Learn about the variety of projects funded through the Good Food Access Program.
- Fiscal Year 2025
- Fiscal Year 2024
- Fiscal Year 2023
- Fiscal Year 2022
- Fiscal Year 2021
- Fiscal Year 2020
- Fiscal Year 2019
- Fiscal Year 2018
- Fiscal Year 2017
Fiscal Year 2025
| Organization | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| American Indian Community Housing Organization | Niiwin Indigenous Food Market will expand retail space with one 4-door cooler, one 4-door freezer and deli case to offer their community access to nutritious and culturally appropriate food that predominately highlights Indigenous foods and vendors. They will offer grocery items like milk, eggs, and bread as well as wild rice, maple syrup and sugar, traditional teas, regional fish, hominy/flint corn, and value-added products. |
| Bolt's Grocery Store | Bolt's Grocery Store, located in Lake Benton, will replace two coolers and condensing units to be more energy efficient and to offer a wider array of fresh meat and dairy options. |
| Butterfield Hardware LLC | Butterfield Hardware, located in Butterfield, will purchase 5 freezers and shelving units to carry a wider range of perishable healthy foods. |
| Cloquet Natural Foods | Cloquet Natural Foods, located in Cloquet, will replace an inefficient and failing cooler and freezer with one 3-door freezer and one 3-door cooler to increase energy efficiency and reduce waste. The new equipment will also support them in being a CSA drop-off location, helping farmers get their products to consumers. |
| Ditterich Mercantile | Ditterich Mercantile, located in Vergas, will purchase a 3-door freezer dedicated to locally sourced meats and a cooler to offer locally grown fresh produce. |
| Dutchmen's | Dutchmen's, located in Fergus Falls, will purchase shelving, gravity bins, dispensers, scale, and a nut grinder to establish their bulk food distribution infrastructure. They will also purchase a freezer and refrigerator to expand retail space for fresh produce. |
| Ecolibrium3 | A non-profit grocery store start-up in Lincoln Park neighborhood, will utilize funding to purchase two 3-door coolers, two 2-door freezers, an open-air merchandiser and an open-island cooler to focus on the sales of fruit, vegetables, dairy, and meat. |
| Ivanhoe Supermarket | Ivanhoe Supermarket, located in Ivanhoe, will purchase and install 3 new cooler display cases that will increase capacity for selling fresh produce, meat, and dairy products. |
| Larry's Supermarket of Battle Lake, Inc. | Larry's Supermarket in Battle Lake will replace old, inefficient equipment with reconditioned freezer equipment creating more energy efficiency while expanding their square footage of retail space allowing them to expand their offerings. |
| Longfellow Family Foods | Longfellow Family Foods, located in Minneapolis, will purchase two coolers and one freezer to replace malfunctioning units which will provide high-quality fresh and healthy foods, as well as expanding to offer more organic dairy, cheese, and egg options. |
| Manna Food Cooperative | Manna Food Cooperative, located in Detroit Lakes, will be updating their compressors and electrical work necessary for relocating into a larger retail space, allowing them to broaden the foods they will be able to sell in both fresh and frozen options, including a significant expansion of Minnesota-raised frozen meats. |
| Mitska's Market | Mitska's Market, located in Ely, will update their physical space and purchase equipment to improve and increase retail space to provide a larger variety of pantry staples and whole food products. |
| Natural Food Co-op | Natural Food Co-op, located in Litchfield, will purchase and install a new reach-in freezer to expand their offerings of frozen meat, fruit, and vegetables. |
| New London Food Co-op | New London Food Co-op, located in New London, will purchase a refrigerator to increase their supply and variety of local and organic vegetables, as well as a freezer to purchase whole animals for sale. |
| Northern Bait & Convenience | Northern Bait and Convenience, located in Gonvick, will purchase and install a walk-in cooler allowing them to offer fruits, vegetables, more dairy, meats, and other healthier food options. |
| Northwoods Grocery | Northwoods Grocery, located in Nevis, will purchase one walk-in freezer, one walk-in cooler, and two compressors to replace those destroyed in a fire so they are able to continue to offer access to food in their rural community. |
| Pomme de Terre Foods | Pomme de Terre Foods, located in Morris, will replace a failing, inefficient freezer with a new freezer to continue to offer a wide variety of locally grown/raised produce, meat, cheese, meat alternatives and frozen international foods. |
| Real Food Inc. dba Becker Market | Becker Market, located in Willmar, will purchase a refrigerated trailer to store and make food deliveries from their store as well as pick up food from local farmers to deliver to customers. |
