The growing movement toward supporting local food has prompted the development of new farmers markets, initiatives like BlueCross BlueShield of Minnesota's Healthy Eating Minnesota, and new food trucks that boast ingredients from local farms.

Although the wave of interest might be increasing, that doesn't mean it's always easy to make time to stop at a market or research new artisan food products. That's where Honeybee Mobile Market comes to the rescue.

Created by entrepreneur couple Tony Pavelko and Gina DiMaggio, Honeybee aims to be a "mobile farmers market" that stops at office buildings, hospitals, churches, and neighborhoods. Since this is the company's first year, they're still working out details on their locations, but Pavelko notes that they'd like to understand better where the food deserts are in the cities and suburbs, where access to fresh produce might be limited.

"We want to be wherever people are excited to see us," he says.

A Savvy Start

Pavelko and DiMaggio have worked for the past four years to refine their business offering. First, they delivered locally grown produce utilizing a community supported agriculture (CSA) model, then changed to straight-up online ordering, upping the convenience factor with door-to-door delivery.

Then Pavelko saw a Schwan's truck and an idea popped into his head: to create a mobile market where people could have a farmers market experience, just outside their workplaces or in their neighborhoods.

After researching the mobile markets in other cities, he and DiMaggio came up with a model for Honeybee. Customers will walk through an enclosed trailer that features fresh produce and meats from local farms, as well as locally sourced bread, honey, syrup, and other products.

"We want a charming, inviting atmosphere, where customers feel like it's a fun experience," says Pavelko.

The company currently has a Kickstarter campaign to get a strong start to the season. They'll run the market May through October, similar to other farmers markets, and still offer an online grocery option with direct delivery.

Local Buzz

Honeybee is jumping into the mobile market scene just as the farming season ramps up, and farmers markets are securing their vendors. Pavelko and DiMaggio will be competing against an array of local food options, from online farm-fresh delivery service Twin Cities Local Food (see previous coverage in The Line here) to pop-up farmers markets like the ones organized last year in Northeast Minneapolis.

Although the variety of options prompt some to wonder about oversaturation, Pavelko believes that the surging interest--and subsequent shopping--benefit everyone trying to make local, fresh food more available.

"We want to become someone's regular stop, part of their routine," says Pavelko. "Ultimately, we see this turning into a fleet of Honeybee trucks around town, so that people can, basically, visit a farmers market whenever they see us."

Elizabeth Millard is Innovation and Jobs Editor of The Line.