The Produce Exchange

It’s decent, I work in the building so it’s convenient. I can’t blame a store for rude customers but all three times I’ve shopped there I’ve had to deal with some Carrie Bradshaw type acting like she’s the only customer and I’m invading her space. I know it’s not the store’s fault, but I think I’ll let the yuppies and hipsters have the place to themselves.

This was my family’s favorite shop at the Global Market.
It was really cool to see the variety of products produced in Minnesota. I read some of the negative comments about poor re-​stocking. But as a one-​time or occasional customer, we like The Produce Exchange.
We bought a lot of stuff… garlic dip, a 6-​pack of soda, 8 year aged cheddar, some wafer honey cookies, a pound of butter, pickles… yum!
–Daddy Maxx Retro

The selection is great and it’s a very convenient area to get things on my way home from work, but the cashier’s always seem rude. There has been a few times that this young girl has rang me up and never says hello, never tells me the price, acts like I’m intruding on her work by buying something, and glares at me. Kind of makes me never want to go back.

I like the produce exchange. Usually I do most of my shopping at one of the coop’s but if I find myself lacking something I head here. It close and a better alternative to Kowalski’s to which I almost bought a $ 12.00 organic cabbage. I could’ve bought a ribeye for that. Anyway I find the produce to be fresh, prices competative, employe’s friendly and there’s a good selection of other food stuffs you might need

How have I not discovered Midtown Global Market until now? Loved all the shops and restaurants! I’m sure The Product Exchange does well as they are right by the front entrance, but it is worth it! They stock unique organic and natural foods that are harder to find, and their produce seemed reasonably priced and fresh. The customer service (register guy) were friendly, and overall, pretty cool place. Reminds me of «Lugdates» of Ithaca (yuppie crunchy, granola store).

This place stocks some really nice produce, and a lot of it is organic too, add to that the prices are pretty good, especially if you shop what is on sale that week and what is in season.
Of course if you absolutely must have that melon in January, it is not going to be at peak or cheap. That is the nature of nature.
I try to check their website weekly for their specials. Last year I found organic blueberries for $ 1/​pack — several times. Sometimes you needed a coupon to get the deal other times no coupon needed.
Don’t just look on their website you need to always click through to their sales flyer to see some of the best deals!

I was excited to try «the produce exchange», since it is close to where I’m staying right now and seemed to have natural and organic food for reasonable prices.
My experience: There is not even that much organic produce available. And it’s pricey! Maybe it would be worth paying a little more for a local non-​chain store, if the service would be adequate. But no, they charged me too much for a non-​sale item and wanted to deny first when I complained. After they took a look at the price tag, they did deduct the amount charged too much, but without a word of apology. I don’t want to support that kind of store.

This place is expensive! On the other hand the produce look so good I cannot help myself and most time end up getting something.
Then I think about my purchase rationally, and most times I am not impressed by their quality for price, but sometimes there is that one odd deal that makes the produce exchange very convenient.

I used to like this place when I first moved in a couple of blocks away. Organic fruit and veg, delicious organic pizza, even my favorite flavors of Izzy’s ice cream! But the produce exchange has some very serious shortcomings.
The first thing I noticed was that the stuff I liked and bought regularly never seemed to get replaced– I talked to the management about it a few months back, but the problem persists. It’s almost like they don’t want me to buy from them, because it means they have to *gasp* restock the shelves. But I let it go.
I also once inadvertently bought some rancid watermelon slices. Had I bought them off the sale rack by the dairy, I could understand this, but they were in the regular fruit section. Full price to be sick for half an hour! But I let it go
But the final straw was today, when I went in to buy some organic french fries. I get paid in a couple of days, so I didn’t have a lot to spend, and I don’t carry cash. The cashier refused to let me use my card, because they have a $ 5 minimum for cards, and the fries were only $ 3.75. I said thanks and nevermind, and he laughed at me as I left!
Talk about the snob-​tastic!
This place is twice as expensive as anywhere else in the area, poorly stocked, occasionally rancid, and just plain pompous to boot. I recommend hitting the Holy Land instead.

This place has very high quality produce. They get unbelievable peaches during the summer that are so juicy you need to eat over a plate to avoid getting puddles of peach juice everywhere. I actually make the Produce Exchange a destination for thier peaches. I’ve been very happy with the pears and pineapple I’ve gotten from here as well.
It is a great place to come for organic and natural foods, and they frequently have some really good specials on berries. I can tell that this store is very dedicated to having the best tasting produce, just one smell of those peaches and you’ll know that these were selected not just unloaded out of a box. For fruits and veggies this is an excellent place, definetely come here.

Surprisingly good prices and selection. Check it out!

The staff here is a riot and quite helpful in finding items for you.
They have a great selection of local and gourmet goods.
I bought some avocados $ 5 for 5 and they melted in my mouth. Were they local? No, I suppose Mexico is not. Did I care? Not really (they were that good).
They also carried Sharon’s sorbet which is not only Kosher, but also parve. Hard to find lactose-​free coconut sorbet! Unfortunately, my cooler would not keep it frozen all the way to Kansas City and I didn’t want to eat all the sorbet by myself in 24 hrs, while I was in Minneapolis.
If I lived locally, I’d visit often. They just have some incredible sounding products on their chalk board from local farms, though a bit pricey. Then again, I bet it ROCKS!

