EDINBORO MARKET INC
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Mission Statement
The mission of Edinboro Market Inc, a 501(c)(3) non-profit fresh-food business incubator and local grocery, is to provide year-round access to fresh, local food, (defined as grown or made within 150 miles of Edinboro), an entrepreneurial marketplace for small farms and food producers, and an understanding of the importance of both.
About This Cause
As a 501c3 public market, Edinboro Market connects our customers to those who are growing or making their food, while adding another sales channel (beyond off-farm sales and farmers markets) for those who are intentionally growing or making food to feed their communities. We carry a wide variety of grocery items like eggs, milk, baked goods (made in-house), coffee, meats, cheeses and yogurt, seasonal fruits and vegetables, and other staples. The Market currently serves 300+ customers per week and supports 80+ small farms and food entrepreneurs plus a handful of local artisans. Between our opening date in December 2017 and June of 2024, out of a 900 square foot space, Edinboro Market has sold $1.5 million in products made or grown within 150 miles of Edinboro. Our 75/25 split with producers has allowed us to put $1.125 million back into the local economy through producer payouts. We are in the process of expanding to another Edinboro location that is 3540 square feet, a quadrupling of our current space. This larger space will allow us to increase the variety of products we sell; increase the number of small businesses we support; and expand our support for food and farm businesses. This expansion will focus on both economic development and workforce development in the following ways: Economic development: • A doubling of retail space will allow us to add new producers and provide additional shelf space for existing ones, thereby increasing their sales. • A shared-use commercial kitchen focused on food businesses will generate additional revenue streams for farms and provide a dedicated, much-needed certified commercial kitchen facility for food entrepreneurs. • New facets of the business will support the hiring of 9 new staff, i.e. a café, a food-focused classroom, and a dedicated aggregation and delivery facility. Workforce development: • Since 2018, we’ve been working with the Erie Farm to School team and farmers and food entrepreneurs across Erie and Crawford counties to build out an Agri-culinary pathway for youth interested in food and farming careers. Nothing like this currently exists in our area. Pharmacy? Yes. Farming? No. Our new classroom will provide a space to host conversations between students and those working in food and farming, and also to share resources from organizations like Pasa Sustainable Agriculture with prospective and existing farmers. • In our new classroom we will offer business training to those interested in starting or building small-scale diversified farms or entrepreneurial food businesses through a partnership with the Center for Regional Agriculture and Food Transformation (CRAFT) at Chatham University. These folks are the basis of a resilient regional food system but the tools necessary for success are not centralized or easily accessible. Our three-year partnership with CRAFT will provide these tools to folks in northwest PA. The USDA has designated the Borough of Edinboro as a low income, low access community meaning income levels are below average and access to fresh food is minimal. In February 2024 Borough Council approved a resolution to apply for an Enterprise Zone designation, opening the door for economic development funds that can address the needs of our community. The 2022 census lists population for the Borough of Edinboro at 4960 residents with a household median income of $39,102. This is approximately 54% of the state average. The only walkable big box grocery in Edinboro Borough, a Giant Eagle, closed its doors in late 2022. Edinboro Market has stepped into the grocery void to the best of its ability and continues to provide healthy food options while building the local economy. We are seeking community support to help cover renovation costs; build out classroom resources; and allow us to collaborate with a local artist to design and install a community mural that illustrates the power of food to build community.