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A grocery market that brings fresh food to a food desert on the East Side has completed its expansion.

The Mandela Market, at 272 E. Ferry St., sells fresh fruits and vegetables, along with wholesome prepared foods. The market's location is designated a food desert by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which means it is in a low-income neighborhood where a substantial share of residents have low access to a supermarket or large grocery store.

It's open 24 hours a day and convenient to the bus line.

The $145,000 project constructed 1,500 square feet of additional space and secured new equipment. It was backed by money from the state's East Side Corridor Economic Development Fund and the Buffalo Billion II initiative.

The market was established in 2007 by Ahmed Saleh, an African immigrant who worked his way through business school. It expanded in 2012, and Saleh opened a second location on Broadway in 2018.

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