| Rivers Station LLC | Rivers Station in St. Cloud, is a convenience store trading their tobacco retail space for grocery focusing on produce, meats, and dairy products. Their award will cover necessary electrical upgrades, a freezer and cooler with new condensing units and grocery carts. |
| Simek's Farm LLC | Simek's Farm, located in Kelsey, will utilize funding to expand their retail space and purchase coolers to provide space for local dairy, eggs, meats, fruits, and vegetables. They will also enhance their outdoor market by pouring a concrete slab to make it more accessible. |
| Weinberg Brothers Investment Corporation, LLC | The Kosher Spot, located in St. Louis Park, will expand their retail space with 12 refrigeration units and 8 freezer units which will increase their capacity for selling more locally sourced halal meat, poultry and dairy products. |
Fiscal Year 2024
Organization | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| Aaron's Grocery LLC | Aaron's Grocery, located in Fertile, will increase retail space by 25 percent by replacing a cooler with one that is larger and more energy efficient. This will allow them to add fresh produce for veggie packs in addition to other affordable nutritious products. |
| Bakken's Market LLC | Bakken's Market, located in Clearbrook, will replace their heating/cooling unit as well as purchase a produce cooler to be more energy efficient and ensure freshness in the produce they offer. |
| Community Mobile Market (Community Action Duluth) | The Community Mobile Market in Duluth will purchase a dual cooler-freezer and cooler as well as shelving that will act as both storage and retail space to allow them to expand the selection of local, culturally appropriate produce and proteins. |
| Graceville Market | Graceville Market, located in Graceville, will replace an old equipment by purchasing a new energy efficient cooler to be used for dairy and milk products. |
| Green Market LLC | Green Market, located in Waite Park, will purchase one produce cooler, a pallet jack and produce display signage. Their goal is to become a hub for locally grown, healthy produce for the Somali community. |
| Kosmatka's Market | Kosmatka's Market, located in Oslo, will be able to expand their frozen produce, meats, seafood and more by replacing outdated equipment and purchasing a new 6-door display freezer. |
| Leech Lake Market (Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe) | Leech Lake Market, located in Cass Lake, will purchase and install 3 new coolers to increase energy efficiency in their store, retail space, as well as shelf life of their produce. |
| Mills Country Market | Mills Country Market, located in New York Mills, will upgrade old, energy inefficient equipment with new energy-efficient equipment including one meat cooler and one dairy cooler. |
| Mogadishu Meat & Grocery Store | Mogadishu Meat & Grocery Store, located in St. Cloud, will renovate their retail space to expand its offerings and improve the customer experience including purchasing 3 new coolers. |
| New Ulm Community Market and Cooperative | New Ulm Community Market and Cooperative will replace outdated equipment with 2 coolers and 1 freezer that are modern, spacious, energy-efficient. They will also purchase shelving and displays to increase retail space and elevate the presentation of their products. |
| Pelican Bay Foods | Pelican Bay Foods, located in Orr, will upgrade old equipment with new energy-efficient equipment including 3 new freezers which will allow them to increase their selection and quality of frozen fruits and vegetables. |
| Pinehurst Resort | Pinehurst Resort, located in Naytahwaush, will replace their cooler doors (with energy efficient ones), lights and shelving which will expand their retail space for fresh, local fruits and vegetables. |
| Pomme de Terre Foods, Inc. | Pomme de Terre Foods, located in Morris, will replace equipment to include 3 coolers and 1 freezer to sell locally grown produce, locally raised meat meat, local and regional cheese products, meat alternatives, and international frozen foods. |
| Real Food Inc. dba Becker Market | Real Food Inc., located in Willmar, will purchase 2 reach-in refrigerators for their retail store, Fabulous Finds which focuses on local food. |
| Vandal's Family Market | Vandal's Family Market, located in Blooming Prairie, will upgrade old equipment with new energy-efficient freezers to continue to offer local foods. |
| Wadajir Grocery and Meat Market LLC | Wadajir Grocery and Meat Market, located in Minneapolis, will expand retail space in their store to sell foods including halal meat, fresh produce, dairy products, flour, beans, lentils, and spices by purchasing 2 coolers and 1 freezer that are energy efficient as well as new display and storage shelving. |
