Obtain Financing

Healthy Food Retail

ALSO SEE:

Learn about the national Healthy Food Financing Initiative.

Learn more about FFFI and related impact studies here.

TRF Leasing for financing options on new or used equipment.

Infill Philadelphia: Food Access, has just completed a highly-collaborative effort exploring how innovative design can improve access to fresh, healthy food in urban neighborhoods. Learn about the three resulting conceptual designs. Also read Plan Philly's article on the initiative.

TRF provides financing for supermarkets, grocery stores and other healthy food retail operators that plan to operate in underserved communities where infrastructure costs and credit needs cannot be solely filled by conventional financial institutions. TRF’s financing helps them overcome some of the higher start-up costs associated with locating in low-income, underserved neighborhoods. By improving the food landscape of underserved communities, the programs provide families with increased access to healthy fresh foods. Supermarkets and other grocery stores also make valuable contributions to the community by creating jobs and revitalizing neighborhoods.

Eligible Customers

The following are some examples of those who have been eligible for healthy food retail financing through TRF.

  • Supermarkets and other grocery store retail operators (independent or a part of a regional cooperative or large-scale chain)

  • Developers of supermarkets and other grocery store retail spaces

  • Limited or edited assortment food retail store

  • Food cooperatives that are open to non-members

  • Public markets and other alternative format store operators

Products

TRF’s healthy food retail financing products include:

  • acquisition loans

  • predevelopment loans

  • construction loans for new construction, expansion, or improvement

  • leasehold improvement loans

  • medium-term permanent facility loans

  • equipment loans and equipment leasing

  • bridge loans against grants and government contracts

  • grants for eligible projects in limited geographic areas

TRF’s healthy food retail loans typically range from $200,000 to $3.5 million. Rates, fees and collateral vary based on project type, risk, loan terms and social impact.

 

State Programs

TRF finances healthy food retail projects throughout the mid-Atlantic region and currently manages supermarket financing programs in two states in the mid-Atlantic region.

 

New Jersey Food Access Initiative

The New Jersey Food Access Initiative (NJFAI) is a partnership between TRF and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. The program is designed to meet the financing needs of supermarket operators that want to locate within underserved areas in New Jersey, with an emphasis on ten priority cities which include Atlantic City, Camden, East Orange, Elizabeth, Jersey City, Newark, New Brunswick, Vineland, Paterson and Trenton.

The NJFAI provides predevelopment, acquisition, construction and rehabilitation, equipment, and leasehold improvement loans to supermarket operators and developers locating in underserved communities in New Jersey. For more information, please review the documents linked below and contact us at Supermarkets@TRFund.com or call us a t 215-574-5800 with any questions:


Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Initiative

The Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Initiative (FFFI) is an innovative program that works to increase the number of supermarkets or other grocery stores in underserved communities across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.


FFFI provides predevelopment, acquisition, construction and rehabilitation, equipment, and leasehold improvement loans to supermarket operators and developers locating in underserved communities in Pennsylvania.  To learn more about the program read the summary.

Healthy Food Financing Initiative

Partnering with PolicyLink and The Food Trust, TRF has spent the past year working with policymakers and advocates to push for a smart, sustainable way to invest in healthy food and good jobs in underserved communities. 

The national Healthy Food Financing Initiative is a viable, effective, and economically sustainable solution to the problem of limited access to healthy foods and can achieve multiple goals: reducing health disparities and improving the health of families and children; creating jobs; and stimulating local economic development in low-income communities. This is a smart investment in the health and economic well-being of the country and its citizens. Learn more about the Healthy Food Financing Initiative.

 

For application forms and tools that can help with the financing process, please visit the Resource Center.

Questions? Contact Supermarkets@TRFund.com or call us at 215-574-5800.