This document discusses food deserts and the food system context in New York City neighborhoods like Central and East Harlem and the Bronx. It defines food deserts as areas without access to affordable, healthy food options and instead having fast food restaurants and convenience stores. While the USDA map does not identify many food deserts in NYC, studies have shown these neighborhoods have higher obesity rates due to an overabundance of bodegas and fast food but a lack of supermarkets and healthy options in bodegas and restaurants. The document examines how the food system can influence individual nutrition and health.

1. Parsons the New School for Design
MFA Transdisciplinary Design
Thesis 2015 | Chisun Rees
PRODEGA
Through The Lens of the Individual
A service to help bodega owners increase the sale of healthy
and convenient foods.
V1

2. PRODEGA
Through The Lens of the IndividualV1
In the fall of 2014, Ashley Graham, Leah Cabrera, and I came
together around the interest of exploring how design can
amplify opportunities for behavioral change to reach more
desirable futures. Our individual interests are represented in
Prodega as three volumes of a series: Volume One: Through
the Lens of the Individual, Volume Two: Through the Lens of
Stakeholders, and Volume 3: Through the Lens of the System.

3. ChisunRees
iii
P
rodega is the result of applying design thinking to a call for new ideas
within the convenience store industry of New York City, the bodegas.
In an effort to bring healthy choices to a market place traditionally
known for its unhealthy offerings, Prodega approaches behavior
change by focusing on bodega owners, understanding their needs and reframing
risks into marketable opportunities that simultaneously provide realistic choices
and streamlined access to bodega customers. In understanding various touch
points of individual stakeholders throughout this system, we can adapt insights
into actionable criteria for the entire service of Prodega.
Prodega: Through the Lens of the Individual looks at design’s influence on behavior
change through the individual and harnessing each individual’s capacities. The
design process has the power to transform situations within various systems to
help people make better decisions that affect their livelihood and support their
contribution to society. Everyone should be given equal opportunity to realize
their full potential, become better versions of themselves and participate as
active citizens in society. I believe one way to do this is to facilitate better choice
making in people’s daily lives. If design can reveal opportunities and frame them
in such a way that empowers the individual to make choices that betters him or
herself, then more productive and desirable futures can be realized.
Prodega is a service that embodies this opportunity at the intersection of health,
food, and consumption to influence behavioral change by reframing the role
that bodega owners play within the convenience store industry.
“The truth, however, is more complex, for in design, the
awareness of self is the beginning of responsibility. But only
the beginning. The next step is to take into account the needs
of other people.”
ABSTRACT
-Ralph Caplan, 1984:163

4. ChisunRees
04
05
06
PRODEGA
4.1 How It Works 30
4.2 The Phases of Prodega 35
FUTURE VISION
5.1 Social Mission 43
5.2 Theory of Change 44
5.3 Scales of Impact 46
THE VALUE
6.1 Why Worth Doing 51
6.2 Perspective on Design 54
6.3 Collaboration and Practice 54
Appendix 55
IV
01
02
03
THE NEED
1.1 Food Systems 01
1.2 The Context 06
1.3 Prompt from DCA 07
THE BODEGA
2.1 Role and Identity 09
2.2 The Economic Situation 12
2.3 How They Operate 13
THE QUESTION
3.1 Our Question 15
3.2 Our Hypothesis 16
3.3 Our Process 19
TABLE OF CONTENTS
iii

5. ChisunRees
01THENEED
I
nexploringsystemsthatareactiveplayersinourdailylives,thesystemsurrounding
food as health and nourishment is predominant and vital. In a more general
context, food systems include all processes and infrastructure in feeding people.
They also operate within social, political, economic, and environmental contexts
that require human resources to provide labor, research and education. People
depend on clear paths of access to food, whether physical or economic, to meet their
dietary needs and preferences. This dependence is referred to as food security. Food
security and accessibility depend on three general factors: farmers and manufacturers,
distributors to move food from one place to another, and a network of marketers to
sell food to the public for purchase and consumption.
In the United States, the food system is overwhelmingly complex with hundreds of
entry points for discussion and intervention. In an effort to explore more sustainable
solutions of food production in America, Eve Andrews refers to regions of paradox,
describing what are known as food deserts. The USDA (United States Department
of Agriculture) has defined food deserts as urban neighborhoods and rural towns
without ready access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food. Instead of supermarkets
and grocery stores, these communities may have no food access or are served only by
fast food restaurants and convenience stores that offer few healthy, affordable options.
According to the USDA and as many food and health studies have shown, obstructed
and limited access to food contributes to poor diet which can lead to higher levels of
obesity and other diet-related diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. In order to
build awareness and work towards eliminating food deserts, the USDA has generated
an interactive map, the Food Desert Locator, to identify these areas within the United
States.
However, when looking at this map today, which originated in 2011, only a few food
desert areas show up in New York City. In his review of the map in 2013, Geoffrey
Mullings, critiques the relevance of the USDA’s identifications and definition of food
deserts as applied to the big apple. “In their identification, the USDA seems to have
relied on the premise that food deserts only exist if you’re low income, and live a
certain distance from a supermarket.”
1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_systems
2 http://grist.org/food/this-is-what-a-more-sustainable-american-food-system-looks-like/
3 http://apps.ams.usda.gov/fooddeserts/fooddeserts.aspx
4 http://theblinker.com/mainpage/2013/07/03/the-food-desert-you-know-nothing-about/
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2
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02
THE NEED
Through the of Lens of the
Individual
Let’s be real: The American food system today has some pretty
daunting issues. We’re saddled with a farming system that, on
the whole, releases a massive amount of greenhouse gases into the
atmosphere, sucks nutrients from the soil, and leaches chemicals
into the water table. And in regions with some of the richest
farmland, historically speaking, you can’t buy a fresh vegetable
for love or money — but you can get a two-liter bottle of potable
sugar and an endless variety of nutritionally vacant foodstuff
approximations at any corner store.”
1.1 The Food System and Food Deserts
01
“
-Eve Andrews, 2014
01

