a smaller place with a personal touch, and the prices are better too."