| Waseca Morgans Meat Market LLC | Morgans Meat Market, located in Waseca, will purchase a walk-in refrigeration unit to expand retail space for specialty meats, fresh vegetables, and baked goods from the in-house bakery. |
| West Bank Grocery, Inc. | West Bank Grocery, located in Minneapolis, will purchase a freezer, display cooler, and produce displays to expand offerings of halal meat as well as frozen fruits, vegetables, and meat. |
| Youngs General Store, Inc. | Youngs General Store, located in Middle River, will add shelving and replace outdated equipment with 6 doors of freezers and coolers to serve more fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. |
Fiscal Year 2023
Organization | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| BCS African Wholesale Food Supply | BCS African Wholesale Food Supply, located in Brooklyn Park, will focus on sales of culturally nutritious food items for African, Asian, and other immigrant communities by purchasing and installing an eight-door freezer and one roof-top condensing unit. |
| Bronson Market | Bronson Market, located in Lake Bronson, will upgrade their freezer section and meat coolers by purchasing and installing six display freezers, two display coolers, one stainless steel freezer, and one chest freezer. |
| Cambridge Farmers' Market | The Cambridge Farmers' Market, located in Cambridge, will purchase an enclosed 6’ by 10' trailer to store their market equipment and increase visibility of the market location. |
| Cloquet Natural Foods | Cloquet Natural Foods will purchase and install a two-door and a single door freezer to increase energy efficiency, reduce spoilage, and improve product quality. |
| Fond du Lac Reservation Business Committee | The Na'enimonigamig Local Foods Project will open a retail space at Fond du Lac’s 36-acre farm location. They will use grant funds to purchase and install a display freezer, shelving, and a refrigerated vehicle that will be used to transport produce grown by indigenous growers to be sold at their store. |
| Friends of the Finland Community, Finland Farmers’ Market | The Finland Farmers’ Market will purchase and install two awnings and paving blocks to increase the level surface area of the market, with the goal to provide more space for new vendors and increase the overall size of the market. |
| Graceville Market | Graceville Market, located in Graceville, will upgrade old, energy inefficient equipment with new energy-efficient equipment including two eight-foot coolers and two twelve-foot coolers. |
| Groceries Plus | Groceries Plus, located in Erskine, will purchase and install a three-door merchandiser, a ten-door cooler, a five-door freezer, and a four-door cooler to increase energy efficiency in their store. |
| Hub 71 Convenience Store | Hub 71 Convenience Store, located in Sebeka, will purchase three merchandiser refrigerators and a merchandiser freezer. They will also use grant funds to install signage that will increase the visibility of WIC and SNAP-eligible food products. |
| Lake Country Foods | Lake Country Foods, located in Menahga, will increase their sales space and increase the self-life of products by purchasing and installing two new cooler units for meat and cheese products. |
| Little Falls Food Co-op (The Purple Carrot Market) | The Little Falls Food Co-op, operating as The Purple Carrot Market, will purchase and install a refrigerator and merchandiser with the goal of increasing sales of affordable, healthy grab-and-go food options for their customers. |
| Madison Mercantile | Madison Mercantile will purchase and install shelving, two chest freezers, a standing freezer, and a commercial refrigerator to support their cooperative aggregation site for area growers. |
| More Than Sprouts | More Than Sprouts, located in Pine City, will expand their retail space and purchase and install four merchandiser freezers, four merchandiser refrigerators, a commercial sink, and shelving to increase sales of nutritious foods. |
| Northwoods Grocery & Cafe | Northwoods Grocery & Café, located in Nevis, will purchase and install a three-door cooler and a condenser unit to provide better selection of fresh produce. |
| Roadside Market | Roadside Market, located in Hill City, will purchase and install a produce merchandiser, two glass freezer doors, and shelving to expand options to sell produce and gluten-free food options. |
Fiscal Year 2022
Organization | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| Aaron’s Grocery | Aaron’s Grocery, located in Fertile, will purchase new produce cases to provide better products to their customers and to save on energy expenses and reduce the carbon footprint of their business. |
| Aitkin Farmers’ Market | The Aitkin Farmers’ Market will purchase an enclosed trailer and reach-in coolers to provide more local produce, meat, and eggs for residents in Aitkin County. |
| Amin Grocery | Amin Grocery, in downtown Willmar, will expand the retail space for perishable goods such as locally produced meat, vegetables, and eggs by purchasing a larger walk-in cooler. |