6. ChisunRees
“If we want to improve the
condition of food desert
communities on a systemic
level, then we must ask
critical questions about
how participants in food
systems can influence the
nutrition and affordability
available to individuals
and families.”
-Ashley Graham, Prodega, Vol.3
Mullings reminds us that additional and influential demographics cannot be ignored.
“Race also inevitably compounds the issue. Obesity nationwide is significantly
more common in communities of color, and a Department of Health study
demonstrates that the trend holds true in our city. In NYC, communities of
color also tend to earn the lowest annual incomes. Where you have obesity,
and many low-income earners, you probably have poor access to food for one
reason or another. The most common issue nationally is poor transportation
options to get to healthy food sources such as supermarkets.”
Also, as Mullings correctly points out, in addition to the USDA’s premise, New Yorkers
generally have direct access to public transportation. The problem that residents in
NYC food desserts face are what he refers to as food swamps, areas “with easy access
to food, but that access is either overwhelmingly to unhealthy options, or to supermarkets
with sub-par quality food.”
Mullings is more specifically referring to the neighborhoods of Central Harlem, East
Harlem and The Bronx, all of which have a much higher obesity rate than the rest of
NYC. He references a 2007 study comparing food disparities between Central and
East Harlem with the Upper East Side by NYC’s Department of Health and Mental
Hygiene. The study had three key findings:
• Bodegas are more abundant and supermarkets less common
in Central and East Harlem compared with the Upper East Side.
• Bodegas carrying healthy foods are less likely to be located in
East and Central Harlem than on the Upper East Side.
• Restaurants are common in all 3 neighborhoods, but fast- food
establishments are more prevalent in East and Central Harlem
than on the Upper East Side.
In the USDA’s Food Desert Locator Central and East Harlem are not identified as food
deserts. Despite how anyone or the government defines food deserts or food swamps,
the issue remains that they still exist in the country. When all that an individual has
to choose from are options that perpetuate unhealthy food consumption, it is no
surprise that residents of these areas are simply the latest statisic and topics of news
and research.
1 http://theblinker.com/mainpage/2013/07/03/the-food-desert-you-know-nothing-about/
2 http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/dpho/dpho-harlem-report2007.pdf
Images on following page: http://nationswell.com/new-study-suggests-low-income-people-know-navigate-food-deserts/
1
1
2
03

7. 01THENEED
1.2 The Context: Central and East Harlem and The Bronx
T
he NYC borough of Harlem has been subject to many changes in recent
years, namely gentrification. Its 125th street business corridor is now a
predominant shopping hub with storefront after storefront of new businesses
from retail to restaurants, and now even a Whole Foods Market. Along with
economy boosting development come rising rents, short-term leases and the decline
of older, established small businesses. The area has seen many of these businesses close
down or relocate due to rising and evens doubling of rents.
Beyond the business corridor, Central and East Harlem are experiencing slower
economic development and more demand for food assistance, as rising rents allow for
less money spent on food. This is evident in the upsurge of the number of registrants
at Harlem’s pantry location on NYC’s Food Bank. As of a year ago, about 10,000
households registered with the pantry and on any given day, as many as 250 used its
services. And many of Central and East Harlem’s residents receive aid from the USDA’s
supplemental nutrition assistance program, SNAP, the Unites States’ federally funded
food-purchasing assistance program for low and no-income people. In East Harlem
alone, 28% of residents reported that they received SNAP benefits in 2013.
Although racial demographics differ from that of The Bronx, the economic scene is
quite similar. One of the country’s largest produce markets, Hunt’s Point Terminal
Market, is located in The Bronx, ironically enough. The market supplies many of the
restaurants and supermarkets in New York City, yet a fraction of it remains in the area
of its origination.
Additionally, these boroughs contain some of the highest rates of health problems in
the city, from heart disease, diabetes, to obesity. In Harlem Hospital Center’s 2013
Community Needs Assessment report, the leading cause of death seen by its healthcare
providers was heart disease. The report found that the rates for adults who are
overweight and obese, 65.4% in South Bronx, and 66% in Central and East Harlem,
exceed the average for other areas in New York City, 55.3%.
If residents of these areas truly have access to healthy, afforadable options, then it
actually lies in traveling out of their own neighborhood. Where does an individual even
begin to make an incremental shift towards healthier eating habits when faced with not
just one, but several systemic obstacles?
1 http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/uptown/central-harlem-food-pantry-steps-upscale-restaurants-article-1.1724948
2 http://nycfoodpolicy.org/nyc-food-numbers-east-harlem/
3 http://www.nyc.gov/html/hhc/downloads/pdf/community-assessment/hhc-chna-harlem.pdf
Image on previous page: http://airwaysnews.com/html/airplanes-and-airports/new-york-laguardia-airport-terminal-photos-planespotting-and-history-queens-
new-york-usa/new-york-harlem-aerial-2010/13790
2
1
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8. ChisunRees
01THENEED
How can the bodega
serve as a context to
amplify behavioral
change towards healthier
eating practices to
positively affect the lives
of individuals in Harlem
and The Bronx?
08
1.3 Prompt from the DCA
D
espite the questionable food system conditions in Central and East Harlem
and The Bronx, some initiatives have been introduced in recent years to
bring fresh foods to the area. However, many of these plans have proved
unsuccessful. In 2009, the City Planning Commission proposed a tax
abatement and exemption plan for approved stores in Harlem and The Bronx in an
effort to bring distributors of fresh produce. The failed plan led to the insight that
systemic plans should tie to existing resources and incentivize existing businesses to
imporive their offerings. Smaller stores already comprise 66% of food sources in
Central and East Harlem and should be part of the future of food strategy due to
their present relationship with the diet and cultural norms of residents.
Another abandoned effort made by the city through the Department of Health and
Mental Hygiene, was the Healthy Bodega Initiative in 2005. The program had some
success with their “Moove to 1% Milk” campaign, which encouraged the sale of 1%
milk over whole milk. However, the initiative has since been terminated with no other
significant improvements in the sale of healthier foods. In this effort, there was a lack of
regard for the bodega owner, whom are often overlooked as key participants in healthy
food consumption.
Last fall, the DCA (Department of Consumer Affairs) of New York City put out a call
for a design of a stoop line stand to sell fruits and vegetables in front of bodegas.
The DCA, which works to empower consumers and businesses to ensure a fair and
vibrant marketplace, sought to respond to these past campaigns.
1 Prodega, Volume 3: Through the Lens of the System. Ashley Graham, 2015.
2 http://www.nyc.gov/html/ceo/downloads/pdf/BH_PRR.pdf
3 http://www.nyc.gov/html/dca/html/about/about.shtml
1
2
3
07
Upon examing the proposal, we questioned the potential of what the stoop line stand
could generate. In order to encourage the sale of healthier foods, we asked ourselves
what question are we really addressing? Through precedent analysis, it was clear that
the bodega was an interesting point of inquiry and begged the question:

9. THE BODEGA
“the bodega—with its narrow little aisles and grim usefulness,
with its overlit fluorescence and dusty boxes of light bulbs right
next to dusty boxes of cereal, with its baleful closed-circuit monitor
and its forlorn lottery display, with its beer and its aspirin, with
its palpable absence of glamour and its unwelcoming cats—was
a disaster. No architect would want to design one. At first. And
yet. Just like the café, the bodega owns the corner. It eyes the street.
It supplies you with coffee and cigarettes and newspapers. It gives
you a reason to go out for something. It gives you a detour or a
delay. It curates and calibrates the arc of an entire day: it’s a place,
rare in a city, equally essential at morning and night. It never
sleeps.”
2.1 Their Role and Identity
02
“
-Thomas de Monchaux, 2012
ChisunRees
09 https://nutritionintervention.wordpress.com/2013/03/09/in-a-junk-food-laden-world-the-mediterranean-diet-stands-no-chance/

