Hunts Point making sustainable improvements

Phillip Grant is now in his second year as CEO of the Hunts Point Produce Market, working alongside the nearly 30 merchants that make up the cooperative. Grant first joined the market in 2019 as general manager, right before the onset of the COIVD-19 pandemic.

Grant and the merchants leveraged the market’s various city, state and federal resources and information and quickly became a source of support for industry partners, helping industry colleagues who would reach out for best practices. 

In 2022, the Hunts Point Produce Market is working on a series of sustainability projects and partnering with The HOPE Program to install a NYC CoolRoof. The market will be the first industrial site in Hunts Point to have a CoolRoof as part of a city and federal program to conserve energy, improve sustainability and provide jobs for New Yorkers.

“The NYC CoolRoof Program is part of a city-wide effort to combat climate change and put New Yorkers back to work,” said Beny Poy, chief of staff at Hunts Point. “Our partnership with The HOPE Program also provided employment development opportunities to their program participants while painting the market’s roof.”

The CoolRoof is a white coating that helps decrease heat retention, which serves to reduce energy costs. So far, the program has been able to paint 35,000 square feet of the market’s roof with the goal of painting the entirety of its 800,000-square-foot roof.

“In support of our sustainability initiatives, the Hunts Point Produce Market is embarking on replacing the common lighting to a more energy efficient LED lighting solution, which has proven to last longer and are more cost effective,” Poy said.

In addition to continuing this incredible sustainability initiative with The HOPE Program, the Hunts Point Produce Market is looking forward to reengaging its community partners citywide.

“The market has a long history of providing fresh produce items to food insecure communities in New York City,” Poy said. “On average, through long-standing partners like Food Bank for New York City, Feeding Westchester, and City Harvest, out merchants donate more than 6 million pounds of produce, especially during the peak of the pandemic.”

Like many businesses in New York City, the Hunts Point Produce Market remains steadfast and resilient and despite challenges brought on by the pandemic, continued to thrive.

“Our deep history of supporting food infrastructure in New York City and the expertise that comes with three to four generational businesses allowed us to overcome the challenges of the last few years,” Poy said.

The Hunts Point Produce Market has and continues to be essential to New York City’s food infrastructure.

“The market was key to our region’s economy by our continual support of our essential workers as they and our merchants worked tirelessly in keeping New York City fed,” Poy said. “In 2022, the market will continue to serve and support one of the most diverse populations in the world — New York City — by leveraging our three to four generations of experience and that allow us to cultivate industry leading best practices. We are cautiously optimistic and look forward to a fruitful 2022.”

Photo: The Hunts Point market will be the first industrial site in Hunts Point to have a CoolRoof as part of a city and federal program to conserve energy.