Mobile Market Manager Amber Jones-Esquibel and Assistant Manager Nicholas Rogers
For almost two years, the Eat Well Sioux Falls Mobile Market has visited Sioux Falls neighborhoods, offering healthy food choices at affordable prices. Now, the Mobile Market will close while its supporters explore ways to make the project sustainable.
A pilot project of Sioux Falls Thrive, the Mobile Market was developed with the assistance of a grant from the Sioux Falls Health Department to address areas of the city with limited access to retail groceries.
Since opening in October 2023, the Mobile Market has served more than 1,100 customers in dozens of neighborhoods. A survey by the Augustana Research Institute shows that the Mobile Market has a 96% customer satisfaction rating, with nearly 80% of respondents reporting that the Mobile Market helped their family eat healthier.
We knew that for this project to work, we would need to build lasting relationships with our customers and neighborhoods. Our consumer survey results are a testament to the hard work of the Mobile Market staff. Our customers have valued what we have been able to bring to their neighborhoods, and we are immensely proud that we’ve been able to serve our community with something new and needed.
John Boerigter
Mobile Market Advisory Board Member
Despite these successes, the Mobile Market has struggled to secure sustainable income sources to subsidize operational expenses. An exploratory committee was unsuccessful in finding businesses or organizations willing to take on the project.
The Mobile Market’s last day of business was Tuesday, June 17. The Mobile Market Advisory Board is standing up an independent nonprofit organization that intends to revise business and funding strategies to potentially revive the project.
The data is clear: The demand exists, and the mobile concept works. A grocery store on wheels addresses food insecurity for seniors, veterans, and families who struggle to access affordable, nutritious food across Sioux Falls. Yet, while the need is undeniable, sustaining this service requires broader local support than has been shown through the pilot phase. This project has become a lifeline for many, and I am convinced that by working together, this community can ensure that no neighbor goes without. I hope the next several months of strategizing and honing the business model will prove that there is the local support this project needs.
Michelle Erpenbach
Sioux Falls Thrive President
Click on the arrows to see photos of the Mobile Market over the years.
I feel blessed to have had this opportunity to serve our unique and diverse communities. I am grateful for the incredible team of collaborators I’ve had the honor to work with. I want to thank all our wonderful volunteers, donors and partners; the Eat Well Sioux Falls Mobile Market would not have been as amazing without all your valuable contributions.
It is emotional to see this pilot program come to an end. Sioux Falls deserves a Mobile Market. Our friends and relatives deserve to fill their bellies without breaking the bank. Our children and elderly deserve access to healthy food. It has been an absolute pleasure to provide this service for as long as we did, and I hope we can bring it back to our community soon.
Amber Jones-Esquibel
Eat Well Sioux Falls Mobile Market Manager