By Chris Aldridge

Kentucky Ag News

LEXINGTON – Shortly after noon last Thursday, a semi-truck pulled to the side of quiet Don Anna Drive in front of Bluegrass United Church of Christ. The strikingly colorful 60-foot trailer, covered with huge photos of fresh fruits and vegetables, had three words in large letters on its side: “Lexington Mobile Market.”

Kroger employee Lauren Collins opened the doors and a mini Kroger store sprang to life. Almost immediately, three customers arrived and went shopping inside.

“The mobile market is a single-aisle mobile grocery store,” said Ciara Coleman, who works in the office of Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton. “It visits different communities and neighborhoods around the Lexington-Fayette County area. These areas have limited access to grocery stores, so the community has the opportunity to conveniently shop for healthy and affordable food options.”

Inside the mobile market, customers can find anything from bananas to bacon – “essentially, everything you'd find in a Kroger Neighborhood (Market),” said John Rupp of Lexington-based God’s Pantry Food Bank.

He said that fresh produce is “a big hit” and the best seller.

“The emphasis is on fresh, nutritious fruits and vegetables,” Rupp added. “They (Kroger) try to emphasize local and fresh things as much as possible.

“They carry dairy, frozen and refrigerated meats, and a lot of pantry items, things that make meals – pasta, sauces, spices, canned goods…. Most everything you find in the store.”

The mobile market is a three-way partnership between Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG), God's Pantry, and Kroger.

“God's Pantry handles operations, logistics, and route planning,” Coleman said. “Kroger handles stocking the market and staffing it. LFUCG provides funding, provided the trailer, and provides support. We meet monthly to discuss the market plans, everything that's going on with it, so it's a continuous collaboration between us.”

The mobile market is a result of Lexington’s 2020 Racial Justice and Equality Report, which recommended improving access to healthy and fresh food options.

“After a lot of planning, research, and community engagement, the pilot (program) launched in June 2023,” Coleman said. “Later on that year, it launched fully in December.”

The mobile market is the only one of its kind in Kentucky. Another one in Louisville recently shut down.

“Every weekday, we make between two and four stops, and we have about 20, give or take, unique different stops that we are currently going to at least once a month,” Rupp said. “It's gotten more and more popular. More and more people are visiting the market.”

Rupp said there has been talk of expanding the market to neighboring cities.

“We've talked about maybe expanding to Richmond or Georgetown,” he said. “But as of right now, it's a Fayette County exclusive service.”

Rupp is always looking for more places that would like to host the mobile market.

“We go to apartment complexes, churches, libraries,” he said. “We try to come to the people and provide that service, so it takes away some of the burden of going out and getting groceries, especially if they don't have vehicles.”

“It’s been going good,” Coleman added, pointing to recent sales figures.

Rupp said the past two months have boasted the highest sales – $16,000 in May and $15,000 in June.

“The last couple of (four-week) sales periods,” he explained, “have been the strongest in terms of number of customers and number of transactions.”

Coleman said anyone can visit the market, regardless of income. Just don’t bring cash.

“It is a cashless system; We accept credit and debit cards, and SNAP/EBT (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program/electronic benefit transfer, formerly called ‘food stamps’),” she said.

The market also accepts mobile apps such as Venmo and Apple Pay.

“Everybody is welcome to come and shop,” Coleman said.

For a schedule of where the mobile market will be, go to www.lexingtonky.gov/government/mayors-office/mobile-market and www.godspantry.org/get-help/mobile-market.