The Mayor of Surprise, Arizona, Skip Hall, starred in an April Fools' stunt announcing a so-called "Kale Emergency" in the city. The mock distress call, which was part of video shenanigans cooked up by the city's Economic Development Department, suggested that a dire shortage of kale could only be remedied through the arrival of a Whole Foods Market.

The gag, rooted in the city's longing for the upscale grocer, was divulged in a video that was released on April 1st, and Surprise officials seem to be chuckling right along with their constituents, Mayor Hall indicated that the jest, although made in good fun, managed to spotlight the actual demand for a Whole Foods from among Surprise's nearly 170,000 residents, with the "Crunchy Crisis" serving as a playful proxy for the city's real ambitions and appetite for healthier, upscale food choices.

It appears this yearly tease has become a bit of a tradition with Surprise’s Economic Development Director Jeanine Jerkovic stating to City News, "While our community shares a good chuckle over the 'Crunchy Crisis,’ the underlying desire for increased access to fresh, nutritious options in our city is certainly a reality." Jerkovic's department is behind the annual survey disclosing residents' retail wishes, with Whole Foods consistently topping the charts.

After the jokes have been had, the City of Surprise is not just playing around with their shopping list, because they are earnestly out to court Whole Foods, turning residents’ leafy-green dreams into a concrete goal, and with the city’s population on the rise, poised to crack the 200,000 mark before too long the timing could hardly seem better for such an addition. Folks interested in experiencing the jest firsthand can view the April Fools' Day video by visiting the Surprise Economic Development website or by tuning into their social feeds on Facebook and Instagram.