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State Fair reveals 2021's top-grossing food vendors

Once again, the former teacher now known as Sweet Martha claimed the money crown, grossing nearly $3.3 million.

FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. — The Minnesota State Fair has just about every kind of food imaginable and vendors from one end of the grounds to the other, and while the late-summer get-together serves up plenty of fun... it's also about the bottom line. 

State Fair officials have released their 2021 list of the 10 top-grossing food vendors based on sales. In order, they are:

  1. Sweet Martha's Cookie Jar, 3 locations - $3,281,049
  2. Mouth Trap Cheese Curds, Food Building - $ 926,476
  3. Fresh French Fries, 2 sites - $844,096
  4. Corn Roast, Dan Patch Avenue - $717,356
  5. Midwest Dairy Association, 2 locations - $646, 251
  6. Preferred Pickle, Dan Patch and Liggett - $643,079
  7. The Blue Barn, West End Market - $513,210
  8. Carousel BBQ, West Dan Patch Ave. - $502,264
  9. Giggle's Campfire Grill, Lee and Cooper - $467,866
  10. Miller's Flavored Cheese Curds, Nelson St. - $419,242

Most vendors are familiar names who crack the list of top earners on a yearly basis.

Revenues for 2021 appear down overall, likely due to a significant dip in fair attendance due in part to concerns over COVID and poor weather. Just 1.3 million people walked through the gates, about 60% of 2019's record attendance of 2.1 million. The state fair was scrubbed in 2020 due to the pandemic. 

As recently as 2016, seven vendors enjoyed gross revenue from food sales over $1 million. In 2019, five vendors topped the $1 million mark, with Sweet Martha reaching $5 million in gross sales. 

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