Cub Foods rolls out special-needs shopping carts

Midwestern grocery chain Cub Foods is introducing special needs shopping carts that combine the functionality of a wheelchair with a traditional cart.

The customized carts will be available at all 76 Cub stores in Minnesota, as well as one store in Freeport, Ill., by the end of April.

“Since our founding, it has been our goal to provide the best possible shopping experience to all of our customers,” says Mike Stigers, president at Cub Foods. “The positive response of shoppers who use Caroline’s Cart led directly to our decision to expand to all Cub stores. We’re proud to have the opportunity to make it easier for customers to include family members with special needs in their regular shopping trips.”

Designed specifically for older children and adults with disabilities, Caroline’s Cart combines the functionality of a wheelchair with a traditional shopping cart to make the in-store experience simpler, safer and more inclusive by eliminating the difficult task of maneuvering a wheelchair and grocery cart at the same time.

Developed by Drew Ann Long and named after her daughter, Caroline, who was born with Rett Syndrome, a nervous system disorder, Caroline’s Cart is the first custom shopping cart on the market to make the day-to-day task of grocery shopping — an errand that can often be difficult and time-consuming for caregivers — easier and less stressful.

“When I first designed Caroline’s Cart, we set out on a mission to make it available to the families of millions of children with special needs throughout the United States — families just like ours,” says Long. “It warms my heart to know that by offering Caroline’s Cart at all locations, Cub Foods is providing families of those with special needs a convenient opportunity to enjoy the freedom of shopping together.”

Cub Foods first introduced Caroline’s Cart to the Twin Cities metro area at its Maple Grove store, located at 8150 Wedgewood Lane, as part of a pilot program in 2014.

Cub Foods, based in Stillwater, Minn., was established in 1968 as one of the nation’s first discount grocery stores. Cub was purchased in 1980 by SUPERVALU and currently operates 77 stores in Minnesota and Illinois.