10. T
he term bodega is actually the spanish word for warehouse. In New York
City, bodegas are what other parts of the country call convenience stores,
corner stores, small independent groceries, or delis. Within the city, bodegas
have a significant cultural identity and loyal customer bases, usually based
on proximity to the home or work place. Other than typical convenience service items
such as coffee, beer, sodas, snacks, lottery and miscellaneous on-the-go items, bodegas
are identified by other unique offerings like flowers, ATM service, and delis. Some are
even co-owned by neighborhood cats and in some cases so popular, that they have
reputations on social media. As a result of the products sold by bodegas, they have a
variety of customers and therefore see many kinds of shopping behaviors.
They are identified by their unique physical characteristics: colorful awnings, chaotic
decals and posters, loud street corner presence, signs of flashing light, their random
and forgettable names, etc. Their interiors are even more identifiable by their crowded
product displays and meticulously organized shleves. Yet every bodega is so different
and unique as determined by the tiny spaces they inhabit and the floor layouts they
work hard to master. Most importantly, it is the owner and his or her staff that are the
most identifiable, as day in and day out, they are the faces customers see and recognize
behind the colorful, lottery stained counters.
2.2 The Economic Situation
B
odegas play a very important economic role in the city. Since they can be
found on almost every block in the city, they accumulate a large tract of real
estate and cumulatively account for big business if considered as a whole.
However, the reality is most bodegas are small business, independently
owned, with no connected network, and really no regard for one another unless they
are in close proximity and competing for customers. The business of a bodega is
centered entirely around convenience. It is essentially the place that will have that one
product you need, that one you normally buy in a grocery store, but can get quicker
and more conveniently. And as discussed, in areas like Central and East Harlem and
The Bronx, is the only source for convenience items and many times staple foods. It is
important to preserve the identity of the bodegas who make up so many of the small
businesses in the city.
02THEBODEGA
1211
https://www.pinterest.com/commonrootschef/bodega-boogie/

11. Creditors
& Investors
Business
Networks
DCA
Federal Government
STAKEHOLDERS IN THE SYSTEM OF BODEGAS
Distributors Manufacturers
Potential
Residents
Transient
Gentrifiers
Long-term
Residents
Residents
Organizations
Health
Providers
Community
Groups
Advocacy
Groups
Urban Farms
Regulators
Customers
Employees
Suppliers
Business
Consultants
Bodega
Owner
Competitors
The
Bodega
Back End
Front End
BODEGA IN THE LOCAL ECONOMY
The
Customer
The
Products
The
Manufacturers
City
Government
The
Owner
The
Distributors
The
Identity
The Store
They cannot be left to succumb to or die in the footsteps of the typical modern
pharmacy, the Walgreens or the CVS. Pristine, plastic-looking California rolls in
fluorescent lit, open-bed coolers can not take over as our only offering of convenient
food next to McDonalds and Taco Bell. The bodegas are the neighborhood spaces,
with their individual identities and recognizable faces behind the counter who are
there to run their business for you, not for a corporate giant. They want you to come
back to them day after day and the more they know about what you want, the better
the system in which they exist becomes. The vitality of the economy of the city is
dependent on the existence of and success of small business like bodegas.
2.3 How They Operate
L
ike many small businesses, bodegas are less likely to test out marketing ideas
and new service offerings because they can not afford to take risks. In fact
many times, they operate to reduce risk in order to fulfill tight quotas and
pay their ever rising rents. Bodegas sell on demand. In areas such as Central
and East Harlem and The Bronx, this demand tends to be on the side of unhealthy
offerings.
How a bodega owner runs their business is dependent on location, space, and time.
If they are in transient areas, they are more likely to sell fast and convenient items like
beverages and snacks. If they are located in quieter pockets within neighborhoods
and farther from public transportation, they are more likely to sell items that one
would find in a grocery store, like laundry detergent or a gallon of milk. Products
sold are also dependent on physical space. Bodegas vary in size and square footage.
They affects what they sell and the variety of things they sell. Lastly, time factors
into products sold. Morning purchases can vary widely from evening or late night
purchases. Ultimately, each bodega has a number of factors that weigh in on what the
demand is from their surrounding customer base. Likewise, bodega owners will play
with marketing tactics to encourage the sale of other items they deem to be in higher
demand if marketed by methods such as store placement, and physical advertising.
Bodegas are situated in a system that houses players and parts at the front end and the
back end, with equal influence on the demand of their neighborhood. They are also
dependent on various stakeholders that contribute to their overall business.
ChisunRees
02THEBODEGA
1413

12. AshleyGraham,ChisunReesandLeahCabreraFischer
15
If we provide alternate sources of food production and
consumption in Central and East Harlem and The
Bronx, we might lead to a shift in behavioral change
towards:
• Reducing risk in selling healthy option for
bodega owners
• Increasing access to healthy food for residents.
• Providing incentives for the sale and
consumption of healthy choices
3.2 Our Hypothesis
How might we design a
service for bodega owners
in Central Harlem and The
Bronx to amplify behavioral
change towards healthier
choices?
QUESTION
AND HYPOTHESIS
A
fter unsuccessful campaigns to incentivize the
sale and consumption of healthier foods in
bodegas, the DCA put out a call for a design of
a stoop line stand to sell fruits and vegetables
in front of bodegas. Their premise for this initiative is
that a stand designed to be on the sidewalk right outside
of bodega stores, and influenced by local artists, may
affect the sale of healthier foods. This call prompted us
to understand the underlying challenges of addressing
food related issues, investigate how the bodega can serve
as a context to amplify healthier eating practices, and
impact food system conditions across the city. Therefore,
we used this call as a prompt to think strategically about
behavior change to enable systemic changes towards
healthier communities. This led us to ask:
033.1 Our Question
03THEQUESTION
16

13. AshleyGraham,ChisunReesandLeahCabreraFischer
JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL
REFRAMING REFRAMING
RESEARCH & PROBING
SYNTHESIZING
PROTOTYPING
CUSTOMER
SERVICE &
HEALTHIER
CHOICES
INFO
COLLATERAL
TO EDUCATE
CUSTOMERS
FIXED
PRICE,
APPROPRIATE
RECIPES,
& VISIBLE
HACKING
EXISTING
SERVICES
TARGET
CHANGE
MAKERS
REFRAME
HEALTHY
TO
WHOLESOME
PRIMARY
STAKEHOLDERS
ARE OWNER,
SUPPLIER,
CUSTOMER
INTERVIEW
WITH BODEGA
OWNERS,
ALEX &
JOSE
PRICE POINT
ESSENTIAL,
APPROPRIATE
RECIPES
CONVENIENT,
ESTABLISH
DEMAND
TARGET
THE BODEGA
OWNER,
NOT THE
CUSTOMERS
STARTI
NGCONVERS
ATIONS
FOODSYST
EM+BEHAVIOR
ALCHANGE
SNAC
KSHOPPROTO
TYPE
IDE
ATIONWORK
SHOP
BODEGAOWN
ER’SGUIDE
S
ERVICE P
HASING
ME
AL PROTOT
YPE
COSTANALYS
IS
VALEN
TINESDAYPROBE
PRODEG
A
MEALBOX
CRITERIA
ME
ALBOXSTAGI
NG
JET
RO VISIT & INT
ERVIEW
PROMPT
FROM
DCA
BUSINESS
IS A
SEASONAL
THING
PROFIT
IS MOST
IMPORTANT,
NO EXTRA
WORK
INTERVIEW
WITH JOSH
FROM FRESH
ROUTES
INT
ERVIEW WITH
D
AVIS
IDENTITY
AND
MARKETING
BOX&
PACKAGING
D
ESIGN
3.3 Our Process
Process Timeline
17
03THEQUESTION
18

