More than 300 rural grocery operators, community advocates, policymakers, vendors and researchers gathered May 5-7 in Fargo, North Dakota, for the 2026 National Rural Grocery Summit – a biennial event focused on sustaining independent rural grocery stores and improving food access in small communities.
Attendees representing 42 states, Washington, D.C. and Canada convened at what organizers say is the premier national gathering for rural grocery innovation and collaboration.
The summit was hosted by the Rural Grocery Initiative in partnership with the University of Minnesota Extension Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships and the North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives.
“This year’s summit was a triumph,” said Rial Carver, program leader for the Rural Grocery Initiative.
“It was an absolute pleasure to work alongside NDAREC and Minnesota Extension to bring this biennial event to the upper Midwest. It’s clear these organizations are trusted partners with rural grocers in North Dakota and Minnesota, which resulted in over 100 rural grocery operators in the room at this year’s NRG Summit. The connections forged and rural grocery stories highlighted were second to none. Most importantly, perhaps, was the feeling of hope instilled in attendees and the certainty that rural grocers are not alone.”
Pre-conference tours May 5 offered participants firsthand looks at rural grocery operations in Minnesota and North Dakota, including the RAD Co-op in rural North Dakota and a 24-7 grocery model in Evansville, Minnesota. 
Food systems expert Jon Steinman delivered the opening plenary, “More than a Grocery Store,” calling on attendees to rewrite the narrative around rural grocery and use storytelling to highlight the role rural stores play as community anchors. His remarks addressed the systemic challenges facing locally-owned independent grocery operations.
The multi-day agenda included more than 24 breakout sessions covering alternative ownership models, transition planning strategies, data-driven mapping tools, partnerships between grocers and healthcare providers, supply chain and wholesale distribution challenges and policy approaches to supporting independent grocers.
Poster sessions and networking opportunities highlighted research and practical tools aimed at strengthening rural food access, including local sourcing initiatives, farm-to-retail connections, and programs such as Double Up Food Bucks and WIC partnerships. More than 20 exhibitors participated, including Natural Choice Foods, support associations and technology companies.
During an evening reception May 6, sponsored by Natural Choice Foods, two awards were presented.
Emily and Kaden Roush of Main Street Mercantile in Lebanon, Kansas, were named Rural Grocer of the Year. The couple purchased the local grocery store in 2023 and used grant writing and fundraising to remodel and reopen the store in a community of 181 residents. Main Street Mercantile offers a full-service grocery store with a butcher counter, fresh produce, staple items and locally grown and processed meats.
Lori Capouch of Bismarck, North Dakota, received the Grocery Champion of the Year award. Her nominator noted that Capouch has spent more than 30 years as a cooperative development champion, traveling to small towns to help address food access and quality-of-life challenges. Her work has been credited with strengthening rural grocery viability through leadership, coalition-building and practical innovation.
The summit concluded May 7 with a closing plenary from Rebecca Undem, founder of Growing Small Towns, who emphasized the grocery store’s role as a community hub and catalyst for rural development. Undem outlined strategies for rural grocers to compete by prioritizing local community connections and people-centered organizational development.
She described these strategies as approaches to take the high road, which she reminded grocers, is not easier but it is less crowded.
Presentation materials from the event are available on the conference website. Plans for the 2028 National Rural Grocery Summit will be announced later this year.
[RELATED: National Rural Grocery Summit Focusing On Innovation]
2026 National Rural Grocery Summit
