Produce Pods are Expanding Access to Fruits and Vegetables

The refrigerated trailers are ensuring neighbors receive produce, even at agencies without cold storage.

Whether apples, cabbage or a bag of carrots, neighbors who visit Good Samaritans of Garland always have the option of going home with some fresh produce.

It hasn’t always been that way, though. The North Texas Food Bank partner food pantry is limited on space and was recently equipped with a Produce Pod, which is a standalone, refrigerated storage trailer that sits outside.

Without it, Executive Director Sara Kenefake says they only had space for one pallet of produce each week, which usually meant neighbors who visited toward the end of the week did not receive fresh fruits and vegetables. With the addition of the Produce Pod (sponsored by NTFB affinity group NiHao), they now have space for up to four pallets of produce, which is the equivalent of 20,000 meals.

“It really has saved us because it guarantees that every guest receives produce,” Sara says.

Pantry Services Manager Wendy Hardeman adds that it has even allowed them to take some unexpected donations, like hundreds of extra fresh cartons of milk from a nearby school.

“It has helped tremendously,” she says.

Good Sams’ pod is one of four NTFB introduced when it unveiled its new fleet of trucks earlier this year. They’re being placed at agencies with high-needs, underserved populations, and they’re often going to partners who previously only had storage for dry, shelf-stable goods.

Another Produce Pod (sponsored by American Heart Association/Hospital Corporation of America) is stationed at Community Lifeline Center McKinney.

Kathryn Cope, who was an NTFB Community Partner Specialist when she was project manager for the Produce Pod initiative, says she continually heard from partners that they wanted to serve more fresh fruits and vegetables to neighbors. “However, the lack of refrigerated storage space was holding them back,” says Kathryn, who is now an NTFB Strategic Initiatives Manager.

She worked alongside Kevin Brown, NTFB Procurement and Contract Director, to bring the pods from concept to reality. The four refrigerated Produce Pods were purchased from Robears Customs with the use of The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) funds.

The Produce Pods are not a permanent solution, but are meant to provide refrigeration while more long-term solutions are assessed. Good Sams, for example, is in the process of moving to a larger facility in 2025. The Produce Pod is helping them fill the gap in capacity until then.

Kathryn says Good Sams has been a great partner as NTFB launches the Produce Pod program.

“They helped us field test the design and adjust as needed based on their feedback,” she says. “Seeing the Pod onsite and equipped with pallets of produce was an incredible fulfilling experience.”