Daily Detroit News Byte

Eastern Market is best known as a Saturday tradition and Flower Day selfie spot. But it's also one of the beating hearts of Michigan's food system. In this episode, I sit down with Eastern Market Partnership president and CEO Katy Trudeau at TechTown to unpack how this 120-year-old market is adapting for 2026 and beyond. Katy explains how the historic sheds anchor a 24/7 neighborhood where live animal processing, wholesale distribution, breweries, restaurants, and nightlife all coexist — and why keeping the core of the district focused on food is key to its future. You'll hear about Shed 7, a new 40,000-square-foot indoor wholesale facility opening this year, and plans for an indoor, two-story Shed 4 with teaching kitchens and community space. We talk about Detroit's urban farming movement, including a program with a cooperative of Detroit growers to distribute thousands of free produce boxes. Katy also shares how Eastern Market connects rural Michigan farmers and generations‑old family farms to Detroiters, a