Synergy Foods Brings Vast Variety Of Fruits And Vegetables To Food Desert In Bronzeville

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Exotic fruits and vegetables are easy to find in a lot of communities, but not so in Chicago's food deserts – where any fresh produce is scarce.

One entrepreneur insists her neighbors in Bronzeville deserve the best, so she set up shop there – and she showed her shop to CBS 2's Jim Williams on Wednesday.

On 51st Street - right off the Chicago Transit Authority Green Line stop - what Leah Holmes' company, Synergy Foods, offers would make the owner of any fruit and vegetable stand envious.

"We have black plums, red plums, blood oranges, Minneola oranges, traditional golden oranges," she said.

Holmes also carries many different kinds of gourmet caramel apples. The fact that such variety is seen at this location makes it all even more eye-catching.

"For this community, you would have to travel outside the area to get those things," Holmes said.

The area is a food desert, where any fresh produce is hard to come by.

"Business has been great. We've been here for out a year and a few months," Holmes said. "We've been growing. We started the company years ago."

For years, Holmes' Synergy Foods set up pop-up fruit and vegetable stands.

"We just kind of traveled around the city in food desert communities," she said.

Now she operates her business in an area of Bronzeville they call "Boxville" – multiple modified shipping containers that give entrepreneurs like Holmes and nonprofit groups affordable spaces.

"Leah is a key part of making Boxville what it is," said Bernard Loyd.

Loyd is president of Build Bronzeville, which he calls the "host" of Boxville.

"I live a mile up the street. I stop by and pick up produce from there," Loyd said. "It's just a key part of the fabric that many of us take for granted, but we cannot take for granted on 51st Street."

Holmes says Boxville is a community of mutual support. They share a lot of the same customers and share a lot of the best business practices.

She is living by that timeless business maxim - give the customers what they want.

"People ask us things like, 'Hey, can you get us some oyster mushrooms?'" Holmes said. "We're like, 'All right, let's go and get it.'"

With oyster mushrooms, blood oranges, red plums, and so much more, Holmes is making a healthful contribution to her community.

"Folks in our community areas deserve to have quality produce," she said.

Holmes' Synergy Foods and all the Boxville businesses are on 51st Street at Calumet Avenue, about three blocks east of State Street.