Ruby's Pantry shutters, leaving other Minnesota food shelves scrambling to fill the gap
The sudden closure of Ruby's Pantry, a Midwest food distribution network that served nearly 200,000 people annually, is putting new strain on already stretched food shelves across Minnesota.
Ruby's Pantry, which operated 37 locations across Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin, announced over its social media and website that they "decided to end the operations… effective immediately." No clear answer as to why was given for the sudden closure.
WCCO reached out to Ruby's Pantry but has not heard back.
The closure comes as food insecurity remains at record levels statewide. According to The Food Group, Minnesotans made more than 9 million trips to food shelves in 2025 – a record-high demand and more than double of pre-pandemic levels.
In Eagan, The Open Door is already feeling the impact.
"All of the hunger relief just went through back to back jolts between the shutdown and the immigration enforcement situation," said Executive Director of The Open Door, Jason Viana. "We've been serving people that don't normally need food so that puts a lot of pressure on the hunger relief system."
The food shelf says they served 15,000 people in February 2025 – this February they served 48,000. A record high for The Open Door and a nearly 220% increase in visits.
"Losing food access right after that and Ruby's Food Pantry that just puts more pressure on a system that is already stressed."
The organization is preparing for an additional 300-400 families in Dakota County who previously relied on Ruby's Pantry. According to Viana, losing Ruby's Pantry and their mobile pantry services will hit the South Metro hard.
"We have one of the largest mobile food programs in Minnesota, we go to 36 different places a month, being able to take food directly where it is needed is vital in the suburbs and in rural areas," said Viana. "Ruby's Pantry had a similar model, going to where hunger was needed, losing that is going to hurt in a big way."
The recent closure may signal a broader challenge, particularly for suburban and rural areas where food programs are operating with limited resources.
"Suburbs are not a place where people think of poverty as a top-of-mind issue and that's why The Open Door exists. There wasn't food access in the suburbs." said Viana.
Looking ahead at the challenges presented in the rural and suburban communities, they will rely heavily on making changes and relying on the community for donations and volunteer help.
"Trying to find the new normal has been a real challenge. When you look at the price at the grocery store, at the gas pump. When more people need help, we need all hands on deck," said Viana.
Viana says they will also be thinking of the next big crisis that comes, and is not a matter of if but when.
"We don't know what the next crisis will be, but we're confident that there will be one. This is a time where organizations are ready for the next issue," said Viana.
Despite the challenges, organizations like The Open Door say they will continue working to meet the growing demand – even as the system faces pressure.
If you would like to support, Viana says that you can make food and monetary donations with a list of needs on their website. Viana also says there is still time to support the Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign, which is the one the largest boosts they get in funds from a campaign.
