Photo Courtesy Minnesota State Fair

Since the 1950s, Minnesota Farmers Union  has had a presence at the Minnesota State Fair with a building on the corner of Dan Patch Ave. and Cosgrove St. It became the Farmers Union Coffee Shop in 2003, offering locally roasted coffee and locally grown food. Today, it is a place at the fair for visitors to connect with MFU, our state’s family farmers and their food.

“A big part of the Minnesota State Fair’s mission is agricultural education,” said MFU President
Gary Wertish. “We’re doing our part to further that mission by supporting Minnesota family
farmers in the food we serve at the Farmers Union Coffee Shop. We make sure customers know
where their food is coming from and how much family farmers mean to our state. That’s
especially important in this time when farmers face low prices, unpredictable weather, high health
care costs, trade disruption and market consolidation, which are causing great stress in
agriculture.
“The average Minnesotan is multiple generations removed from the family farm. We help bridge
that understanding gap at the Farmers Union Coffee Shop.”
The Farmers Union Coffee Shop has been a part of the official State Fair New Foods list many
times.

This year is no exception: the Blueberry Key Lime Pie and Lavender Lemonade are
featured among the 2019 selections. MFU partners with local food-focused Birchwood Cafe of
Minneapolis on these. The Heirloom Tomato & Sweet Corn BLT will return, now with the option
to add an egg.

The full-service coffee shop offers products from two St. Paul businesses: JS Bean Factory’s
Farmers Union Farmers Choice Coffee, hot and cold, including the popular Maple Cream Nitro
Cold Press Coffee; and Grand Ole Creamery ice cream bars. It will also offer espresso drinks,
chai tea and mocha frappes. The Farmers Union Coffee Shop is proud to source ingredients from Minnesota family farmers and businesses.