| Bolt’s Lake Benton Grocery | Bolt’s Lake Benton Grocery, located in Ivanhoe, will purchase a merchandizer freezer and refrigerator to expand their retail space to offer the community more variety of higher quality products. |
| Ditterich Mercantile | Ditterich Mercantile, located in Vergas, will provide fresh meats, produce, and other grocery needs by installing refrigerator equipment. |
| F&D Meats | Located in Virginia, F&D Meats will install a new display cooler to increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables, especially locally grown fruits and vegetables. |
| Green Scene Market & Eatery | Green Scene Market & Eatery in Walker, will increase space by purchasing a new retail freezer that they can dedicate to fresh produce in their store, ultimately increasing the ability to purchase more local produce and keep products fresher for a longer period. |
| J&S Foods | J&S Foods, located in Lancaster, will become more energy efficient and provide a better, fresher product with new temperature-controlled produce and meat cases. |
| Kiester Market | Kiester Market, located in Kiester, will provide healthy, affordable grab and go items for the community. By purchasing a new, cooled display case, they will provide customers with a wide variety of choices when choosing a grab and go meal. |
| La Alborada Market | La Alborada Market, in Eagan, will expand their fruit and vegetable areas in their store by purchasing new refrigerators. By doing so, they can look for more local options to offer their community. |
| La Plaza F!esta | Located in Madelia, La Plaza F!esta will create a new layout for their store that provides ethnic foods to the local Hispanic/Latino and American populations. They will be able to promote healthy cooking at home and expand their grab and go deli for busy families. La Plaza F!esta will purchase shelving for produce items that don’t need to be refrigerated and a freezer for their local beef and pork products. |
| Lake Country Foods | Lake Country Foods, located in Menahga, will expand their retail space by purchasing new refrigeration units so that they can provide fresh produce for a longer period, as well as provide additional products to their customers and reduce the amount of food loss. |
| Lakewood Health System | Lakewood Health System, located in Staples, will build a permanent pavilion on its hospital parking lot for the Staples Area Farmers’ Market. This will allow customers access to fresh produce and other goods every Thursday afternoon from May through October. |
| Leech Lake Market | Leech Lake Market, located in Cass Lake, will purchase a three-door freezer and a cooler to offer products that compliment cooking lessons offered by the store’s demonstration kitchen. The items offered will help to highlight healthy, local, and indigenous foods. |
| Los Ranchos Mercado | Located in Richfield, Los Rancheros Mercado will provide additional fruits, vegetables, dairy products, meats, and other perishable items using a new walk-in cooler and freezer to increase the store’s square footage and storage capacity for their items. |
| One Stop Station | One Stop Station, located in Minneapolis, will purchase, and install a new open air four-level display cooler for fresh produce in the central area of their store to promote their seasonal offerings and to increase fresh, nutritious, and delicious meal options. |
| Patty’s Palisade One Stop | Patty’s Palisade One Stop, in Palisade, MN will provide a new freezer venue for local farmers and their products as well as increasing the availability of nutritious food items in the community. |
| Valley Hardware & Supply | Valley Hardware & Supply, located in Halstad, will move their refrigeration units to the exterior of the store to improve energy efficiency, reduce energy costs, and ensure that there are fresh fruits, vegetable, and other foods available to their community. |
| Winnibigoshish Historical Center | Winnibigoshish Historical Center, located in Bena, will update the refrigeration system to hold more fresh produce, milk, cheese, and eggs. They will also add produce bins to their shelving to offer more fresh produce. |
Fiscal Year 2021
Organization | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| Bois Forte Band of Chippewa | Nett Lake C Store, owned and operated by the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, will use their funds to purchase a 3-door display cooler and to cover renovation costs for the project. |
| Brothers Restaurant and Grocery | Brothers Restaurant and Grocery is a local grocery store providing culturally appropriate foods to African immigrants and international students in the Mankato area. Funding will be used to purchase a freezer, meat saw, tenderizer, and slicer to increase Halal food options within the community. |
