Fare For All, a nonprofit pop-up grocery store offering affordable food options, will cease its operations in the metro area after February 2026. The decision, announced by The Food Group, affects locations in St. Paul, Eagan, White Bear Lake, and several other Twin Cities sites. The program will continue to operate in nine sites across Greater Minnesota, focusing on areas that lack adequate grocery access.
The Fare For All program provides essential groceries, including fresh produce and frozen meat, at prices up to 40 percent lower than retail. This service has been especially beneficial as food prices have surged in recent years. According to an email sent to Fare For All users, “With food prices remaining high, we need to invest our resources in communities that lack grocery store access.”
Shifting Grocery Landscape
Since its inception in 2002, Fare For All has adapted to a changing grocery landscape. The program has operated under its current model since 2008, which requires no pre-registration. Executive Director of The Food Group, Sophia Lenarz-Coy, noted that the availability of affordable grocery options has diminished participation in the program. Notably, the opening of discount grocery chains, including Aldi in 2003, and the accessibility of bulk buying options at retailers like Sam’s Club and Costco, have contributed to this decline.
Lenarz-Coy pointed out that participation has decreased significantly since the pandemic, with the program serving 53,317 households in 2018, compared to 34,343 in 2025. This represents a decrease of approximately 36 percent. She attributed the decline to various factors, including competition for food sourcing and changes in consumer behavior during and after COVID-19.
Community Response and Future Plans
The announcement has prompted mixed reactions among community members, as expressed on Fare For All’s Facebook page. Many users voiced their disappointment, highlighting the program’s importance for low-income residents. One commenter stated, “I live on social security and this makes me very sad as it really helped me.”
Despite the closure of metro locations, Fare For All will maintain its remaining sites in Greater Minnesota, where the need for affordable food options remains critical. The organization is committed to investing in the Twin Cities Mobile Market, which will continue to serve urban neighborhoods primarily in St. Paul and Minneapolis.
As the program transitions, it aims to ensure that metro shoppers can still access affordable meat and produce through February. The final metro distribution is scheduled for February 13, 2026, at the West Seventh Community Center in St. Paul. Following this, Fare For All will cease operations in the metro but will continue to provide services at its locations in North Branch, Mankato, Hutchinson, Red Wing, Rush City, Buffalo, St. Cloud (two locations), and St. Joseph.
Lenarz-Coy emphasized the need for the nonprofit to focus its resources effectively, stating, “We started to think about, as an organization, how do we best invest our resources?” The Food Group remains dedicated to addressing food justice and equity across the state, maintaining partnerships with food shelves and community organizations to enhance access to nutritious food.
For further information and the complete schedule for Fare For All, visit The Food Group’s official website at thefoodgroupmn.org/groceries/fare-for-all/schedule/.