14. AshleyGraham,ChisunReesandLeahCabreraFischer
Starting Conversations:
Our first instinct was to start a conversation about food
preferences using tools such as pairing die that represented
various ingredients for food matching. This probe was an
inquiry into what customers and bodega owners consider
“healthy” and what they imagine are alternative ways to
sell these items. As a result, we discovered that business
relies heavily on seasons and the time of year because of
biological needs and economic cycles. The probe also
confirmed that convenience is still a very important factor
in bodegas.
Snackshop Prototype:
Based on our findings, we prototyped a convenience
Snackshop to understand how branding, packaging and
food pairing affect consumer behavior towards healthy
purchases. We found that food pairing is an effective way
of incentivizing people to purchase healthy foods, but
needs to be supported by other incentives and/or services.
In order for our service to be effective, it needs to have a
fixed price, adjust to the cultural needs of the community
and be visible both in terms of packaging and positioning
within the store.
Ideation Workshop:
In an ideation workshop, we applied our research insights
from the probes and prototypes to develop ideas for
how to incentivize healthy food choices. The results of
the workshop revealed ideas for loyalty programs and
new services that consider alternate sources of food
consumption.
3.3 Process and Learnings
19

15. Valentines Day Probe
St. Nicholas and 146th St., Central Harlem.
Valentines Probe
For Valentines Day we conducted a three step probe with the goal of understanding things such as customer
loyalty, needs and wants, and challenges for community, but also to test our assumptions. In our probe, we
asked residents of the community of Central Harlem:
1. What bodega do you have a crush on?
2. Why do love this bodega?
3. What would make you put a ring on it?
We got over 50 responses and found that 30% of customers would like to see healthier items sold at their
local bodega, and 17% would be interested in seeing new services. By learning what customers want to see
and what they already like, we found that there is a discrepancy between the perceptions of bodega owners
and customers on what is wanted, needed, and accessible. With this in mind, we identified an opportunity
to design alternate sources of food production and consumption in Central and East Harlem and The
Bronx. From marketing and display to new services, we can hack the existing systems to help customers
make healthier choices, reduce the risk of loss by bodegueros when selling healthy items, and encourage
distributors to become active players in the food security network.
Why do you love this bodega? What would make you put a ring on it?
Healthier Choices | 30%
New Services | 14%
More variety | 9%
Relationship | 7%
N/A | 16% Layout | 5%
Prices | 7%
How it already is | 12%
Customer Service | 29%
Selection | 17%
24 hours | 7%
Convenience | 17%
Deli + Services | 17%
Prices | 4.8%
Grocery Items | 10%
Other | 1.6%
03THEQUESTION
22

16. AshleyGraham,ChisunReesandLeahCabreraFischer
Criteria and Direction
B
ased on our insights, we took a step back and analyzed the existing system surrounding
bodegas. We identified gaps and opportunities to interject essential components that
could support a network of small business owners and amplify behavioral change toward
healthier convenient choices for customers. We determined that designing a service would
be a good opportunity to positively influence the front end and back end of the bodega business
model. Through our research we identified that the service should be:
Seasonal
• Mindfulness of ingredients that are available all year round.
• Adjust recipes to seasonal changes.
• Understand spending cycles of customers to guide offerings.
Culturally Appropriate
• Engage with hyper-local stakeholders.
• Appropriate recipes that respect taste, tradition, ritual.
• Incentivize positive associations towards healthy lifestyles.
• Overall approach to food-culture around eating.
Convenient
• Avoid compromise - the customer should not have to choose between convenience or
healthy.
• Operationalize the sale of healthy foods so consumers can incorporate them in their
everyday life.
• Easy to add healthy food into the customer’s diet.
• Convenient for bodega owner to bring healthy products to market.
Communicative
• Embedded messages to incentivize healthy choices.
• Embrace the identity of the community.
• Services that communicate the incentives for the multiple stakeholders.
Economically Sustainable
• Incentives for bodega owners.
• Scalable and transferable to other neighborhoods.
• Reduce economic risk for bodega owners.
• Spark demand for sale and consumption for healthy food to activate market.
23

17. Pitching PRODEGA to Distributors and Bodega Owners
To Jetro, a major wholesale distributor, we pitched that Prodega works in 3 steps:
1. Each week customers pre-order their preferred recipes.
2. Easy to make meals made by Prodega
3. Customers pick up their packaged recipes at their local bodega.
Through pitching our service to Jetro and bodegas, we validated our three main
points: having the $5 meal is essential and that unless our service addresses the local
food culture, it will be difficult to get people to purchase it. We also validated that
the bodega is a convenient pick-up point for local customers. By talking to Jetro,
we learned that current and past initiatives have had a lack of accountability thus
reducing the impact of their projects. So in order to create a sense of ownership and
accountability we decided to model our service as a social enterprise.
3. PICK UP
AT BODEGA
Customers pick up their
conveniently prepped meals
refrigerated at your store.
Packaged Recipes
Help us design this product for YOUR customers!
Tell us what us what are the most important things for you and your customers
How PRODEGA works in 3 steps:
2. PREPARED BY
PRODEGA
Easy meals with
pre-measured recipes that
your customers cook at
home.
Easy to make meals
1. PRE-ORDERING
BOARD
Each week, your customers
order their preferred recipes
at your store and pre-pay.
$4 per person per meal
Pitching Prodega to
Jetro, Wholesale Distributor
03THEQUESTION
26

18. AshleyGraham,ChisunReesandLeahCabreraFischer
27
PRO
DEGA
Meal Prototype:
To address our cultural appropriate recipe prototyped a
meal. We used ingredients that are already consumed in
bodegas and paired them with fresh produce that have
longer life cycles to reduce the risk for bodega owners. We
learned that life-cycle of products, time of preparation and
meal portions were essential to sell the meal-boxes.
Testing packaging:
We further developed the design of the meal box to
accommodate more flexible recipes and address the criteria
of convenience. It is essential that the box be designed so
that the bodega owner does not incur any burden of more
work and be easily displayed in small stores.
Staging and testing:
We constructed and staged 18 meal boxes for a week at
Mango Grocery, a bodega in The Bronx. The boxes sparked
curiosity but only 4 boxes were sold at a $5. We quickly
learnedthatcollateralandsupportinginformationisneeded
to help educate the customers about a new product. We
also found that older customers were more skeptical about
the meal boxes. The boxes that were purchased were by
much younger customers who the bodega owner described
as “more progressive” which proved our initial hunch that
Prodega would initially appeal to changemakers.
Staging Meal boxes at
Mango Grocery (The Bronx)

