SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – The Eat Well Sioux Falls Mobile Market started back in 2023 as a way to easily bring healthy food to neighborhoods in need. Friday will be the mobile market’s last day in operation.

Despite the successes within the community, the market’s biggest struggle has been operational expenses.

$40 million for potential South Dakota statue garden in ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’

“The issue with putting a grocery store on wheels is exactly what you can see behind me right now. It runs on diesel fuel, if you have looked at the gas prices lately,” Sioux Falls Thrive President Michelle Erpenbach said. “It runs on people. People are expensive, not that we wouldn’t pay them. It’s that idea that it really needs to have just a bit more of local financial support.”

Just a few months ago, the mobile market’s shelves were packed with food and hygiene products. Now they are down to their final bit of inventory, and the communities in need are going to have to figure out how to get these supplies.

“What are they going to do now? They’ll go to the convenience store on the corner and pay a dollar for a banana, those kinds of things. They’re going to cobble it together best they can, but the folks who are in need in this community, are going to struggle even more” Erpenbach said.

She hopes a new nonprofit could replace the mobile market. Building off of it and creating a different version that would be successful on its own.

“Now that it’s released that Friday is the last day, we’re getting some tears, we’re getting a lot of hugs, we’re getting that community support from those folks who really need it and really appreciate a project like this,” Erpenbach said.