| Clearview Retail Partners | Clearview General Store, a convenience store located in Lutsen, is expanding their retail space to include more food products. Funding will be used to purchase a cooler, freezer, shelving, and produce display cases. |
| Jimmy's Food | Jimmy’s Food, located in North Minneapolis will purchase an air curtain refrigerated merchandiser and upgrade their checkout counter to encourage customers to purchase more food items at their store. |
| Kosmatka's Market | Kosmatka's Market, located in northwestern Minnesota, will replace 35-year-old equipment with two new freezers and one produce display case. |
| Main Street Market of Buffalo Lake | Main Street Market will purchase a produce case, a lunch meat case, a deli grab & go, and a meat case. This is a collaborative project to supply a lunch option and culturally appropriate foods to workers at 212 Beef. The meat case will be used exclusively for 212 Beef products. |
| Nicollet Family Dollar & Halal Meat Market | A South Minneapolis grocer, Nicollet Family Dollar & Halal Meat Market, will purchase a meat saw, meat grinder, produce display case, and an eight-door display cooler to provide more culturally appropriate foods to their customers. |
| Osakis Family Foods | Osakis Family Foods will purchase a new closed-door refrigerator and ten produce display baskets, nearly doubling the square footage dedicated to fresh fruits and vegetables. |
| Pillsbury United Communities | The North Market Healthy Meals Merchandising Project will purchase portable display cases to feature more nutritious and affordable food options for customers. |
| Shu Karen Grocery | Shu Karen Grocery, located in St. Paul, is a small, locally-owned grocery store serving primarily Karen and Asian community members. They will purchase a new glass door reach-in refrigerator to replace an old, inefficient refrigerator. |
| Thirtythird Meat & Grocery | Thirtythird Meat & Grocery, a Somali-owned grocery store located in St. Cloud, will purchase new shelving, a refrigerated produce display, and a composter to turn food waste from their store into compost for local community gardeners. |
| Webber Mart | Webber Mart, a food retailer located in North Minneapolis, will purchase two refrigeration units to increase access to nutritious foods. |
| Winthrop Market | Winthrop Market, a locally-owned grocery store located in south central Minnesota, will purchase a freezer and a display case with the intent of increasing fresh product offerings by 25%. |
| World Mart | World Mart, a mobile food store catering to immigrant communities in Worthington will include purchasing and customizing a used, insulated truck to increase their reach within the community. |
Fiscal Year 2020
Organization | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| Butterfield Hardware | Butterfield Hardware is a locally owned hardware store that recently added a grocery section to their store. They will purchase two freezers and two coolers to expand the selection and variety of fresh produce available to customers in Butterfield, Minn. and the surrounding communities. |
| Frazee Family Foods | Frazee Family Foods is the only grocery store located in Frazee, Minn. They will replace their aging, open-door cooler with a new closed-door display cooler and new compressor to increase the quality and freshness of their produce. This new cooler will double the amount of space dedicated to fresh produce in their store, ultimately increasing access to fresh produce within the community. |
| Graceville Country Market | Graceville Country Market is a small, locally owned grocery store located in Big Stone County in western Minn. The grantees, who have owned and operated the market for the last 34 years, will purchase new freezer equipment to continue to provide good quality and more affordable foods for the members of their community. |
| Hmong American Farmers Association | Hmong American Farmers Association (HAFA) is an agricultural non-profit organization based in St. Paul, Minn. HAFA has a proven record of supplying healthy, fresh, nutritious produce to food insecure and low-income families in the Twin Cities. With this grant, they will purchase two commercial grade ice makers to help preserve freshly harvested produce while working in their fields. This equipment will help to maintain the freshness and quality of their produce from field to consumer. |
| Iftin Grocery Store: Halal & Meat | Iftin Grocery Store is a Somali-owned Halal and meat grocer located in St. Cloud, Minn. With this grant, Iftin will purchase a produce merchandiser to increase their capacity and ability to offer more culturally appropriate fresh fruits and vegetables to customers. |
| Juba's Supervalu | Juba’s Supervalu is a family-owned grocery store located in Blue Earth, Minn. They will purchase five new energy efficient produce display cases to replace their original display cases installed in 1990. This upgrade will better utilize the space that they have within their store and increase the amount of fresh produce available for customers. This grant will allow Juba’s Supervalu to increase access to fresh and affordable produce and offer more locally grown options to their customers. |
