Walmart is reportedly working on an ambitious plan to build community-based grocery stores in low income neighborhoods in the U.S., which is something it has been doing for decades.
According to Bloomberg Businessweek, Walmart is working on a plan that would include “providing a grocery store with a food pantry, a food service and a food distribution center,” as well as offering assistance for low-wage workers.
According the article, Cornell told the outlet that the stores would be built in the cities of Detroit and Atlanta, as well.
The company recently launched a partnership with the food pantries Food Pantry United and Feeding America, which are two of the largest food panters in the country.
These grocery stores will serve as a source of income for the food service workers at Walmart.
According to Bloomberg, Cornell said the stores will be able to “provide a grocery service and supply pantries, a grocery distribution center, and food service programs to a portion of Walmart’s workforce.”
The company’s goal of creating low-cost grocery stores has been a goal for years, but it hasn’t been as big a priority for the retailer as it is for low income communities.
As of 2015, Walmart’s U.K. stores were serving approximately 4 million people, while in the United States, it serves more than 9 million people.
According Bloomberg, this plan is not unique to Walmart.
In a report last year, The New York Times highlighted that Walmart’s stores serve as an outlet for the company to sell more items in order to make money.
According the report, Walmart spent $2.2 billion on its stores last year.
