NEW FRESH PRODUCE COMPANY GROWING IN DETROIT’S EASTERN MARKET

DETROIT — Red Truck Fresh Produce has opened in Detroit’s Eastern Market. Located in the Gratiot Central Meat Market, the fresh produce company is also launching a new job training program for local veterans.

Red Truck offers fresh produce, smoothies and locally made food products six days a week. It is co-owned by Eastern Market and Community Growth Partnership, a Warren-based nonprofit collaborative of local grocers and affiliated groups led by United Food and Commercial Workers.

A red, 1941 Ford truck filled with fresh produce from Eastern Market’s wholesale market and Keep Growing Detroit growers sits in the center of the Red Truck market. The back of a white, box truck mounted on the wall will feature prepared food products from FoodLab Detroit and the Detroit Kitchen Connect program.

A rotating, workforce development program at the new store will be operated by Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit. Cohorts of seven veterans who have completed life skills and customer service training will come to the store for 13 weeks of on-the-job training. Cashiering, merchandising, stocking and other responsibilities will be included.

Red Truck will keep a core number of employees, but the goal of the program is to train people for full-time work with benefits at other area food businesses.