| Natural Food Co-op | Natural Food Co-op has provided residents of Litchfield, Minn. with fresh fruits and vegetables since 1980. They will purchase a walk-in cooler to increase backstock, as well as a new produce cooler to increase the quantity of locally grown fruits and vegetables. These equipment upgrades will help to increase the economic viability of local farmers, as well as the health of the local community. |
| Mark's Market | Mark’s Market, located in Hackensack, Minn., will purchase a new walk-in cooler to replace an old, energy inefficient cooler in need of replacement. The new cooler will allow Mark’s Market to get bulk pricing on frozen fruits and vegetables and be more competitive with larger chain stores in the area. |
| Red Lake Incorporated | Red Lake Incorporated will purchase two reach-in coolers for the Ponemah Market in Red Lake Nation. This grant will equip the market to increase its ability to stock and sell more fresh produce by adding refrigeration units to the store. This project will allow the market to meet the customers’ requests for fresh fruits and vegetables and preserve the quality of produce for longer periods of time. |
| Tofte General Store | Tofte General Store is a small, family-owned business located in Tofte, Minn. They will purchase a new cooler/freezer combo to replace an aging walk-in cooler. They are the only SNAP authorized store within 28 miles. This new equipment will allow the store to continue to offer fresh produce to the surrounding communities. |
| Urban Ventures | Urban Ventures is an agricultural non-profit organization working to address food insecurity and poor nutrition with Minneapolis youth. With this grant, Urban Ventures will purchase a refrigeration unit to help maintain the quality of their farm-grown produce at their farm stand. This project will help to provide locally grown, affordable, organic, and culturally appropriate produce to neighbors and community members. |
| Valley Hardware and Supply | Valley Hardware and Supply, located in Halstad, Minn., is currently in the process of expanding their offerings to include a grocery store. With this grant, Valley Hardware will install refrigeration and freezer units to offer fresh, nutritious, and affordable foods to local residents. |
Fiscal Year 2019
Organization | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| 4-Directions Development | 4-Directions Development is an education and technical assistance provider located in Red Lake Nation. Through their Gitigaanike Food Initiative, they will expand their farmers market with the purchase of a mobile food truck. The project will bring nutritious, affordable, culturally appropriate foods to three additional Red Lake communities and surrounding areas. |
| Chaska Market | Chaska Market is a small, locally-owned, Hispanic grocery store which serves the Latino community of Chaska and the surrounding area. They will purchase an open produce cooler, meat and cheese case, and three-door freezer which will allow Chaska Market to stock, sell, and promote nutritious foods throughout the store. |
| Cimarron Farm | Cimarron Farm is a half-acre community garden and market located in Lake Elmo. They will purchase equipment to create a mobile market stand to increase the distribution of sustainable produce and ease of access for communities in Washington County. |
| Country Store | Country Store is a convenience store located in Cook. Country Store will purchase cooler and freezer equipment. These purchases will increase Country Store's ability to better serve the Cook community and surrounding area with much needed healthy food and dairy products. |
| Finland Co-op | Finland Co-op, established in 1913, is a grocery co-op located in Finland. They will replace their current walk-in cooler and freezer, reducing produce waste, securing proper temperature control levels, and increasing the availability of nutritious foods. |
| Frogtown Farm | Frogtown Farm is an urban demonstration farm located in St. Paul. Frogtown Farm will complete their on-site storage and outdoor market kitchen education space as well as the addition of market produce displays. The completion of these projects will increase the consumption of nutritious, affordable, culturally appropriate foods in the Frogtown neighborhood and the surrounding community. |
| Inver Grove Super USA | Inver Grove Super USA is a family-run convenience store located in Inver Grove Heights. They will purchase two freezers to store frozen fruits and vegetables, meats, fish, and shellfish. These new freezers will replace two vendor provided coolers, which restrict products sold from them. By purchasing the two new freezers independently, Inver Grove Super USA will be able to provide healthy food products without vendor limitations. |
