Open Cupboard
Open Cupboard is a nonprofit food bank headquartered in Oakdale, Minnesota that provides free grocery, drive-up, delivery, and mobile food shelf services to food-insecure residents across Oakdale, Maplewood, and the surrounding Washington and Ramsey County communities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersOakdale, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Open Cupboard does
Open Cupboard is a nonprofit emergency food bank and free grocery operator headquartered in Oakdale, Minnesota, serving the Oakdale, Maplewood, Woodbury, and surrounding Washington and Ramsey County communities. Founded in 1983 as the Christian Cupboard Emergency Food Shelf (CCEFS) and rebranded to Open Cupboard in July 2022 to broaden its inclusive invitation, the organization operates four program channels: Today's Harvest free grocery markets at its Oakdale and Maplewood sites (open six days per week), a no-appointment Drive-Up food distribution on Thursdays and Fridays, a Mobile Food Shelf that visits senior housing and other community locations, and a once-monthly Food Delivery program for residents without transportation. All services are provided at no cost to customers, with no documentation or proof of eligibility required.
Operational technology is deliberately light: the organization runs on PantrySoft for appointment scheduling, WordPress for its public-facing site, and a small set of donation-processing integrations including DonateStock.com, PayPal, GiveMN, and Facebook. Core capability centers on logistics — daily food rescue from local grocery stores and farms, sorting and redistribution, and channel-specific distribution — supported by a paid staff of approximately 22 and a large volunteer base. Supply depends on three streams: financial donations from individuals and organizations (with a stated impact of approximately 100 pounds of food per $10 donated through regional food bank partnerships), in-kind food donations from community members and grocery retailers, and compensated produce donations from local farmers through a Farm-to-Food-Shelf program paying up to $575 per season.
The business model is donation-funded rather than revenue-generating: the organization emphasizes that 99% of expenses went to programs in 2023, and the customer base is the general food-insecure population of the east Twin Cities metro rather than paying clients. Distribution is hyperlocal, leadership is community-rooted (Executive Director Jessica Francis was appointed in 2019 after a decade at Hunger Solutions Minnesota), and the organization is governed by a local board of directors representing insurance, banking, law enforcement, and human resources sectors.
Open Cupboard firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Open Cupboard
- Legal name
- Christian Cupboard Emergency Food Shelf
- Website
- https://opencupboard.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Open Cupboard is a nonprofit food bank headquartered in Oakdale, Minnesota that provides free grocery, drive-up, delivery, and mobile food shelf services to food-insecure residents across Oakdale, Maplewood, and the surrounding Washington and Ramsey County communities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Open Cupboard industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Food Bank and Hunger Relief Services
- NAICS
- Community Food Services (62421)
- SIC
- Retail-Food Stores (5400)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community-Owned / Nonprofit Grocery Stores (CRAHALAB)
Keywords
Where Open Cupboard is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oakdale
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Open Cupboard business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Financial Donations: Individual and organizational monetary donations constitute a primary revenue source. Donors can contribute via website donation pages, PayPal, check, Donor-Advised Funds, stock donations through DonateStock.com, Amazon wishlist, GiveMN, and Facebook. The organization emphasizes that every $10 donated yields approximately 100 pounds of food through partnerships with regional food banks. In 2023, 99% of Open Cupboard expenses went to programs.
- Food Donations: Community members donate food items including produce, canned goods, household items, diapers, and personal care products. Local grocery stores and farms donate surplus food for rescue and redistribution through the Today's Harvest program.
- Garden and Farm Donations: Local farmers and gardeners donate surplus produce. The organization compensates farmers up to $575 per season (May 1 - September 30) for fresh produce donations through their Farm-to-Food-Shelf program.
- Food Drives: Organizations, schools, churches, and workplaces organize food drives to collect needed items for Open Cupboard's inventory.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free food services - no cost to customers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels3 records
Open Cupboard product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Open Cupboard is a nonprofit food bank that distributes free groceries to community members experiencing food insecurity through multiple service channels: Today's Harvest self-service grocery markets (Oakdale and Maplewood), Drive-Up pre-packaged food pickup, a Mobile Food Shelf program serving senior housing, and monthly home food deliveries for those without transportation. The organization rescues surplus fresh food from local grocery stores and farms and redistributes it at no cost with no documentation or proof of eligibility required.
Product overview
Open Cupboard is a nonprofit food bank organization offering multiple food distribution programs. The core offerings include Today's Harvest, a free grocery market providing rescued fresh food; Drive-Up Service for vehicle-based food pickup; Mobile Food Shelf Program bringing food to senior communities; and monthly Food Deliveries for those without transportation. The organization also accepts food and financial donations, engages volunteers, and operates a Farm-to-Food-Shelf compensation program for local farmers. The organization was formerly known as Christian Cupboard Emergency Food Shelf (CCEFS) and rebranded to Open Cupboard in July 2022.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Today's Harvest: A food market program that provides fresh produce, meat, dairy, and bakery items rescued from local grocery stores, farms, and partners. Operates as a free grocery market open 6 days a week.
Quantifiable outcome
- 177% increase in visits during COVID-19 pandemic
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Open Cupboard
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Open Cupboard technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Open Cupboard partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.