19. AshleyGraham,ChisunReesandLeahCabreraFischer
29
04PRODEGA
30
PRODEGA
P
rodega is a service for bodegas in New York City to
amplify the sale and consumption of healthy and
convenient foods while reducing the risk of providing
new offerings. Prodega targets bodega owners to
promote best practice strategies by providing a platform
that amplifies behavioral change towards healthier and
convenient choices for their customers. Past initiatives aimed
at encouraging the purchase of healthy foods in bodegas have
been rather unsuccessful, targeting only the customer and
making assumptions that do not address the various touch
points in the purchase of food. Prodegas’s business model
is a hybrid of a for-profit side and non-profit side designed
to provide active participation by aligning the needs of key
stakeholders, providing support mechanisms with feedback
loops for bodega owners, and addressing both supply and
demand in order to create systemic change towards the well
being of customers. In an effort to promote the prosperity
of service providers, who have greater influence over what is
available in a community, Prodega aims to leverage existing
resources within the local economy embedded around it.
044.1 How It Works

20. AshleyGraham,ChisunReesandLeahCabreraFischer
04PRODEGA
3231
Recipe
Challenge
PRODEGA
Truck
PRO-OP
Membership
Creating
the Market
Pre Ordering
Board
SnackShop
PRODEGA
Network
Loyalty
Program
PRODEGA Box
InformationFeedback
Loops
2
1
5
3
4
Data &
Information Incentives &
Support
T
he service is made up of a series of successive touch points, all of which are
meant to reach smaller goals at each stage. Every touch point represents
an overlap of different stakeholders within Prodega’s network and is
designed to benefit and create value for everyone involved, ultimately in
an effort to amplify food justice in Harlem and The Bronx.
On the for-profit side, Prodega begins with the very simple Prodega meal box and
snack shop. They are pre-planned pairings of intended ingredients to incentivize
purchase. After the launch of the sale of these products, a pre-ordering board
accompanies them within participating bodega stores. This board, located within
bodegas, serves as a platform for customers to request more specific pairings in
the meal box and snack shop. In order to encourage community engagement,
residents can become members in Pro-Op, a community platform for residents to
participate in the making up meal boxes and snack shops and the upkeep of the
pre-ordering board. These actions would take place within the Prodega truck, a
mobile vehicle that serves as both a work space and distribution platform. After
these touch points are in place, Prodega can implement a recipe challenge to ensure
that the meal boxes and snack shops address the cultural needs by activating the
voices of the community.
On the non-profit side, Prodega includes a bodega owner network to promote
best practices and serve as a certification standard for bodegas, similar to what
fair-trade is for coffee. Best practices are informed by constant feedback, data, and
knowledge of the market from information generated by the pre-ordering board.
Additionally, a neighborhood rewards program incentivizes customer loyalty
towards bodegas that belong to the network.
The intention of Prodega is not to make a business out of selling boxes and
boxes of Prodega meals. The service is meant to be a first step towards helping
people make their own meals, eat healthier nutritious food, and take ownership
in amplifying their own quality of life. In order for this system of touch points
to operate successfully, they must be implemented and executed in a long-term
plan, through a series of phases, and where the for-profit and non-profit models
work in tandem.

21. AshleyGraham,ChisunReesandLeahCabreraFischer
04PRODEGA
3433
Putting the customer at the centre of a service
design process involves facing the reality that
potentially there is more than just one customer
group, and each group possesses different needs
and expectations. Furthermore, providing
services also demands consideration of the
various stakeholders, such as the front-line
staff, back office employees and manager as
well as non human interfaces such as vending
machines or websites. Thus, a single services
proposition can involve a number of actors and
different customer groups as well as different
employees and interfaces.”
-Marc Stickdron and Jacob Schneider, 2011
“
3. PICK UP
AT BODEGA
Customers pick up their
conveniently prepped meals
at your store.
Easy and Convenient
How PRODEGA works in 3 steps:
2. PREPARED BY
PRODEGA
Easy, pre-measured
recipes made by members
of your community.
Affordable Meals
1. PRE-ORDERING
BOARD
Each week, customers
order their preferred
recipes at their bodega.
Cultural Recipes
Essentially, Prodega works in three steps:
1. Customers pre-order mealboxes at their local bodega,
2. The meals are packaged and distributed by the service, and
3. Customers pick up the meals at the bodega.

22. AshleyGraham,ChisunReesandLeahCabreraFischer
04PRODEGA
3635
Precedent Analysis: Good and Cheap
To address affordability, the Prodega
mealbox has a $4 price point, per person,
per meal. This came from Leanne Brown’s
book, Good and Cheap, a cookbook with
wholesome recipes based on government
subsidized food stamp budgets.
Phase Two: Proof of Concept
a. Prodega Box: This product represents the larger system,
and actualizes access to affordable, healthy meals. This box is
a convenient alternative to processed foodstuffs and provides
food security through affordable meals that can be made easily
made at home. It’s easy to use – simply pick it up at the bodega,
and cook the pre-measured ingredients. Each season Prodega
will offer different recipes, which adjust to seasonal and cultural
needs. This touchpoint was inspired by the case studies Blue
Apron and Plated. We asked, how might we hack these services
to make our product economically accessible to underserved
communities and broaden access to healthy foods? Prodega box
is a $4 healthy choice, which addresses the economic realities of
the neighborhoods we’re attempting to serve. The $4 price point
came from Leanne Brown’s book, Good & Cheap, a cookbook
with recipes based on government subsidized food stamps.
How Prodega brings incentives and value to our different
stakeholders:
• Customer: the box represents an easy, accessible, and healthy
meal. In order to address the cultural and nutritional needs of
PRO
DEGA
Good and Cheap: The $4 Price Point
Hacking existing services to amplify access
Good and Cheap: The $4 Price Point
Hacking existing services to amplify access
4.2 The Phases of Prodega
Phase One: Creating the Market
P
hase One of Prodega is about creating the market.
It is crucial for any service to test assumptions and
gauge interest through outreach and conversation.
This, in the most matter of fact sense, includes
speaking directly to bodega owners, suppliers, and customers
about their thoughts about Prodega. This creates backing
from suppliers to further incentivize owners and informs
us of potential bodegas to prototype the service in, namely
the Prodega meal box. As part of finding entry points to
engage community residents, it is just as important to
create relationships with local community organizations. In
following phases of the service, securing these connections
helps to promote platforms for social contagion. Creating a
market positions Prodega as a beneficial service for different
stakeholders.
Recipe
Challenge
PRODEGA
Truck
PRO-OP
Membership
Pre Ordering
Board
SnackShop
PRODEGA
Network
Loyalty
Program
PRODEGA Box
InformationFeedback
Loops
2
Creating
the Market
1
5
3
4
Data &
Information Incentives &
Support
Bodega Owner
Suppliers
Custumer

