99 Cents Only Stores

The United Way estimates that 43% of American households can’t stretch their income to cover a basic monthly budget (for housing, transportation, food, childcare, health care, and cell phone use). This California-based “extreme value retailer” serves that clientele—64% of its customers have an household income of less than $50,000—and helps their money go a little further. The sub-dollar chain’s 400 or so stores stock locally grown produce (see photo), often the perfectly good but imperfect-looking items that higher-end grocers reject. Just as crucially, they operate in areas often described as food deserts. It’s a winning strategy for reducing food waste, meeting the needs of underserved customers, and doing business.