- DonateStock.comsupportingPartnership with DonateStock.com enables stock donations to Open Cupboard through a secure portal, allowing donors to contribute appreciated securities quickly and easily while receiving tax benefits.
- Local Farms and GardenerscoreLocal farms and gardeners donate surplus produce through the Farm-to-Food-Shelf program. Farmers receive compensation up to $575 per season (May-September) for fresh produce donations, supporting both food access and local agriculture.
- Local Grocery StorescoreLocal grocery stores donate surplus food daily that becomes available through the Today's Harvest program, reducing food waste while providing fresh food to community members.
- Minnesota Department of Children Youth and FamiliessupportingState agency partner for TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program) eligibility and data sharing, enabling coordination of federal food assistance resources.
- Hunger Solutions MinnesotasupportingStatewide hunger-relief organization partner for data sharing and coordination of food assistance programs across Minnesota.
- Foundation for Essential NeedssupportingFoundation partner for data sharing and coordination of essential needs resources for Minnesota residents.
- Regional Food BankcoreRegional food bank partner through which Open Cupboard sources food at low cost, enabling efficient use of donated funds (approximately 100 lbs of food per $10 donated).
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Open Cupboard competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Meals on Wheels America: National network of community-based programs delivering meals to seniors and homebound individuals. Closely comparable to Open Cupboard's Food Delivery Program and Mobile Food Shelf serving senior housing in approach, though much broader in scale and brand recognition.
- Second Harvest Heartland: The largest food bank in Minnesota and one of the largest in the US, serving the Twin Cities and surrounding region. Operates a parallel food rescue and redistribution model but at vastly greater scale, serving as a sourcing partner to Open Cupboard and a competitor for major donor funding.
- Salvation Army Northern Division: Large nonprofit operating food shelves and meal programs across the Twin Cities as part of a broader social services portfolio. Comparable food distribution activities but with wider geographic reach and more diversified funding streams.
Direct peers
- Loaves and Fishes Minnesota: Minnesota nonprofit operating free meal programs at multiple community locations across the Twin Cities. Comparable in mission and direct-service model to Open Cupboard, focused on prepared-meal distribution versus grocery-style food shelf.
- Keystone Community Services: St. Paul-based nonprofit providing food shelf, meals, and senior food delivery programs in the East Metro. Highly comparable to Open Cupboard in program mix (food shelf + delivery + choice-based shopping) and community-based donor model.
- The Food Group: Minnesota-based nonprofit food bank focused on sourcing and distributing food to partner agencies across the state. Comparable mission and operating model to Open Cupboard but with broader geographic reach and an agency-partnership model versus Open Cupboard's direct-service model.
- Valley Outreach: Stillwater, MN-based nonprofit food shelf and emergency assistance program serving Washington County — the same county where Open Cupboard operates. Directly comparable in mission, scale, and suburban Minnesota service area.
- Community Emergency Assistance Programs (CEAP): Brooklyn Park-based nonprofit serving the northwest Twin Cities suburbs with a food shelf, clothing, and basic needs assistance. Comparable scale, multi-program structure, and suburban Minnesota service area to Open Cupboard.
Others
- Hunger Solutions Minnesota: Statewide anti-hunger advocacy and coordination organization where Open Cupboard's Executive Director Jessica Francis previously served. Operates as a systems-level partner rather than direct service provider, but highly relevant as the statewide coordination body Open Cupboard interacts with.
Regional players
- Northern Illinois Food Bank: Regional food bank serving Northern Illinois with a comparable food rescue, redistribution, and partner-agency model. Operates in a different geography but with materially similar operating chassis to Open Cupboard's regional food bank partners.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Open Cupboard social profiles
Digital presenceOpen Cupboard financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Open Cupboard leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Open Cupboard funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Open Cupboard M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Open Cupboard
What does Open Cupboard do?
Open Cupboard is a nonprofit food bank that distributes free groceries to community members experiencing food insecurity through multiple service channels: Today's Harvest self-service grocery markets (Oakdale and Maplewood), Drive-Up pre-packaged food pickup, a Mobile Food Shelf program serving senior housing, and monthly home food deliveries for those without transportation. The organization rescues surplus fresh food from local grocery stores and farms and redistributes it at no cost with no documentation or proof of eligibility required.
Is Open Cupboard a public or private company?
Open Cupboard is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Open Cupboard founded?
Open Cupboard was founded in 1983. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Open Cupboard based?
Open Cupboard is headquartered in Oakdale, United States, in the North America region.
How does Open Cupboard make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Financial Donations are the primary driver. The others are food Donations, garden and Farm Donations and food Drives.
Who are Open Cupboard's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Meals on Wheels America, Second Harvest Heartland and Salvation Army Northern Division. Direct peers are Loaves and Fishes Minnesota, Keystone Community Services, The Food Group, Valley Outreach and Community Emergency Assistance Programs (CEAP). Hunger Solutions Minnesota is listed as an others. Northern Illinois Food Bank is listed as a regional player.
Does Open Cupboard have an API?
No public API is recorded for Open Cupboard.
What industry is Open Cupboard in?
Open Cupboard's product category is Food Bank and Hunger Relief Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAHALAB, Community-Owned / Nonprofit Grocery Stores. Its NAICS code is 62421 and its SIC code is 5400.