23. AshleyGraham,ChisunReesandLeahCabreraFischer
04PRODEGA
3837
of consumers that are already interested in healthy foods, and
they can then sign up for a pre-order service. That way, Prodega
can ensure a certain number of weekly sales to bodega owners.
According to behavioral economics, behaviors run in groups.
If we see others adopting new services we are more prone to
adopt them ourselves. Therefore, we could start reducing the
risk of selling healthy food and incentivizing bodega owners to
become change-makers in their communities.
b. Prodega Truck: In order to improve distribution and
strengthen the food security network, we are envisioning
the food truck as a space to package and deliver the boxes.
The benefit of having a Prodega truck is that the service can
become dynamic, flexible, and move from neighborhood
to neighborhood. Instead of a static distribution center, the
truck can materialize the agile characteristics of the service.
To address(reduce?) costs, we could partner with wholesale
distributors such as Jetro and Restaurant Depot, as well as
community supported agriculture groups such as Harlem
Grown or Project Eats.
3
Recipe
Challenge
PRODEGA
Truck
PRO-OP
Membership
Pre Ordering
Board
SnackShop
PRODEGA
Network
Loyalty
Program
PRODEGA Box
InformationFeedback
Loops
2
Creating
the Market
5
4
Data &
Information Incentives &
Support
1
Prodega Members
Suppliers
Community
Members
the neighborhood, the box will consist of recipes that are designed
by community members. Each season the recipes will change to
assure that what comes inside the box is what customers need/
want that time of the year. Lastly, we have found that “healthy” is
not necessarily the best way of selling the box. Through interviews
and probing we found that “satisfying”, “delicious”, and “filling”
are better ways to frame the context of the boxes so that they are
appealing to the customer.
• Bodega owner: the box is a new way to generate revenue, attract
new customers, and boost their sales. By talking to bodega owners,
we found that limited space is an issue. Therefore, the box has been
designed to take up the least amount of space possible.
Phase Three: Building the Network
a. Preordering System: We recognize that selling a new healthy
product is a risk for the bodega. In response, we are designing a
pre-ordering board to reduce risk by increasing knowledge of the
market. As a first step we reached out to residents of the community
and found that there is a real interest in purchasing healthy foods.
By working with members of the community that already want this
type of service, we could assure constant sales for bodega owners. In
basic steps: we are reaching out to a community board consisting
$7.50 - $17.50/serving9.00 - $13.00/portion
Blue Apron and Friends
Precedent Analysis: Hacking Existing
Services
By reframing existing services, we are
amplifying opportunities and incentives
towards a healthier food system.
2
Recipe
Challenge
PRODEGA
Truck
PRO-OP
Membership
Pre Ordering
Board
SnackShop
PRODEGA
Network
Loyalty
Program
PRODEGA Box
InformationFeedback
Loops
5
3
4
Data &
Information Incentives &
Support
Bodega Owner
Suppliers
Custumer
Creating
the Market
1

24. AshleyGraham,ChisunReesandLeahCabreraFischer
04PRODEGA
4039
profit model is an entry point to a network of support for
bodegueros. Our belief is that by enabling a bodega association,
Prodega could be what B-Corp is to businesses.
Prodega is a service that formalizes the informal and
highlights how bodegueros are active players who care for
their communities. We seek to strengthen the things that
community members already love about their local bodega.
We don’t want to change or modify the model of the bodega,
we want to amplify and highlight the already positive aspects
of bodegas and how they represent a micro entry point to
communities across New York.
Recipe
Challenge
PRODEGA
Truck
PRO-OP
Membership
Pre Ordering
Board
SnackShop
PRODEGA
Network
Loyalty
Program
PRODEGA Box
InformationFeedback
Loops
2
Creating
the Market
5
3
Data &
Information Incentives &
Support
1
Bodega Owner
Suppliers
Community Members
Government
4
Phase Four: Engaging Community
a. PRO-OP Membership: The winning recipes will be then
packaged into the Prodega box. The packaging and measuring of
the meals will be done by community members. We were inspired
by initiatives such as the Park Slope Coop. By hacking a loyalty
model like this one and adjusting it to the context of Central
Harlem, there is great potential to incentivize sales, assure loyalty,
and build trust, between consumers and service providers. The
goal of the Pro-Op is to reduce cost for community members
while building trust and loyalty.
b. The Non Profit Model
This for-profit model will be supported by a non profit model
that provides incentives and support.To do so, we are designing a
network for bodega owners. The aim is to promote best practices,
increase buying power for bodegas, and serve as a certification
standard for bodegas. Essentially, this for
Case Study: Park Slope Food Coop
The Park Slope Food Coop defines
themselves as a member-owned and
operated food store. It provides an
alternative model for food supply that
is not profit-oriented. This model has
shown me the potential of a labor-based
membership because it helps build trust
through cooperation and this keeps prices
as low as possible.
(http://thebrooklynink.com/2010/10/06/15117-
popular-park-slope-food-coop-cuts-back-its-
membership/)

25. AshleyGraham,ChisunReesandLeahCabreraFischer
Staging Meal boxes at
Mango Grocery (The Bronx)
41
Phase Five: Community Agency
a. Recipe Challenge: In order to define the
recipes that will be sold in the boxes, we are
proposing a recipe challenge. We seek to make
the community an active voice of the service.
We envision this as a fun and engaging event.
Through the challenge, we imagine PRODEGA
could find great local recipes that the community
wants to buy. Based on the interviews and probes
that we have conducted, we have found that
local recipes for meals are essential in enabling
a behavioral change towards healthy eating.
Many of our eating habits are informed by our
cultural inheritance – how we grew up and what
we eat at home. Therefore, if the community is
an active participant of the service we can ensure
that the recipes are delicious, and that, in one
way or another, speak to the cultural inheritance
of the neighborhood. Each month PRODEGA
will host a challenge, in which participants will
be given seasonal ingredients. The goal is to
select the best recipes for healthy meals. The
ingredients will be curated to make sure that
the cost to the consumer is below the $4.00
price point per meal, per person, and that the
ingredients are available.
PRODEGA
Truck
PRO-OP
Membership
Pre Ordering
Board
SnackShop
PRODEGA
Network
Loyalty
Program
PRODEGA Box
InformationFeedback
Loops
2
Creating
the Market
Recipe
Challenge
3
4
Data &
Information Incentives &
Support
1
Community Members
5

26. AshleyGraham,ChisunReesandLeahCabreraFischer
05FUTUREVISION
4443
Our future vision is for communities to actually depend less on Prodega for fresh
and healthy meals as a result of amplified choices from bodega owner. Bodegas
might begin to package their own fresh meals at an affordable price to compete for
sales within the new market. Through experience with Prodega mealbox recipes,
bodega owners and community members develop a critical eye and demand for
wholesome foods at an affordable price.
5.2 Setting Goals
Our initial goals are to:
1. Increase access to healthy food through the entry point of the bodega and
alternative supply.
2. Increase demand for healthy food in Central Harlem and The Bronx
3. Increase evidence of healthy food distribution in Central Harlem and The
Bronx to shift the perceptions of large suppliers such as grocery stores.
Setting Qualitative Goals:
Goals for the for-profit side of Prodega include:
1. Contribute to the profit of business owners in the community by growing
a new market that aligns with the economic realities of residents.
2. To maintain a service that appeals to a wide range of socioeconomic
customers as neighborhoods change.
3. To sustain bodega owners through changes in building ownership, season,
and neighboring clients.
Goals for the non-profit side of Prodega include:
1. Amplifying the agency of bodega owners to develop mutually beneficial
relationships with other business owners.
2. Spread best practices for bodegas in both economic and healthy food
terms.
3. Explicitly understand seasonal and socioeconomic convenience markets
for wholesome foods as an organization.
FUTURE VISION05
T
he social mission of Prodega is to become
one of many fresh and healthy foods available
in the community. On the supply side,
distributors and store owners gain incentive to
grow their businesses via new offerings that cater to the
Prodega market. On the demand side, customers and
community groups become agents of health and well-
being by collectively expecting wholesome foods and
purchasing them. By creating a market for healthy foods
on both sides of the economic system, Prodega is an
agent in creating food security.
5.1 Social Mission

