FAFH suppliers push for an end to the strife in Minneapolis

CHICAGO, January 28, 2026 — The leaders of several major food-away-from-home suppliers in Minnesota have teamed up with the CEOs of neighboring businesses to press for an end to the political tensions that have roiled Minneapolis for weeks.

In an open letter to the public, the chiefs of 60 large corporations revealed they’ve already been working behind the scenes to defuse a powder keg situation that has pitted local residents against federal immigration enforcement officers. The conflict has resulted in the shooting deaths of local protestors Rachel Good and Alex Pretti. The two sides have aggressively blamed each other for the casualties, with videos of the events sparking outrage far beyond the Twin Cities.

“Representatives of Minnesota’s business community have been working every day behind the scenes with federal, state, and local officials to advance real solutions,” reads the letter. 
It asserts that the actions are being stepped up on Monday in the wake of Pretti’s death. He was fatally shot Saturday morning in a conflict with a group of immigration enforcement agents in south Minneapolis, about a mile from where Good had been killed about three weeks earlier.

“With yesterday’s tragic news, we are calling for an immediate deescalation of tensions and for state, local, and federal officials to work together to find real solutions,” the letter states.

The communication was signed by the CEOs of such local manufacturers as Anchor Paper Co., Cargill, C.H. Robinson, Ecolab, General Mills, Hormel, and Land O Lakes. 

Other signers included the leaders of local enterprises ranging from the Minnesota Vikings NFL team to Best Buy and Target. 

Many smaller businesses from the retail and restaurant channels of the food-away-from-home business have been aiding residents since the conflicts between U.S. Homeland Security forces and opponents of the crackdown on local immigrants began. 

Their contributions have ranged from providing groceries to immigrants who are afraid to leave their homes because of the apprehension risk, to denying entry to Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents lest they arrest customers or employees.

Many of the streetside businesses say their traffic has been severely eroded because of the violence and patrons’ fears that they may be apprehended by the authorities, regardless of their citizenship.

After initially blaming local government officials for the violence that has erupted, the White House acknowledged the need Tuesday to lower tensions. It has replaced the federal official leading the crackdown and reached out to local authorities in hopes of fostering collaboration.