Participants at The Food Group’s affordable grocery programs will now have access to even more fresh produce through a newly awarded grant funded by the USDA. The Food Group recently kicked off a new project with a dual focus—partnering with local emerging farmers and bringing fresh, nutritious food to Minnesota communities through our affordable grocery programs, Fare for All and Twin Cities Mobile Market.
For more than three decades, our pop-up grocery Fare for All program has provided affordable produce and meat each month at up to 40 percent off retail prices. Our other affordable grocery program, Twin Cities Mobile Market, brings nutritious food on a retrofitted bus to urban neighborhoods that don’t have access to full-service supermarkets or grocery stores. With this new project, we’ve added even more nutritious, homegrown food to our grocery offerings.
Many Minnesotans are feeling the pressure of inflation and rising prices. They’re looking for creative ways to stretch their dollar and put nutritious food on the table. The Food Group works hard to keep prices accessible for families, but we’re also focused on the quality of the food we sell in our affordable grocery programs—and the powerful stories behind it.
The Story Behind the Food
The Food Group wants to help people feel connected to the products they’re buying and excited about rooting their resources in their community. We want people to know that the zucchini they bought was grown by a local farmer or the cherry tomatoes they purchased were lovingly tended and handpicked by a local farming family.
Stephanie Wagner, Associate Director of Programs at The Food Group, has been involved in food access work throughout her career in social service. Her passion for food runs deep, rooted in childhood memories of savoring and preserving local foods, snacking straight from the garden, and pulling weeds.
Stephanie oversees The Food Group’s affordable grocery programs, Twin Cities Mobile Market and Fare for All. She believes this grant will help Minnesotans connect with their community and their food.
“It builds community by having a connection to your food. It’s about being able to come to a Twin Cities Mobile Market stop and know this carrot or grape tomato came from your community and you are supporting your community.”
– Stephanie Wagner, Associate Director of Programs at The Food Group
Through this new project, Fare for All and Twin Cities Mobile Market participants will get that homegrown backstory along with their monthly groceries. Participants even got to meet some of our farmer partners at a recent Fare for All sale in Fridley. Through these events, we are fostering stronger connections between community and farmer and illustrating the power of our Minnesota food system.
“Making that purchase and the face of a farmer connected to it reminds people where food comes from and that food can be grown in this climate—and they are a part of the greater Minnesota community and landscape.”
– Stephanie Wagner, Associate Director of Programs at The Food Group
Barriers in Urban and Rural Communities
Stephanie is excited about how this program will increase food access for communities across Minnesota, especially urban and rural communities. Working at The Food Group, she’s seen many barriers to food access in both urban and rural communities: “Many urban cores and rural communities don’t have brick and mortar, full-service grocery store access. Retailers are either divesting in those communities or they’re not investing.”
Transportation, Stephanie shared, is another huge obstacle: “Somebody in the urban core might have bus access but they may have some mobility differences… or they might not feel safe traveling from the bus stop… In a rural setting, the distance from somebody’s home to a grocery is so great and then the cost of maintaining a vehicle and keeping gas in that vehicle is a lot.”
These two barriers limit options for folks in both types of communities, making it difficult to access and afford local produce: “You might be forced to go to a corner store and or a convenience store in both of these communities and only have limited access and therefore purchasing more processed items because that is what is available to you.”
This is where The Food Group’s affordable grocery programs come in. We have 11 Fare for All sites in rural communities and 9 metro sites. In addition, our Twin Cities Mobile Market visits 25 sites across Saint Paul and Minneapolis each week, bringing affordable groceries to the doorsteps of Minnesotans who most need it.
Sandra, a Twin Cities Mobile Market participant, appreciates both the affordability and increased access to nutritious food, ““Prices are better than a lot of grocery stores. They have very good quality and quantity.”
Rising Costs Impacting Food Access
Minnesotans are also seeing the impact of high food prices and anticipation of cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The demand for food shelves and affordable grocery programs is only increasing as more Minnesotans juggle the priorities of food, housing, and medical care.
“We’ve all experienced inflation, whether that is at the grocery store, housing, or utilities. Many people have uncertainty about employment and must make tough decisions about where their limited funds are going to go.”
– Stephanie Wagner, Associate Director of Programs at The Food Group
Partnering with Local Farmers
The program also benefits local farmers. This year, we are partnering with five farm groups across Minnesota. For our farmer partners, this grant means access to critical education and technical assistance. As a result, local farmer Khue received technical assistance from The Food Group and successfully grew carrots for the first time. In October, Khue delivered over 600 pounds of carrots to The Food Group!
The project also opens up new markets, allowing growers to expand their business and build a strong customer following. KaZoua Berry, Farm Director at The Food Group, commented:
“Emerging farmers experience many barriers to market access. Through these partnerships, we’re opening up new markets for farmers and forging authentic connections between community members and local growers.”
– KaZoua Berry, Farm Director at The Food Group
Porfirio is one such local farmer. A former student at Big River Farms, Porfirio now runs Sebra Farms on rented land in Cannon Falls. With the help of family and friends, he is growing 17 different crops this year—all seeded by hand and managed with organic farming techniques. Porfirio has already seen positive results from the program.
“It has helped a lot for me and my business. It helps me sell more of my produce, which makes me happy.”
– Porfirio, Farmer Partner
Bringing Affordable Local Food to More Tables
The Food Group is honored to partner with farmers like Khue and Porfirio in bringing affordable, nutritious meals to more Minnesota tables. As need rises, projects like these are critically important for helping families stretch their dollar and get the quality, nutritious food they deserve.
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