Maxfield Kaniger
Maxfield Kaniger is a Kansas City native and is the son of a local chef, so food had an enormous impact on him growing up. After high school, Max went to the University of Missouri-Columbia and the University of Missouri-Kansas City for college.
With his love of food and travels through Europe, India, and Australia, he realized that not everyone had the same access to convenient fresh, seasonal produce. While running a tour company in Hawaii, Max saw people working full-time jobs struggling to put food on the table.
After his travels around the world, his love of food, and an issue plaguing Kansas City, Max founded Kanbe's Markets in 2016.
Kanbe’s Markets is a nonprofit organization that provides access to fresh, healthy foods in the areas of Kansas City designated by the USDA as a “food desert,” where residents lack consistent access to healthy and affordable food.
They aim to eliminate food insecurity by providing a distribution model that includes more people, enhances small businesses, and improves communities, one neighborhood at a time.
Its Healthy Corner Stores program is the foundation of its mission. They went from one location in 2017 to 12 at the beginning of 2020.
Currently, they are up to 43 locations all over the east side of Kansas City, providing fresh produce to the community.
Over 250,000 KC residents have been served to date, and over 11 months in 2021, they kept 554,756 lbs. of produce from ending up in landfills in 2022 alone.
One of Max’s big goals is for Kansas City to be the first city in the country where everyone has consistent access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food.
Since returning to Kansas City and starting Kanbe’s, Max has received numerous awards, including Ingram's Magazine 20 in their 20’s in 2019, a 2020 NextGen Leader from the Kansas City Business Journal, named a Rising Star by Feast Magazine, and a Community Builder to watch by Startland News.
In August 2022, he was on the list of Twenty to Know in philanthropy & nonprofits by the KC Business Journal.
Max’s dedication, vision for the future, work ethic, and humble attitude are just a few attributes that I see will lead to his continued success and impact on Kansas City.
Website: kanbesmarkets.org