27. AshleyGraham,ChisunReesandLeahCabreraFischer
05FUTUREVISION
46
5.3 Future Vision
P
rodega is a first step towards healthier communities and starts with the
mealbox to initiate a group of behaviors that amplify food security.
Through the service touchpoints, the choices of both the bodega owners
and community members affect what is available in the neighborhood.
Our theory is that if we create designed incentives for the primary stakeholders
to affect the supply and demand within the bodega, it will lead to healthier
individuals, value for business owners and community, and better food systems
with affordable and nutritious options.
Prodega amplifies access to healthy options by providing a service for bodega
owners to bring wholesome meals to their customers. Because the service caters
to the motivations and challenges of multiple stakeholders, it presents a viable
opportunity to tie into the existing bodega system.
Phase1: Prodega creates a new market for healthy foods. By
gauging interest and testing the new offerings and
processes with community boards, owners and distributors, Prodega positions
itself as a beneficial service for multiple stakeholders. By creating the market for
Prodega before delivering the offerings, we mitigate risk for all investors, including
our key stakeholder, the bodega owner. Through testing, Prodega communicates
this potential opportunity to bring wholesome and nutritious foods into their
store, amplifying healthy options for customers.
Phase 2: In the proof of concept, the mealbox brings healthier
versions of cultural recipe staples to customers. The
meals are not just about healthy, but also taste and affordability. If families can
conveniently access the affordable Prodega meals, then the demand for these and
other wholesome meals will increase in the bodega context. This is our initial
action towards sparking change towards healthier communities. We recognize
that the initial meals might mostly include staples with some shelf life, like a can
of GOYA beans, but over time the theory of change creates a plan for increasingly
fresh ingredients.
By demonstrating that wholesome meals can be affordable, convenient, and
appeal to the taste buds of bodega customers in Central Harlem and The Bronx,
business owners will recognize more value in trying nutritious offerings to build a
new market and sustain their enterprise over time.

28. AshleyGraham,ChisunReesandLeahCabreraFischer
05FUTUREVISION
4847
Phase 5: Bodegas that belong to Prodega also benefit
from collective buying power perks through
their membership, carving out opportunities to save costs with distributors
such as Jetro and Restaurant Depot. Prodega creates opportunities for
bodega owners to start selling new options through knowledge of the
market, mitigating loss of their key resources: financial capital and space.
The non-profit arm provides greater buying power for business owners
and the metrics of testing the offerings in real time. By being part of
Prodega, individual stores adopt the association of Prodega and build trust
with community members and other stakeholders such as landlords and
government regulators.
Phase 3: Phase 3 builds a Prodega network. Customers gain
knowledge through the experience of the service and
give feedback about their preferences to inform the network of what is working.
Through social contagion, the pre-ordering board creates a knowledge of the
desired recipes for customers. Through the Prodega truck, distribution of the
ingredients and production of the mealboxes is streamlined in terms of labor and
cost. Both customers and business owners, our key stakeholders gain knowledge
through the experience of the service and the feedback loops that provide data
about supplying and demanding fresh and wholesome meals. Customers and
business owners gain knowledge about building healthy and delicious meals
within their existing food source to sell and consume.
Phase 4: To engage community, the PRO-Op membership and
neighborhood loyalty programs create further incentive
for members to participate in the service. These engagement models within the
service amplify access to fresh and healthy foods by making them more affordable
for low-income families through discounts for production work and loyalty. These
touchpoints of the service also create opportunities for customers to be a voice of
the service, contributing data towards knowledge of the market and enabling the
service to be a sustainable source of food security in their communities. When
community members see value in the convenience, and price of Prodega meals,
they are more likely to support and look for other opportunities within the bodega
to feed their families.
As a result, Prodega represents a new market for healthy foods and reframes the
bodega as a place to purchase them. When bodega owners see value and gain
agency in introducing new offerings to grow their business, the Prodega network
association adds the incentive of collective buying power and knowledge of the
market. When both bodega owners and customers see the bodega as a place to
supply and demand wholesome foods, the economy of the bodega business will
impact its offerings.

29. AshleyGraham,ChisunReesandLeahCabreraFischer
05FUTUREVISION
5049
The theory of change incorporates the building blocks required to the long-term goal of
bringing systemic change to Central Harlem and the Bronx. The scales of impact diagram
graphically connects the touchpoint interventions of the service to the primary and
secondary stakeholders to create impact within and beyond the bodega. By outlining how
each service phase and its touchpoints serve secondary stakeholders, we can improve the
reach of Prodega and refine how it speaks to economic and social impact opportunities.
Expressing capacities for healthy
living through the convenient
Prodega Box at an affordable price.
Expressing opportunities for new
markets and sources of wholesome
supply through the Prodega Box.
Incentives for the community to
support local food offering improvents
through Loyalty Program loyality.
Improved incentives to participate and improve
consumption habits through legislation,
policy, and tax incentives for customers.
- Incremental Massive +
Customer
Customer Network
Community Organizations
& Customers
Recipe Challenge
City Government
Dept. of Health Mental Hygiene
SCALES OF IMPACT
Bodega Owner
Bodega Owners
Producers and Distributors
Bodega Owners Network
City Government
(Dept. of Consumer Affairs)
Building trust and reducing cost for
members through economic
incentives via a Pro-Membership
participation. (social contagion)
PRODEGA Box
PRO-OP
Membership
PRODEGA
Truck
Loyalty
Program Reducing risk for the owner and creating
demand to shift offerings through the voice
of the customer & via a Pre-Order Board.
Pre Ordering
System
Connect with and impact
existing distribution and supply
infrastructure via Prodega Truck
Incentives &
Support Improved food system and transferability to
other NYC boroughs through legislation,
policy, and tax incentives for bodega
owners, producers, and distributors.
Residents dictate recipe
options through the Recipe
Challenge and influence
market Data and Information.
Non-profit network
and platform of support
increases buying power and
informs best practices.
PRODEGA
Network
Data &
Information
Recipe
Challenge
Expressing capacities for healthy
living through the convenient
Prodega Box at an affordable price.
Expressing opportunities for new
markets and sources of wholesome
supply through the Prodega Box.
Incentives for the community to
support local food offering improvents
through Loyalty Program loyality.
Improved incentives to participate and improve
consumption habits through legislation,
policy, and tax incentives for customers.
- Incremental Massive +
Customer
Customer Network
Community Organizations
& Customers
Recipe Challenge
City Government
Dept. of Health Mental Hygiene
SCALES OF IMPACT
Bodega Owner
Bodega Owners
Producers and Distributors
Bodega Owners Network
City Government
(Dept. of Consumer Affairs)
Building trust and reducing cost for
members through economic
incentives via a Pro-Membership
participation. (social contagion)
PRODEGA Box
PRO-OP
Membership
PRODEGA
Truck
Loyalty
Program Reducing risk for the owner and creating
demand to shift offerings through the voice
of the customer & via a Pre-Order Board.
Pre Ordering
System
Connect with and impact
existing distribution and supply
infrastructure via Prodega Truck
Incentives &
Support Improved food system and transferability to
other NYC boroughs through legislation,
policy, and tax incentives for bodega
owners, producers, and distributors.
Residents dictate recipe
options through the Recipe
Challenge and influence
market Data and Information.
Non-profit network
and platform of support
increases buying power and
informs best practices.
PRODEGA
Network
Data &
Information
Recipe
Challenge