| KC's Country Market | KC's Country Market is a small scale, family-owned grocery store located in Greenbush. KC's Country Market will purchase new and refurbished energy efficient refrigeration equipment which will allow them to provide a greater choice of nutritious and affordable foods. |
| Lange's Grocers | Lange's Grocers is a locally-owned grocery store located in Mabel. Lange's Grocers will purchase cooler and freezer units to increase the amount of fresh produce they are able to offer and help stimulate the local economy. |
| Thao Market | Thao Market is a family-run grocery store located in St. Cloud. Thao Market will purchase a 4-door reach-in freezer which will allow them to provide more healthy, affordable, and culturally appropriate foods. |
Fiscal Year 2018
Organization | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| Anishinaabe Agriculture Institute | The Anishinaabe Agriculture Institute is a research, education, and advocacy group focused on restoring local food, ecological, and agricultural systems through Anishinaabe and Dakota culture and values. They will provide food to the Pine Point Elementary School, local consumers through a farm store and stand, local farmers markets, and regional gourmet chefs. A garage and old ice cream truck will be refurbished into farm store and mobile farm stand respectively. |
| Appetite for Change | Appetite for Change is a grassroots social enterprise in North Minneapolis founded in 2011. Their mission includes using food as a tool for health and social change. They will purchase a generator to assist in the running of the West Broadway Farmer’s Market. |
| Clarkfield Family Foods | Clarkfield Family Foods grocery store has been serving the Clarkfield community for nearly 60 years. They will replace open-faced two layer coolers with medium temp crystal enclosed door coolers. This will extend shelf life of produce, increase storage capabilities, and will allow for greater variety of produce to be sold. |
| D & R Grocery | D & R Grocery is a family run grocery store that has been operating for 32 years in rural Oklee. For their GFAP project, D & R Grocery will replace a dairy condensing unit, a three-door freezer, two glass door condensing units, and compressors. The replacement of this equipment is essential for the delivery of nutritious, affordable, and locally sourced food for the Oklee community. |
| Darrel’s Full Service Food | Darrel’s Full Service Food is a small-scale full-service grocery store located in Hoffman. Store owners are looking to expand the sales of healthier produce items for their predominantly elderly customers. They will purchase produce displays and open display coolers. |
| Fiza Halal Grocery | Fiza Halal is a halal grocery store located in Rochester. The store sells common goods, as well as cultural food products unavailable in many grocery stores, including special seasonings, spices, and halal meats. They will upgrade refrigeration equipment, improve food displays, and improve the functionality and flow of the store. |
| KC’s Country Market | KC’s Country Market is a small scale, family-owned grocery store located in Badger. KC’s Country Market will purchase front-end cooler to market ready-to-eat meals made in house. This will allow the market to offer a variety of nutritious foods to the surrounding community. |
| Knutson’s Grocery | Knutson’s Grocery is a small grocer in the low-income rural town of Roosevelt. The store has been operating for over 100 years and is one of the only grocery stores in the area. The store currently struggles with food waste and providing a wide enough variety of products for their customers. They will install a new meat and produce display cases, refrigerators, coolers, and freezers. |
| Lamecker’s General Store | Lamecker’s is a locally owned and operated grocery and hardware store located in Kerkhoven. They will install an air exchanger, as well as more efficient freezers and coolers. These improvements will allow for greater quantity and variety of products to be sold, as well as creating a more efficient and environmentally friendly business. |
| Mike’s Butcher Shop | Mike’s Butcher Shop is a locally owned classic meat market located in West Saint Paul. New owners are currently working to expand the variety of products available, including fruits and vegetables. Mike’s Butcher Shop will use their GFAP funds to purchase a new produce cooler. |
| Sam’s Mini Mart | Sam’s Mini Mart has operated in South St. Paul since 2010. Currently they are undergoing an expansion which will double the store’s floor space. With their expanded store they will add two additional freezers and coolers which will house healthier food options for their customers. |
