St. Cloud Somali Market Receives 15K Grant, to Better Serve Community

ST. CLOUD -- A Somali market can now provide more culturally based foods for the St. Cloud metro area.

With the help of a $15,308.72 grant from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture's Good Food Access Program, Minnesota Halal Meat and Grocery will be able to provide more healthy and culturally significant foods to the Granite City.

The grocery store is planning on installing a dairy cooler, walk-in freezer, a produce display as well as adding more shelving throughout the store.

Minnesota Halal Meat and Grocery applied for the grant with the goal to better serve the the local Somali community as well as the St. Cloud community as a whole.

The ethnic market was one of eight Good Food Access Program Equipment and Physical Improvement Grant Recipients.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture awards nearly $150,000 in grants each year to businesses looking to increase the availability of and access to affordable, healthy, and culturally appropriate foods, specifically in middle to lower middle class areas.

Minnesota Halal Meat and Grocery is located at 205 East St. Germain Street in St. Cloud.