About Us
Forty Acres Fresh Market is an independent, Black-woman-owned grocery business dedicated to making high-quality, fresh food more accessible to Chicago residents regardless of zip code. Founded by Liz Abunaw in 2018 in response to a lack of nourishing food options on Chicago’s West Side, we offer a flexible, personalized grocery experience with seasonal pop-up markets, year-round produce delivery, and our 10,000 square feet Austin neighborhood grocery store to bridge barriers to access. The name Forty Acres Fresh Market calls back to the promise of General Sherman’s Special Field Order 15, colloquially known as “40 acres and a mule,” as a reminder that as descendants of this country’s first farmers, fresh food is a birthright.
Our Mission
We are driven by the simple belief that every hood should be healthy. Our goal is to create a more equitable food system for all by centering communities that have experienced long-term barriers to access and reframing the expectation of what can exist in these communities. We understand that grocery is not solely about food, but is an anchor for a more unified, economically prosperous community. When we create more access, everyone can enjoy those benefits. Our ability to bring freshness is not finite. There is no limit to who can shop with us. Let’s be limitless together.
COMMUNITY
Forty Acres Fresh Market is a committed member of Chicago’s Austin community. We understand that healthy food is just one part of creating a healthy community. We partner with community-based organizations to support the Austin community and actively engage in programs that promote physical well-being and overall wellness. Here are some ways that Forty Acres Fresh Market works to create a more vibrant community.
- Forty Acres Fresh Market is a proud Austin African American Business Networking Association member.
- Forty Acres Fresh Market is a proud member of the Austin Eats Coalition.
- Forty Acres Fresh Market is an annual Sponsor of Austin POWER 5K.
- Forty Acres Fresh Market is the manager of the Austin Town Hall Farmers Market.
- We offer the option to add Get One Give One (GOGO) produce boxes with every purchase so neighbors experiencing food insecurity can access the same high-quality produce you do. GOGO boxes are collected by our community partners who distribute them to neighbors experiencing food insecurity.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
You shop with Forty Acres Fresh Market because you are intentional about where you shop and want to have a direct impact on your local economy. Your purchase not only supports Forty Acres, but the local economy, making Chicago’s food ecosystem more resilient. Our commitment to the community is in every aspect of how we operate. Here are some examples of how Forty Acres Fresh Market helps fuel Chicago’s economy.
- Our produce is sourced year-round from Chicago-based wholesalers like Strube Celery & Vegetable Company, a practice we’ve prided ourselves on since day one.
- During the Midwest growing season, we also source produce from local farmers and growers like Windy City Growers and Urban Growers Collective.
- Our merchandise and flyers are supplied by an Austin neighborhood-based printing company.
- Our delivery trucks are serviced and fueled by independent Chicago mechanics and service stations.
Pillars of Accessibility
Forty Acres Fresh Market is making fresh and nourishing food more accessible to communities with historic barriers to access so everyone can benefit. We take groceries personally because what we do goes beyond food. Grocery stores are essential social spaces that revitalize and activate neighborhoods, allowing neighbors to connect, build familial bonds, and foster a stronger sense of community. That’s why these three pillars of accessibility are central to how we operate.
Price
Affordability is driven by the value we create for our shoppers. Forty Acres Fresh Market has a range of product offerings so more people can find options to suit their budget and lifestyle while keeping their fridges stocked.
Proximity
Proximity means closing the distance between communities and healthy food. We intentionally operate our markets in communities with inequitable access to essential services to increase options for everyone, regardless of zip code.
Payment Methods
Accessibility cannot exist without the ability to pay. We accept several forms of payment including cash, credit card, and SNAP EBT. We also offer Link Match to meet people where they are. Our payment journey is inclusive so everyone can shop with ease and confidence.
It was all a dream! I used to read Grocery Dive magazine. Peas and peppers and celery sold with the collard greens.
Ha! That is not true at all. My journey to founding Forty Acres Fresh Market was an unexpected turn in my career. After working in General Mills’ sales division for nearly a decade, selling to supermarket chains across the U.S., I was tired of groceries. I moved to Chicago in 2012 to get my MBA and get out of the industry.
I thought I had made a permanent escape when in Fall 2016, I got off the CTA bus in an unfamiliar neighborhood while running an errand and quickly realized that I could not easily find a bank, pharmacy, or grocery store. I eventually realized that I was in the Austin neighborhood.
The experience crystallized the stark disparity in resources and infrastructure between Chicago neighborhoods and the idea for Forty Acres Fresh Market was born. I founded Forty Acres Fresh Market because I saw an opportunity to increase healthy food equity and access and service customers who had long been ignored.
Since launching in 2018, I have made no equivocation that this business exists to bring equity and great grocery service to communities with limited access to fresh food.
However, I know that our mission provides value for everyone. I am glad that you found your way to Forty Acres Fresh Market. I am grateful for every customer and it is my goal to give you a great grocery experience, whether it is from our delivery service, pop-up markets, or our soon-to-open store at 5713 West Chicago Avenue.
I appreciate that you chose Forty Acres Fresh Market to feed your family. Thank you for joining our movement to ensure fresh food for all, because every hood should be healthy.
Produce to the People!
