Is Trump’s Harvest Box a failure or success? Can restaurants salvage Harvest Box through hyperlocal meal kits?

SNAP (food stamp) is the largest public assistance program which serves nearly 40 million people monthly, living in about 20 million low-income households. The federal government SNAP budget is about US$ 68 billion dollars, of which 92% of spending goes directly to benefits that households use to purchase food, and 7% of spending goes towards state administrative costs.

President Trump, in order to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of SNAP program, introduced a bold and innovative idea of “America’s Harvest Box,” a BlueApron-type meal kit program. The idea was to replace half of the SNAP dollars with boxes of meal kits of wholesome staple foods and deliver to SNAP recipients.

DailyKit is a technology consulting company which helps restaurants start their own meal kit brand with zero investment through our free-to-use software solution for meal kits. We are conducting a small survey to understand how restaurants can bring a change in Donald Trump’s Harvest Box initiative.

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* 1. How familiar are you with Trump's Harvest Box?

No Clue Whatsoever

I have heard something about it

I have a lot of ideas and stuff to say about it

No Clue Whatsoever

I have heard something about it

I have a lot of ideas and stuff to say about it

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* 2. Should Harvest Box replace the current SNAP program?

No, it will reduce the autonomy and dignity of SNAP recipients.

Yes, it may be easier for the government to control the program.

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* 3. Government wants to reduce the administrative cost of SNAP program. Can Harvest Box reduce the administrative cost?

No, it will increase the administrative costs in managing food supply chain and delivery-logistics.

Yes, it may reduce the administrative costs.

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* 4. Harvest Box supplied boxes of shelf-stable canned foods. Who benefits most from Harvest Box? (multiple selection)

Local businesses

Grocery Stores

Large food processing companies

SNAP recipients

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* 5. SNAP promotes healthy food choices and discourage the purchase of processed food. Can Harvest Box achieve this objective?

No, Harvest Box itself contains processed and canned food.

Yes, if Harvest Box contained fresh produce.

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* 6. Harvest Box leaves no room for individual preferences and dietary restrictions. How does that affect SNAP recipients with special needs? (multiple selection)

Harvest Box contains canned food which isn’t healthy for children.

Harvest Box does not account for people with dietary restrictions and allergies.

Harvest Box does not care about the special dietary needs of pregnant women.

Other (please specify)

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* 7. Harvest Box contains canned food which may contain preservatives and high sodium content. What all it can lead to? (multiple selection)

Increased government spending in healthcare because of diseases due to high blood pressure.

Further increase the diseases linked to obesity.

Low intake of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Other (please specify)

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* 8. Among the two approaches: Ongoing SNAP program v/s Harvest Box, which supports American diversity better?

Harvest Box approach of one-box-for-all which does not account for cultural, racial, and geographical differences.

Ongoing SNAP program which provides autonomy to independently purchase grocery items according to individual needs and preferences.

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* 9. Due to existing SNAP regulations, large supermarkets such as Walmart earns about 80% of US$ 68 billion SNAP spending. What regulations should be changed? (multiple selection)

Regulations must allow restaurants to serve SNAP recipients through meal kits.

Introduce regulations to promote local produce and farm surpluses.

Local businesses should be incentivised to hire unemployed SNAP recipients.

Other (please specify)

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* 10. Current restrictions for unhealthy food in SNAP program are minimal. Can Harvest Box improve unhealthy food restriction?

Yes, through introducing meal kits instead of delivering boxes of canned food.

No, it’s difficult to define the threshold for unhealthy food.

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* 11. Daily kit provides free-to-use solution for meal kit production by restaurants. When restaurants are allowed to participate in Harvest Box, then which category of restaurants are most suited to serve meal kits to SNAP recipients? (multiple selection)

Restaurants that are economical.

Restaurants which serve local cuisine to low-income customers.

Restaurants that are situated in food desert regions.

Other (please specify)

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* 12. How are restaurants better suited for providing meal kits to SNAP recipients in Harvest Box initiative? (multiple selection)

Restaurants are more aware of local taste preferences and can create meal kits that are well suited for local region.

Restaurants source their raw ingredients from local farmers and businesses which further strengthen the local economy.

Restaurants operate hyperlocal and meal kits can be assembled hyperlocal too, saving on delivery cost of meal kits.

Other (please specify)

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* 13. According to US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service analysis, US$ 1 billion spent in SNAP benefits lead to an increase in US$ 1.54 billion, and supports 13,560 additional jobs.Do you think when restaurants are allowed in Harvest Box initiative, they can increase this economic multiplier?

Yes, it should add more revenue to restaurants and improve wages while adding more local jobs through new demand for meal kits.

Can't say.

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* 14. What should be the future of Harvest Box in SNAP program?

Harvest Box as a mail-ordered meal kit made of shelf-stable and canned foods.

Harvest Box as a hyper-locally produced meal kit made of fresh produce.