According to Feeding America, there are 924,180 people facing hunger in Missouri. Of these, 254,720 are children. Getting healthful food to the most vulnerable populations is a logistical challenge, but this Kansas City entrepreneur has found a way.
In 2016, Maxfield “Max” Kaniger founded Kanbe’s Markets to provide fresh, affordable produce amid food deserts—communities where a large percentage of residents have no access to healthy foods.
In a predominantly low-income African American neighborhood, The Cakery Bread and Bakery Outlet received Kanbe’s earliest deliveries. Today, this not-for-profit serves 120,000 residents and 54 outlets, including gas stations and convenience stores, while also diverting half a million points of food from landfills annually.
Q: Why did you create Kanbe’s?
A: After seeing so many people struggle with health and eating well, the core of it is the way food brings people together. I wanted to provide a system where everyone has healthy food to enjoy with their families. I grew up in Brookside [Kansas City] with a very insulated way of life. But traveling made me reflect on where and how I can make a difference, and food is what I know best.
Q: How did you launch?
A: I wanted to do a full-size nonprofit grocery store, but the cost was prohibitive. Then I started getting to know some people and the environment of neighborhoods where there aren’t grocery stores, and saw mobile markets in various cities. But again, the cost seemed prohibitive, and they were moving targets regarding consistent access. Then I drove around with a friend and talked with people about where they bought groceries. I decided to provide a support system for existing infrastructure in these neighborhoods, while minimizing risk for business owners. We take a portion of their space, bring produce in, and don’t charge them upfront. We get 70 percent of sales, and they keep 30 percent. If anything starts going bad, we swap it out.
Q: Where do you get produce?
A: Donated produce comes primarily from C&C and Liberty Fruit, which mixes with our purchased and discounted produce. Perfect quality, Tier 1 produce is put in stores. Tier 2 is good to eat but not something we’re proud to sell, so we donate it. Tier 3 becomes animal feed, and Tier 4 goes to compost. Each driver also checks the produce when putting it on the shelf.
Q: How has Kanbe’s grown?
A: We have around 20 full-time and some part-time staff. When we started, it was me, a pickup truck, and one cooler. Now, all locations have new equipment, and we deliver five days per week. We have a 30,000-square-foot warehouse, several refrigerated trucks, and a refrigerated Sprinter van. We also have a pickup truck to collect invoices or check on issues, and a dedicated maintenance person.
Q: What satisfies you the most?
A: When I started, my greatest satisfaction came from building a real relationship with Miss Cathy, who ran The Cakery Bread and Bakery Outlet, after she first said, “I don’t want anything to do with it.” What gives me the most satisfaction now is walking into our warehouse and seeing 25 to 30 people who have come to help sort produce and the care that goes into everything they do.
Q: What’s on the horizon?
A: The goal is 75 locations by the end of this year and 130 by the end of 2025. In a pilot phase in three locations, St. Luke’s Health System is now giving prescriptions for people to get fresh food from our outlets. I think we’re really starting to see the impact of diet on health.
Photos courtesy of Gabrielle Richie, Marketing & Communications Coordinator, Kanbe’s Markets
Article originally published in the July/August 2024 issue of Missouri Life.