30. ChisunRees
06THEVALUE
In the context of New York City, bodegas are crucial to the livlihood of the metropolis
anditsinhabitants.Becauseofthecity’sdensityandexistinginfrastructure,convenience
plays a vital role in contributing to its active and fast-paced economy. As such, food
must remain not only convenient to access but healthy. In addition, the identity of
bodegas, the key actors in this system, must also be preserved. If consumption is going
to be fast and convenient, there is even more reason for those foods to be nutritious
and wholesome.
Prodega is original in that its target stakeholder are bodega owners rather than the
customer. By reframing the role that bodega owners play within the convenience store
industry, more opportunities are realized to influence positive behavior change for the
customer as well as the bodega owners and other key stakeholders.
Bodega owners should care about this service because it supports their business
through immediate and long-term touchpoints and encourages customers to return
to their stores. The service also helps build loyal customer bases as they become more
favorable when seen as contributors to positive change within their neighborhoods.
THE VALUE
Through the of Lens of the
Individual
W
hen presented with a opportunity to express
concerns and values about their local food
system, residents of Harlem and The Bronx
voiced their demands. Through our work,
we found that they do care about the services and offerings
at their local bodegas. Customer service proved to be a top
priority and equally, healtheir choices and new offerings. It is
important for systems to respond to the needs of people that
participate in them and work towards facilitating better choice
making. Prodega is a service that recognizes individuals in
food systems and empowers them to make choices that better
themselves in order to realize more productive and desirable
futures. The Prodega mealbox embodies the opportunity for
an individual to begin to realize their full potential, become
a better version of him or herself and participate as an active
citizen in society.
066.1 Why Worth Doing
5251

31. ChisunRees
06THEVALUE
6.2 Perspective on Design
P
rodega is a service, a product of a design process, and a collaborative
exploration that embodies my vision for a future practice. Through the
design process, I explore problems and situations to identify entry points
for positive change. My interests lie in the act and process of exploring
and strategizing for new opportunities. The reward is in designing for productivity,
efficiency, and positive change, and more desirable futures.
In designing the service of Prodega, we had the opportunity to fully understand what
things mean to the different stakeholders in the system. The processes invloved in
these investigations has cinfluenced the way I work as a design strategist.
6.3 Collaboration
I
n coming together around the interest of exploring how design can amplify
opportunities for behavioral change to reach more desirable futures, Ashley
Graham, Leah Cabrera and I explored our specific interests at the intersection
of health, food, and consumption. Without any indiciation of where we would
end up with our project, we recognized that working together was not only advised
but necessary for the value of the exploration and hacking of the service we designed.
“The notion of the designer as the “master mind” is no longer valid if our aim is to produce
positive social impact. We can no longer think we have the answers to societal problems.
There is a need to rethink how we can shape everyday lives, and the need of involving the
target audiences and users in to the practice of design.The question we are now faced is
how can we reinforce social and physical contexts in a collaborative action and on new
forms of locality. We need to analyze the social fabric of our designs; and comprehend that
understanding why things change and reflecting on how they should change can are not
separate issues in the conflicts we are challenged as designers. Humility is a virtue needed as
designers to go back to the human centered approach rather than a produced centered one.”
-Leah Cabrera Fischer, Prodega: Volume 2
5453
To understand what people are and
what they might become, one must
understand what goes on between
people and things. What things are
cherished, and why, should become
part of our knowledge of human
beings. Yet is is surprising how little
we know about what things mean to
people.”
-Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, 1981
“

32. ChisunRees
APPENDIX
The following research contributed to the design of Prodega.
5655
Precedent Matrix: What are the gaps in existing food
security and health initiatives and theory?
GOOD AND CHEAP
ACCESS
FILTERS
AVAILABILITY
FOOD
USEDISTRIBUTION/SUPPLY
BEHAVIOR
CHANGE
AFFORDABILITY
FOOD
PRODUCTION
HEALTHY BODEGAS INITIATIVE
HOW YOUR NEIGHBOR CAN MAKE YOU FAT...
PARK SLOPE CO-OP
PRECEDENTS
SOCIAL CONTAGION THEORY
PROJECT EATS
SHOP HEALTHY BRONX
LITERATURE
LOCAL
PRODUCTION
NYC
FOOD
INITIATIVES
HARLEM GROWN
CSA
FARMER’S MARKET
MODERN BODEGA
FRESH BODEGAS
CORBIN HILL FARMS
FRESH FOOD SUMMIT
DESIGNING FOR BEHAVIOR CHANGE
BLUE APRON
SERVICE
MODELS
FRESH ROUTES
Precedent Matrix: What are the gaps in existing food
security and health initiatives and theory?
Jetro
Project
Eats
Reframing
Complex
Problems
Low fidelity
prototypes
Residents of
Harlem and
The Brox
Programing
Consulting
Prototyping
Overhead
and
transporta-
tion
Services
and website
Space to
start venture
Research
gov. led
innitiatives
Etnographic
Research
Wholesale
Distributers
Wayfinding
and com-
municative
materials
Community
Events
Small
Businesses
Municipal
Entities
(DCA)
Foundations
(Knight)
Harlem
Grown
Engaging
Community
Members
One on
one
conversa-
tions Bodega
owners
Prodega
boxes
Concept
Development
Testing
materials
Local
business
shops
Trust from
key
stakeholdersCommunity
Org
Selling of
Boxes
Probing
Municipal
Entities
Networked
Associations
Community
Engagement
Community
Org.
Visualizing
&
Materializing
Reduce risk for business
owners to shift practices
for social benefit and
maximize funds for
government resources
We align the challenges,
motivations, and needs
of multiple stakeholders
to materialize and
express the value of
hybrid strategies through
touchpoints such as
products and services.
Time Resourcess
Packaging
&
Distributing
ed
Mealbox Cost Analysis
Precedent Matrix

33. ChisunRees
Special Thanks to:
* Patty Beirne, my advisor and the inspriation for Prodega
* Larry Cohen and Jack Segel at Jetro/Restaurant Depot
* Davis Ortiz and Family at Mango Grocery
* Josh Wessler at Fresh Routes
* Our peers in the Transdisciplinary Design program
* Ashley Graham and Leah Cabrera Fischer
ABOUT CHISUN
Chisun is a Transdisciplinary Designer. She practices design
thinking in diverse spaces in order to reframe how things
are understood, foster productivity, maximize efficiency and
influence positive change.
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