Dollar General Just Announced a Major Grocery Change That Will Positively Impact Shoppers

Alexandra Foster
Alexandra FosterEditorial Assistant, The Kitchn
Alexandra Foster is the Editorial Assistant for The Kitchn. She is passionate about highlighting diverse voices in the food world through her storytelling. Her work has previously appeared in Food Network, Whetstone Magazine, and NYU’s Bite Magazine. In her free time, she loves trying new plant-based foods, baking, listening to music or podcasts, and being in nature.
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published Apr 12, 2024
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Leesport, PA, USA - June 14, 2018: Dollar General is an American chain of variety stores Headquartered in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, Dollar General operates over 16,500 stores.
Credit: George Sheldon/Shutterstock

In an ideal world, we’d have unlimited access to freshly baked bread, just picked produce, and our own egg-laying hens. (Think of the dozens of breakfast recipes to start your day!) Unfortunately, that’s just not the case. For far too many of us, it’s the opposite.

According to the USDA, 44.2 million people in the U.S. are food insecure, which means they don’t know where their next meal is coming from. In recent years, this number has only increased due to strains placed by the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, and rising cost of food. Many food insecure people live in neighborhoods affected by food apartheid, communities (often of color) that lack access to fresh food due to historic disinvestment and systemic injustices. Processed foods are more prevalent in these areas, and there are far more fast food restaurants than grocery stores. 

In an effort to address these issues, Revol Greens, a company that grows vegetables in indoor greenhouses, is teaming up with Dollar General to bring more fresh produce to 5,000 of its stores, many of which are located in food insecure areas. (Check Revol Greens website to see if these items are available at a nearby Dollar General.)

Credit: Revol Greens

You’ll find three Revol Greens products newly added to the discount retailer’s shelves, including Organic Romaine Twins, a two-pack of mini romaine lettuce heads priced at $3.95, and two salad kits. Sold in clamshells, the two kits — an Organic Green(house) Caesar (a mix of romaine and arugula, shredded Parmesan, garlic Parmesan croutons, and Caesar dressing, naturally) and Organic Southwest Baja, (baby leaf and romaine, plus shredded Monterey Jack cheese, tortilla strips, sweet-dried corn, and a spicy Southwest dressing) — are $4.95 each.

Revol Greens recycles and reuses the water used to grow its greens, ultimately using 90% less water than traditional farming methods, according to the company’s website. It doesn’t use chemicals, and all products are USDA-certified organic.

This collaboration expands upon Dollar General’s efforts to up its produce game. Earlier this year, Dollar General surpassed its goal of offering fresh produce in 5,000 of its stores as part of its commitment to provide affordable and convenient options to the communities it serves. The retailer has also partnered with Feeding America to receive in-kind food donations and worked with local food banks. Prior to the change, the overwhelming majority of the food you’d find at Dollar General has been predominantly shelf-stable and frozen items.

For people who already shop at Dollar General, it’s one less stop they have to make to get all their groceries. A nice bonus, if you ask us.