Market Day Local, Inc. (commonly known as Market Day), is a food cooperative based in Itasca, Illinois, that operates in 27 states across the United States. It is known for its school fundraising program. [1]
In 1973, Trudi Temple began purchasing flowers wholesale at the Randolph Street Market and reselling them to raise funds for local churches and impoverished communities abroad. She then formed a food cooperative to sell fresh produce. In 1975, Temple began holding the fundraisers at her daughter's school, Walker Elementary School in Clarendon Hills, Illinois. [2] [1] Parents filled out preorder forms and picked up their orders at the school, with a portion of the proceeds going to the school. Later, Temple added meats, seafood, and poultry to the monthly sales, and expanded to other churches, schools, and nonprofit organizations. [1]
By 2000, Market Day Corporation had raised more than $250 million for more than 6,000 schools in 20 metropolitan areas in nine states. The company operated out of corporate headquarters in Itasca, a primary distribution center in Wood Dale, Illinois, and six other warehouses in Atlanta; Burlington, New Jersey; Columbus, Ohio; Dallas; Indianapolis; and Milwaukee. An in-house carrier, Apple Trucking, was part of a nationwide fleet of 175 trucks, many of which were driven by off-duty firefighters. By this time, Market Day had discontinued fresh produce sales; 80% of the inventory was frozen goods. Participating schools received 10–40% of proceeds, depending on the item, and usually relied on parent–teacher association volunteers to operate on-site sales. On September 14, 2000, the first Market Day retail store opened at the company's primary distribution center in Wood Dale, Illinois, with plans for more locations. [3]
In 2013, foodservice distributor Gordon Food Service purchased Market Day Corporation. [4] Market Day items appeared in a dedicated freezer case at GFS Marketplace cash and carry stores. At checkout, customers could designate any participating organization to receive a five-percent give-back from Market Day items or one percent from other store items. [5] GFS shut down the Market Day program in 2015. [1]
In 2019, Theresa Krueger purchased the Market Day brand from GFS to form Market Day Local and began direct home deliveries and pop-up sales. Krueger's Chicago-based Krueger Sausage had been one of Market Day's original vendors. [1] [6]