The produce exchange is my favorite place to shop for fruits and vegetables. They are also constantly changing and updated the products that they offer. They carry a wide selection of chocolate, coffee, tea, cheeses, drinks, and a variety of snacks. I work close by so enjoy being able to pick up items for dinner on my break. I think I would make a drive here on a regular basis even if i didn’t work in the area. The prices seem good and better than your average grocery store for organic produce. Great place to shop for fresh quality produce and other stuff too!

I like that this place exists. There’s nowhere around here to get good veggies and fruits other than this place, really. Although sometimes they’re really expensive, other times they’re running specials so berries and stuff are really cheap. And they’ve got an extensive cold drinks section. The cheese here is through the roof, so go next door to Grassroots Gourmet for that. And they have a discount fruits and vegetables section too.

The produce here is very fresh. It’s like you have an indoor farmer’s market all year round in MGB. It’s so convenient when you come to MGB you can grab a bite to eat and also do a little grocery shopping too. I like how they have fresh fruits for you to taste as well.

Well tonight is a night of 5 star reviews for me apparently… The Produce Exchange definitely deserves 5 with the focus on organic and local produce. Love the open market feel and how it is in the center of the Midtown Global Market. I can’t really say more than what everyone else has pointed out. Sign up for the e-​newsletter they have, which includes the sale items, which I like because then I can know what is on sale without having to go first.

I used to buy almost all my groceries at the Midtown Global Market, and The Produce Exchange made that possible.
Quality… it’s all about quality here. They focus on organic produce, with locally sourced fruits and veggies when they are available. They also have a selection of kitchen odds and ends and dry goods like pasta, sauces, grains and canned goods. I don’t usually bother with that section, but there is a little shelf or a bin with discounted things sometimes. It’s worth checking out.
The Produce Exchange sells some of the best produce in the Twin Cities. They’ll have Minnesota tomatoes and squash. Colorado peaches and plums. It changes all the time. Everything is very well-​labeled with it’s origin, which is great for those of us who prefer to buy as locally as we can. I felt really excited a couple of weeks ago when the clerk told me I was buying the first local apples of the season! Uh-​mazing Wisconsin apples, BTW.
Their prices are low for the quality, in my opinion. They aren’t co-​op prices, which can be a bit outrageous sometimes for fresh produce. I find the cost pretty comparable to Cub or Rainbow’s organic section (or even their non-​organic section!), but with really good sales. It’s a wonderful place to shop if you’re not picky too, because you can almost always get a good deal on something fresh and delicious.
Next time you’re eating in Midtown Global Market, don’t breeze past this place without at least trying one of their samples (there’s usually some awesome fruit on the platter). Surely, you’ll end up taking home a bag full of goodies after one bite.

I shop here often and they have just a little bit of everything but everything you’ll need! The produce is very fresh, often locally grown and very reasonable priced even for being organic.
What I like most about this place is they that stock many «special needs» diet food. From veggie products like frozen foods to gluten free baking mixes. If you have dietary restrictions this is a great 1 stop shop!
They also offer a well stocked Asian section for all the essentials. They have all kinds of stuff like almond milk, tofu, lots of sauces, salad dressings and even pie crust. It’s like the whole foods quality version of a 7/​11, it’s small but they got everything under the sun!
They totally saved my life when I was in desperate need of advil and everything else was closed. They carry travel size medicines behind the register if your the market and in need! Talk about convenient!

Visiting the Midtown Global Market is an easy way to bring on a premature summer and the feeling of being in an outdoor market. Once inside, it’s a slice of Minneapolis — such diversity of people and foods! It’s a refreshing reminder of the global nature of the world we live in.
The location and set-​up of Produce Exchange is certainly part of the appeal for me. I’m suprised to not find more people there.
I have mainly shopped fresh produce here, and fruits. They have fruit samples, and Bill, if he’s on hand, answers questions about where the fruit is from, what it tastes like, and gives you a sample to try.
You’ve got to feel good buying local organic produce. The quality of the produce and fruits is outstanding, of course. I’m not even going to comment on the price and make a case for why it is worthwhile because non-​organic (should it be inorganic?) devotees won’t convert based on my review.
The thing that catches me unawares is the stinky cheese smells from the cheese shop next door. But depending on which day you’re here, you could be listening to live music (in the center area) and as you do your grocery shopping. Not a bad deal at all.

The Produce Exchange is a pretty cool place to grocery shop. Like any local and/​or organic grocery, the prices can be steep when it comes to prepared foods and kitchen products. If you regularly shop organic though, you already know that keeping it simple is the only way to keep the prices down. Organic produce and bulk items are pretty much where it’s at and the Produce Exchange is no exception.
What I like most is the farmer’s market-​like feel of this place. The fruit and veggie staples are always there but the variety of seasonal produce seems to change frequently. They often have specials on interesting foods and I have tried my fair share of new items based on these sales.
Regular items are sensible as well and I usually find the Roma tomatoes, certain lettuces, and apples at lower prices than the produce at Rainbow. The bonus is knowing that unlike Rainbow’s organic produce or Whole Foods, the produce at the Exchange comes from local organic farms and the money goes right back into our own community to support area farmers.
If you are a soup and salad lover like me, you need to swing by the Produce Exchange and discover their fresh and delicious fruits & veggies.