# PA22176, SBIR, Phase I, Mercato Thriving Communities Healthy Food Access Initiative

> **NIH ALLCDC R43** · MERCATO, INC. · 2023 · $295,737

## Abstract

Abstract. Residents with a chronic lack of access to healthy food resources are at greater risk of being obese
and developing obesity related chronic diseases. These diseases include diabetes, several types of cancers,
cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and osteoarthritis which can decrease longevity and quality of life and
represent >10% of total health care expenditures annually. Unfortunately, while many groups have
recommended making changes to places where people shop for food to increase people’s ability and motivation
to purchase affordable and quality healthier food limited options exist. We seek to enable a ‘loop’ where people
have easy access to healthy, culturally appropriate foods, are able to easily redeem SNAP and other
public/private food benefits, jobs are created, grocers can remain in business and dollars circulate in local
communities. Our approach will be achieved with an existing eCommerce and local delivery platform that
provides thousands of independent grocers across the country with the technological tools to provide services
and a partnership with a local nonprofit with the experience and expertise in providing healthy foods to
underserved populations. Aims include (i) Prepare, educate, and enable independent grocers to provide and
deliver healthy food in underserved areas with a lack of access via multiple means of payment; and (ii) Enable
members of underserved populations the ability to easily access healthy food options online, make healthy
grocery purchases, and have these purchases delivered to their homes to improve healthy food access. This
project will provide a framework to be expanded and refined in Phase II to other neighborhoods to combat the
disparities of healthy food access and the associated negative health effects in underserved communities.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10760948
- **Project number:** 1R43DP006744-01
- **Recipient organization:** MERCATO, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Robert Brannigan
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $295,737
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2023-09-30 → 2024-09-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10760948

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10760948, PA22176, SBIR, Phase I, Mercato Thriving Communities Healthy Food Access Initiative (1R43DP006744-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10760948. Licensed CC0.

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