Cloudy with occasional rain showers. Thunder possible. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%..

Cloudy with occasional rain showers. Thunder possible. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.

Samantha Humphrey, Harris Kelly and Will Kornegay of Ripe Revival assist customer Jodie Summerlin on Tuesday inside the Mobile Market at the Harrison Family YMCA.

Mary Jane Lyonnais, food systems planner with the Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments, left, talks with Kara Cox and Sarah Hester of Ripe Revival on Tuesday outside the Harrison Family YMCA.

Ripe For Revival launched its Mobile Market on Tuesday at the Harrison Family YMCA.

Samantha Humphrey, Harris Kelly and Will Kornegay of Ripe Revival assist customer Jodie Summerlin on Tuesday inside the Mobile Market at the Harrison Family YMCA.

Mary Jane Lyonnais, food systems planner with the Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments, left, talks with Kara Cox and Sarah Hester of Ripe Revival on Tuesday outside the Harrison Family YMCA.

Ripe For Revival launched its Mobile Market on Tuesday at the Harrison Family YMCA.

Ripe Revival through its nonprofit arm launched its Mobile Market on Tuesday afternoon at the Harrison Family YMCA in Rocky Mount.

Ripe For Revival is the nonprofit wing of Ripe Revival, a food production, processing, marketing and distribution company based in Rocky Mount, said Kirsten Miller, Ripe Revival sales and marketing director.

Its employees now are selling fresh produce, frozen meals, frozen fruit, meat and eggs at “pay-what-you-can” prices from a converted bus.

“The ‘pay-what-you-can’ model provides access to local and healthy food regardless of budget,” Miller said. “The Mobile Market posts ‘suggested’ prices on all items on the bus; once the shopper has gathered the food they want, they will ring up at the register and receive a ‘suggested price.’ If the shopper can afford to pay the full amount they may, if they cannot, they can choose to ‘pay what they can.’”

A portion of all sales by Ripe Revival is donated to Ripe For Revival, which also receives a combination of grants from public and private sources, she said.

It works with nonprofit groups in eastern North Carolina to implement a variety of Ripe For Revival programs, such as establishing farms and gardens, providing nutrition education and bringing the mobile market to communities.

Miller said the Mobile Market is sponsored by the N.C. Sweet Potato Commission.

“Ripe For Revival has established many outlets for food donation and distribution, including the new Mobile Market program. With this program, we can support more local farmers and make fresh food more accessible year-round,” she said.

Will Kornegay, co-founder and CEO of Ripe Revival, said the Mobile Market and Ripe For Revival are part of his company’s efforts to eliminate waste and inefficiency in his industry — efforts that benefit customers as well as producers.

“The ugly reality is that up to 40 percent of farmers’ crops are lost or left in the field each year, considered excess due to odd shape, size, other cosmetic defects, etcetera. They may be considered too ugly for retail,” he said. “Of course, there are other variables like Mother Nature, market supply and demand and things that also affect farmers’ ability to sell their crops. However, the staggering figure of 40 percent of crops not having a home does severely impact a farmer’s efficiency and profitability.”

Kornegay said one in seven families are experiencing food insecurity in the country, with one in five statistically facing food insecurity in the immediate region.

“This is an oxymoron, the fact that farmers can’t afford to harvest and sell portions of their crops, yet a staggering number of families and individuals in our community are food insecure and may not have access to fresh, affordable foods,” he said. “They are certainly not able to access nutritious and healthier alternatives as they should.”

Kornegay said the inspiration for the Mobile Market came from other pay-what-you-can food distribution operations in the state and around the country.

“The pay-what-you-can model is not new but using that model on a mobile market like we have has not been done in our area,” he said. “We love this model and have spent time working with A Place at the Table, which is a pay-what-you-can restaurant in Raleigh. We were drawn to their mission and the model we feel is a sustainable approach to lifting up communities while driving unity.”

Kornegay founded Ripe Revival in 2018 after 10 years of employment with a sweet potato production and food processing company that routinely was able to deliver 100 percent of its crops to consumers.

People wishing to learn more about Ripe Revival and Ripe For Revival can go to www.riperevival.com. Kornegay said donations of time, money and food are always welcome.

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