Loaves & Fishes

What Loaves & Fishes does

Loaves & Fishes is a Minnesota-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1982 that operates a regional hunger-relief and food-rescue ecosystem. It provides free, healthy meals and groceries to anyone in need — no income verification or documentation required — across 22+ community meal sites spanning 12 Minnesota counties (including Minneapolis, St. Paul, Bloomington, Burnsville, Chaska, Fridley, Lakeville, Shakopee, St. Anthony, Plymouth, Richfield, Aitkin, and Palisade), supplemented by mobile Street Outreach for people experiencing homelessness, a drive-through Community Distribution program, and the HUB partner-reseller channel that supplies rescued food to other local nonprofits at a minimal service fee.

Operationally, the organization runs a food-rescue and redistribution supply chain that captures surplus inventory from retailers, manufacturers, distributors, farms, and food service operators (including Amazon, Target, Walmart, Starbucks, Cub Foods, Reichel Foods, and the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport) before it reaches landfills. Rescued ingredients are transformed in two commissary kitchens (Minneapolis and New Hope) into meals that flow through community sites, street outreach, institutional partners, and the HUB program. Backbone infrastructure includes the 2024-opened North Warehouse for Community Distribution and warehouse inventory management systems that route consistent driver pickups from rescue partners. An 8-session Cooking For All curriculum provides low-waste cooking education to staff, volunteers, and community groups.

The organization's revenue model is diversified nonprofit funding: individual donations (including monthly Nourishment Network recurring donors), corporate sponsorships (event and food rescue), event-based fundraising (Fall Jubilee gala at $200–$2,500 per ticket/table, Miles for Meals 5K, brewery trivia nights), foundation grants (notably Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation matching for Give to the Max Day), corporate matching gifts, and Donor Advised Fund contributions. The organization claims 98%+ of donor dollars flow directly to guest services, holds a Charity Navigator Four-Star rating, and is governed by a Board with senior corporate representation (UNFI, U.S. Bank, Colliers Mortgage, Polaris, Optum). Executive Director Michael Tankenoff succeeded Kiley Benson in 2026. In 2024, the organization served 6.9M+ meals and rescued 15.3M+ pounds of food — the most in its history.

Name

Loaves & Fishes

Legal name

Loaves & Fishes

Website

https://loavesandfishesmn.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Loaves & Fishes is a Minnesota-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1982 that rescues surplus food and redistributes it as free meals and groceries to anyone in need across 22+ community sites in 12 counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hunger Relief and Food Rescue Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421), Community Food Services (624210)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Food Assistance & Safety Nets (In-Kind, Vouchers, Cash Transfers) (BPADAJAA)

Keywords

• Hunger relief services
• Food rescue redistribution
• Community meal programs
• Nonprofit food assistance
• Food waste reduction

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals. Monthly recurring donors join the Nourishment Network for sustained support.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Sponsorship of annual Fall Jubilee event and other fundraising events. Sponsors receive brand visibility, event signage, and digital promotion.
3. Event-Based Fundraising: Revenue from ticket sales and table purchases at Fall Jubilee gala ($200-$2500 per ticket/table), Miles for Meals 5K race registrations, and community events like Bingo nights at partner breweries.
4. Grant Funding: Foundation grants including Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation matching for Give to the Max Day campaigns. Corporate foundation support.
5. Workplace Giving & DAF: Corporate matching gift programs, payroll deduction options, and Donor Advised Fund contributions through Fidelity, Schwab, and BNY Mellon.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Loaves & Fishes is a nonprofit organization that operates free meal programming across Minnesota, including community meal sites, street outreach to people experiencing homelessness, and community distribution of groceries. The organization also runs a food rescue operation that captures surplus food from retailers, manufacturers, distributors, and farms before it reaches landfills, transforming it into nutritious meals through commissary kitchens.

Product overview

Loaves & Fishes is a nonprofit meal service organization operating a multi-faceted hunger relief ecosystem. The organization provides free meals through over 25 Community Meal locations, mobile Street Outreach services, and Community Distribution programs. Core operations include Food Rescue (recovering surplus food from retailers and manufacturers), transformation of rescued ingredients in Commissary Kitchens, and distribution through The HUB program to partner nonprofits. Educational programming includes the Cooking For All curriculum. Fundraising relies on the Nourishment Network monthly donor program. The organization served over 6.9 million meals and rescued 15.3 million pounds of food in 2024.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Meals
• Street Outreach
• Community Distribution
• Food Rescue
• The HUB Program
• Cooking For All

