FOOD/HEALTH/ MIGRATION
Bodegas
The results of my bodega interviews lead to the conclusion that processed snack food marketing is similar to that of the fast food industry and incorporates targeted color choices to the communities likely to purchase processed snack foods. The general sentiment of bodega tenders or owners regarding their placement of processed snack foods in their establishment boiled down to the popularity of these snacks and the aesthetic of a “typical bodega,” which showcases these products due to their popularity.
Survey
The results of my survey lead to the same conclusion, which is that red and yellow are the most popular colors that immigrant communities in the Bronx associate with processed snack foods. This bears a striking resemblance to the popularity of red and yellow in fast food marketing and implies that colors found to be most visually appealing to minority communities are the same colors used to market food products to them, regardless of the delivery of a food product. However, while this is the main conclusion of my research, it is important to articulate that this is true only to the extent that communities like the Bronx are involved. As gentrification proliferates in cities across America, the makeup of a “typical” bodega is changing, particularly with regard to its aesthetic.
Open-ended Questions
As wealthier, younger and whiter residents inhabit previously lower-income and minority-majority communities, food demands evolve to accommodate a community growing more concerned with healthier and higher quality foods. Typically, snack food companies will distinguish their healthier products from their original products with different colored packaging. This packaging appears to be less dominated with bright colors, particularly red and yellow, indicating that the appearance of the inside of a bodega will shift based on the makeup of its community. Are snack food companies shifting their color-marketing tactics for these new demands? While this cannot be determined with certainty today, we can be certain that upwards trends of gentrification in urban, lower-income communities will provide an answer for this in the near future.