Bulk Product Donations

Good for your business, good for our community.

Bulk donations are a great way to move close-dated, surplus, discontinued or seasonal products. Plus, you’ll reduce waste and — best of all — you’ll feed hungry families!

The Food Group works with commercial food processors, distributors, and retailers to accept bulk donations of all types of nutritious foods and other products. Sometimes, we can even pick up or pay the freight to get the product to our warehouse — further reducing your storage, transportation or disposal costs.

All donations go out to our food shelf partners absolutely free. Unlike many other food banks, we do not charge administrative or handling fees.

What We Accept

We run a full-service warehouse, with refrigerated and frozen storage, so we accept perishable and non-perishable foods. Items that have the greatest benefit to families experiencing hunger include:

  • Meats, fish and protein
  • Fruits and vegetables
  • Whole grains
  • Hygiene and household products

The Food Group is focused on equitable access to fresh produce, nutritious foods, and culturally specific options. We work to give individuals access to foods that are familiar, that fit their dietary needs, and that they know how to prepare. Learn more by reading our Healthy Foods Policy.

See our Bulk Product Donation Guidelines for more details about all the products we accept.

Benefits from Your Donation

We proudly promote our partners! We can recognize you on our website, in printed materials, and in social media. Or, if you prefer, we can keep your donations anonymous. Just let us know how we can help you reach the right audiences with the right messages.

As you know, giving to the community is good for business. It impresses customers and boosts employee morale and engagement. (We have group volunteer opportunities, too!)

You can check with your tax advisor about whether your donation of food is eligible for an enhanced (above the standard) tax deduction under IRS 170(C)(3). In December 2015, Congress passed a bill that expanded and made permanent the types of businesses that are eligible for tax deductions. For more details, see our Bulk Product Donation Guidelines.

And don’t worry about potential liability. The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Act protects all individuals, corporations, partnerships, associations, governmental entities, wholesalers, manufacturers, retailers, farmers, gleaners and non-profit feeding program administrators who donate food and grocery products in good faith.

Ready to make a donation or have questions? Contact Snow Aukema, agency specialist, at [email protected] or 763-450-3869.

We Value Nutritious Food
Working with our community partners, The Food Group buys, gleans, grows, and processes fresh produce.

Food Bank
or Food Shelf?
The Food Group is a food bank that supplies other hunger relief agencies with fresh produce, frozen meat, grocery staples, and other household necessities. Food shelves distribute free food to individuals and families in their local communities.

The Food Group believes in food equity. They believe in culturally specific foods. They believe in meeting people where they are at. And most of all, they believe in dignity.

The Food Group volunteer and donor

Did You Know?
Over 20% of Black households and 19% of Latinx households report food insecurity, compared to 10% of white households.

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The Food Group

We’re a nonprofit working at the intersection of equity and access to fresh, sustainable foods. From farming to distribution, we provide fresh food across MN and WI.

The Food Group is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. EIN 41-1246504 Contributions are tax-deductible to the full amount provided by the law.

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