Super Natural & Fresh Produce helps eliminate local food deserts with SBA technical assistance, pandemic programs

Leopoldo Sanchez grew up in the city of Santiago de los Caballeros in the Dominican Republic and worked in stores owned by his relatives. He came to the U.S. in 1992, settled in the Bronx, and opened a bodega. Seven years later, in 1999, he relocated to Reading and used his experience to open another bodega, then co-owned a supermarket in the city from 2006 to 2013, when he decided he wanted to open his own supermarket. 

Super Natural & Fresh Produce, Inc. supermarket was established in Reading in 2014 in a low-income community and food desert. It caters to the Hispanic community by stocking produce and other Latino products not found elsewhere in the City of Reading. Fully committed to the Hispanic population, Sanchez sells his items in bulk to small convenience stores and bodegas in the city. His hiring plan is to bring on board unskilled low-income community members, primarily as stock boys, grocery baggers and the like, who are offered the opportunity to rise in the company through training and experience to head cashier, department supervisors and managers. 

With the success of the Reading supermarket, Sanchez acquired a 6,000 sq. ft. second store in downtown Scranton in 2020 and in 2022 opened a 5,000 sq. ft. third store in Lancaster, replicating the model of locating the stores in low-income communities experiencing food deserts. Sales have grown steadily in all stores as has the number of employees. Employee growth has followed the store expansion and nearly all 52 employees are Hispanic in origin with 75% holding full-time jobs. He also partners with Goodwill in providing jobs to special needs individuals. Sanchez worked with the Kutztown University Small Business Development Center and credits the Latino Business Owner Workshop to his entrepreneurial success. 

Super Natural & Fresh Produce, Inc. applied and received an SBA Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan and SBA COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) to help keep employees on payroll and continue operations during the pandemic. Sanchez is currently redeveloping an abandoned 40,000 sq. ft. old city garage in Reading to include a full-service supermarket, a wholesale distribution center to service neighboring bodegas, and a facility to manufacture tortilla shells. In September 2023 the business received an SBA-guaranteed 7(a) loan financed through Fulton Bank.

“It’s a privilege to recognize the achievements of leading minority-owned Pennsylvania small businesses like Super Natural & Fresh Produce, Inc.,” said Steve Dixel, SBA Eastern Pennsylvania District Director. “Leopoldo Sanchez is helping Reading’s economic development and revitalization by providing jobs for the local community and eliminating food deserts. SBA is proud of the role that our pandemic and standard loan programs played in helping Leopoldo start and grow his businesses.” 

“Leopoldo has been a client since 2012, receiving both loan capital and business advisory services. Over the years he has successfully grown his business and is now recognized as an influential figure in Reading’s Latino business community,” said James Buerger, Senior Vice President, Community First Fund. “Although the company struggled through the pandemic, thanks to SBA’s emergency capital programs such as the PPP and COVID EIDL, they were able to remain financially stable and maintain a positive cash flow.” 

“We are exceptionally grateful for SBA’s pandemic and 7(a) loan funding, and for the technical assistance received through Kutztown University Small Business Development Center,” said Leopoldo Sanchez, President, Super Natural & Fresh Produce, Inc. Sanchez is a member of the Berks County Latino Chamber and the Dominican Association of Pennsylvania, contributes locally to his church and community groups, and sponsors adult and youth baseball in Reading.

Community First Fund is a private, independent non-profit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) whose mission is to provide capital in places where it is not usually available. They provide entrepreneurs with access to business development loans for projects that generate jobs and revitalize communities.

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