Market 32/Price Chopper has taken a big step to support wellbeing and fresh produce access for SNAP participants in the Schenectady and Syracuse market areas. January 2025 marks the launch of a great partnership between the Field and Fork Network, managers of the Double Up Food Bucks Nutrition Incentive program, and our company.
Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) is a nutrition incentive program that matches SNAP purchases of qualifying fresh fruits and vegetables via Catalina coupon rewards. DUFB provides a $1 for $1 match up to $20 per day to be spent on a future shopping trip.
As a Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist, I am thrilled to see this program come to our stores and communities. The program ensures participants can purchase fresh fruits and vegetables they like and can prepare and rewards them to ensure they can purchase it again, building the habits that deliver improved wellbeing over time. It is a model that has proven its value since it was started in Michigan in 2009. The coupons can only be redeemed on fresh fruits and vegetables from the Produce department, doubling SNAP benefit power on these items.
DUFB benefits more than SNAP participants – it supports families, farmers and local purchasing, and communities. That ripple effect is critical to the success of the program and the farmers growing local fruits and vegetables. DUFB is currently operating in 38 counties across New York States and supports the work of over 550 individual produce vendors. The program is operating at 60 different farmers markets, farm stands and CSA programs, 65 grocery stores, and 155 individual mobile market sites.
In 2024, more than $1.7 million Double Up Food Bucks were spent by NYS residents, a more than $700,000 increase from 2023. Since the program’s inception in 2014, Field & Fork Network has distributed over $3.6 million in Double-Up Food Bucks to communities across the state. The Double Up Food Bucks program is currently running in 27 states and is administered by individual organizations and agencies.
Market 32 and Price Chopper have been part of healthy food access for over 80 years, and we hope to see this program continue to expand in our communities and stores. Learn more about this important program here.
Ellie Wilson
MS, RDN, CDN