Quantifiable outcome

• 6.9+ million meals served in 2024
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Second Harvest Heartland / Feeding AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Loaves & Fishes became Minnesota's first and only redistributor of Second Harvest Heartland food in 2018, enabling broader food rescue and distribution network.
• VARY SauceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWomen-owned local small business partnership for shared kitchen use. VARY Sauce produces single-serve pasta sauces portioned for one, designed for quick meal preparation. Organizations cooked together in commissary kitchen, creating more meals with shared energy.
• Fresh Food ConnectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFree mobile app empowering home gardeners to donate fresh produce to local hunger relief efforts. Gardeners schedule donations, track impact, and help reduce food waste while nourishing neighbors.
• AmazoncoreOthersFood rescue partner donating surplus food items to support meal programming. One of multiple large chain partners in food rescue operation.
• TargetcoreOthersFood rescue partner donating surplus retail food. Part of comprehensive food rescue network including grocery chains and manufacturers.
• WalmartcoreOthersFood rescue partner donating surplus food items from retail operations.
• StarbuckscoreOthersFood rescue partner providing surplus food for redistribution to meal programs.
• Cub FoodscoreOthersRegional grocery chain food rescue partner donating surplus food for hunger relief.
• Reichel FoodscoreOthersFood manufacturer partner donating surplus food products for rescue and redistribution.
• Minneapolis-St. Paul International AirportminorOthersPartner providing surplus airport food for rescue operations. Sandwiches from airport food service operations support street outreach program.
• St. Clement's Episcopal ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term volunteer partner with dedicated volunteers serving meals with Loaves & Fishes for over 20 years. Group volunteers at various Community Meal Locations across Minnesota.
• LTD BrewingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal brewery partner hosting fundraising events including Bingo nights and 90s Trivia nights. Donates percentage of sales on event days to Loaves & Fishes.
• Crystal FrolicsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity event partner hosting Miles for Meals 5K race during annual festival. Annual fundraising athletic event raising awareness and funds.
• The Vine RoomminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWine bar in Hopkins designated as Cause of the Month partner, donating percentage of November sales to Loaves & Fishes.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: National hunger-relief organization and parent network of which Loaves & Fishes is a member via Second Harvest Heartland. Comparable mission and food bank/redistribution model, but at vastly greater national scale and reach.

Direct peers

• Open Arms of Minnesota: Twin Cities nonprofit that cooks and delivers free, medically tailored meals to people living with serious illness. Comparable mission of providing free, chef-prepared meals to vulnerable populations in Minnesota, though more clinically focused.
• Hunger Solutions Minnesota: Minnesota statewide anti-hunger advocacy and food access organization operating SNAP outreach and food rescue initiatives. Comparable mission and state-level operating footprint with overlapping donor and partner networks.
• The Food Group: Minnesota-based hunger relief nonprofit that distributes donated food through partner agencies and direct programs. Highly comparable mission, model, and regional footprint, and a near-direct competitor for the same donor dollars in the Twin Cities.
• Second Harvest Heartland: Minnesota's largest food bank and the organization through which Loaves & Fishes became the state's first and only redistributor in 2018. Operates food rescue, distribution, and anti-hunger programs across the same Minnesota geography with overlapping donor and partner networks.
• Every Meal: Minnesota-based nonprofit focused on filling weekend food gaps for food-insecure children. Operates a similar regional distribution and donor-funded model targeting the same vulnerable populations in the Twin Cities metro.
• Sharing and Caring Hands: Minneapolis-based nonprofit providing meals, shelter, and basic needs to people experiencing homelessness and poverty. Directly comparable on free community meal service and street outreach in the same Twin Cities geography.

Emerging players

• Food Rescue US: National nonprofit using volunteer-driven logistics to rescue surplus food from retailers and restaurants for direct donation. Closely comparable on the food rescue operating model that is a core pillar of Loaves & Fishes' work.

Regional players

• North Country Food Bank: Regional food bank serving northern and western Minnesota through a partner agency network. Comparable food bank / food rescue operating model, though serving a different sub-region of the state than Loaves & Fishes' core Twin Cities footprint.
• CEAP (Community Emergency Assistance Programs): Minnesota-based nonprofit providing emergency assistance including food, housing, and basic needs across suburban Hennepin County. Comparable mission of serving food-insecure households through community-based programs in overlapping Minnesota geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCMZBtA8U-_ue7ptwI3x5-MA
• Facebookfacebook.com/loavesandfishesmn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/loaves-and-fishes-mn
• Instagraminstagram.com/loavesandfishesmn
• Xx.com/Loaves_FishesMN

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Loaves & Fishes