| The Food Group | The Food Group is a non-profit food access organization focused on local hunger relief and increasing access to affordable, nutritious food. The Food Group runs the ‘Fare for All’ traveling grocery store program. They will expand the Fare for All program by increasing freezer capacity, adding additional site visits in underserved communities in the west metro area, and launching an online ordering system. |
| Wadena Farmers’ Market | The Wadena Farmers’ Market has been providing the city of Wadena and surrounding communities with fresh, nutritious foods for over 30 years. Due to infrastructure and logistical issues, the market can no longer utilize the space they have used in the past for markets. The Wadena Farmers’ Market will be establishing a more secure and safe space for selling, as well as purchasing infrastructure to provide healthier foods at the market. |
| White Earth Band of Chippewa Tribe | The White Earth Band of Chippewa Tribe is a Native Nation located in northwestern Minnesota. Members of the White Earth Chippewa reservation community have had issues selling and accessing fresh fruits and vegetables due to sparse populations and low product turnover. They will make improvements to their mobile market food truck, as well as expanding and improving storage and infrastructure of the White Earth Farmers’ Market. |
Fiscal Year 2017
Organization | Project Summary |
|---|---|
| Mini Market Lupita | Mini Market Lupita is a female owned/operated full-service grocery store located in Worthington, Minn. Mini Market Lupita focuses on providing culturally appropriate foods specifically for the local Hispanic/Latino, Southeast Asian, and Somali populations. For their GFAP grant project Mini Market Lupita will add refrigeration and freezer space. Mini Market Lupita will be working with the Nobles County Community Services to participate in the Corner Store Grocery Project. This project will focus on highlighting nutritious foods offered in grocery stores and providing education to employees and consumers about the benefits of nutritious foods. |
| Collier’s Supermarket | Collier’s Supermarket is a family-owned full-service grocery store located in Saint James, Minn. For their GFAP grant project Collier’s Supermarket will retrofit a produce case to offer more specific products such as fruits and vegetables. |
| Pierz Foods | Pierz Foods is a husband and wife run full-service grocery store located in Pierz, Minn. Pierz Foods offers a grocery delivery service to local seniors and community members who are unable to visit their store. For their GFAP project Pierz Foods will purchase coolers and shelves in hopes of increasing store capacity, with a focus on Minnesota grown products. |
| Our Community Food Projects | Our Community Food Projects is a local non-profit based in Stillwater, Minn. Our Community Food Projects has been developing a community operated market stand for the community of Landfall, Minn. – a suburb of Saint Paul. For their GFAP project Our Community Food Projects will build a refrigeration trailer to allow for transport assistance to be provided to farmers from Cimarron Farm and Gardens who will operate this market stand. |
| White Earth Nation | White Earth Nation is a Native American tribal community located in White Earth, Minn. For their GFAP project White Earth Nation will purchase a refrigeration truck to be used for the White Earth Mobile Market. In addition, they will purchase two vegetable display coolers for two separate convenience stores, Richwood Store in Richwood, Minn., and Chief Corner Store in Ponsford, Minn.. |
| Minnesota Halal Meat & Grocery | Minnesota Halal Meat & Grocery is an ethnic food/grocery store located in Saint Cloud, Minn. For their GFAP project Minnesota Halal Meat & Grocery would like to install a dairy cooler, walk-in freezer, a produce display, and additional shelving. The goal of this project is to provide more healthy and culturally appropriate foods to the Saint Cloud community and specifically the local Somali population. |
| McKinley Community | McKinley Community is an urban farm that runs a community-supported-agriculture (CSA) operation, vends at a farmers’ market, and anticipates opening a retail location in Minneapolis, Minn. McKinley Community leases four vacant lots in the McKinley neighborhood of Minneapolis to grow their produce. For their GFAP project McKinley Community plans to purchase and install new refrigeration equipment, cooler display shelving, and outdoor signage for promotion. |
| Lake Benton Grocery | Lake Benton Grocery is a full-service grocery store run by a husband and wife team located in Lake Benton, Minn. For their GFAP project Lake Benton Grocery will replace their current freezer with a more energy efficient model. The current freezer was installed in 1972 and has become a source of frustration for the store. The new freezer will allow for Lake Benton Grocery to reduce their energy costs and decrease freezer breakdown and potential product loss. |
