45 Black Women-Owned Food & Beverage Brands That Belong in Your Kitchen
Did you know that the average revenue gap between Black women-owned businesses and all women-owned businesses is the greatest of any minority?
Yep, that’s right. Even though they represent the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the U.S., the State of Women Owned Businesses Report revealed that Black women-owned companies earned an average revenue of just $24,000 per firm vs. $142,900 among all women-owned businesses—thanks to racial and gender bias. But what can we do to help close this gap?
Allow us to introduce the Black women entrepreneurs who are making serious moves in the food industry. From savory Caribbean spices and West African soups to climate-friendly crackers, these tasty products are sure to spice up your kitchen pantry.
RELATED: 20 Organizations That Support Black Women During Black History Month and Beyond
1. Project Pop
Founder: Chauniqua Major-Louis
Based in Orlando, Florida, Project Pop offers a fresh take on kettle corn by using all vegan and organic ingredients—but without sacrificing flavor. Per the official website, their recipes typically include a touch of vegan cane sugar and Himalayan pink salt for a balanced flavor profile.
2. Iya Foods
Founder: Toyin Kolawole
With products like cassava pancake mix, plantain flour and jollof rice seasoning, Iya Foods can help you add a bit of West African flavor to any traditional American meal. While speaking with Forbes about the meaning behind her brand’s name, Kolawole, said, “Iya means ‘mother’ in Yoruba...Our name pays homage to mothers everywhere. It reminds me of those three words, ‘Have you eaten?’ The ultimate expression of a mother’s love.”
3. Basbaas
Founder: Hawa Hassan
The Somali model and entrepreneur moved to Seattle when she was just 7 years old, after escaping a civil war in her home country. After reuniting with her mother 15 years later, the two bonded while cooking traditional meals—and that's when Basbaas, her line of hot sauces and chutneys, was born. Described as African-inspired sauces that “hit all the mouth feels,” they’re 100 percent organic and vegan, and it currently comes in two mouth-watering flavors: tamarind date sauce and coconut cilantro chutney.
4. Partake
Founder: Denise Woodard
After struggling to find allergy-friendly treats that were safe for her daughter, Woodard decided to leave her corporate job behind and launch Partake Foods, a brand that specializes in wholesome, vegan allergy-friendly snacks like cookies and brownie mixes.
5. Cool Coffee Clique
Founder: Courtney Adeleye
No disrespect to Folgers, but the best part of waking up is Cool Coffee Clique's Strong "AF" coffee. Eager to create a beverage brand that would also foster community, Adeleye taste-tested coffee from around the world and created her own special blend to deliver bold flavor. She told My Recipes, "Not only do we invest in our brand…we invest in our community. We meet and we network. We pour into our customers just as we do their cups.”
(FYI, if you’re not big on coffee, Cool Coffee Clique also offers a unique selection of teas and hot cocoa.)
6. POPtritional
Founder: Courtney Adeleye
Cool Coffee Clique isn't the only brand founded by Adeleye. The entrepreneur also launched POPtritional, which offers nutrient-infused popcorn for anyone craving a tasty, guilt-free snack. The popcorn, which comes in two flavors, includes key vitamins and nutrients like protein, calcium, vitamin C and vitamin B12.
7. Sanaía
Founder: Keisha Smith-Jeremie
Who says the popular snack is just for kids? Definitely not Smith-Jeremie. Up your applesauce game with her brand Sanaía, which offers a number of exotic applesauce flavors, including guava, lavender pear and gingerbread maple. Snacking just got a whole lot saucier.
8. Moonshot Snacks
Founder: Julia Collins
After learning that she was going to be a mom, Collins vowed to create a better world for her child. And since our eating habits have such a big impact on the planet, she decided to use food to tackle climate change. Enter Moonshot, her innovative brand of climate-friendly crackers that comes in three flavors. All are non-GMO, certified organic and unbelievably delicious.
9. Chicago French Press
Founder: Kris Christian
Care for a steaming hot cup of chocolate blueberry-flavored coffee? Or how about a cup with sweet notes of caramel apple? These delectable flavors and more can be found on Chicago French Press, a coffee subscription service created by former Wall Street analyst Kris Christian. (FYI, the brand donates a portion of their sales to local, community-based programs that help people in need.)
10. Trade Street Jam Co.
Founder: Ashley Rouse
Even if you’re not a jam enthusiast, you might want to consider trying one of Rouse’s tasty recipes. Founded in 2008, while she lived in an apartment on Trade Street in North Carolina, Trade Street Jam Co. offers a variety of flavorful vegan jams—minus the sugar overload. In addition to their jams, the collection also includes a sweet potato biscuit mix, raspberry hot sauce and a cherry chipotle mocktail elixir.
11. Golde
Founder: Trinity Mouzon Wofford
On the official site, Wofford describes Golde’s products as a “celebration of superfoods to effortlessly boost your daily routine,” and all formulas are vegan. In addition to skincare products, the brand offers smoothie boosters and latte blends like Pure Matcha, Cacao Turmeric and coconut collagen powder.
12. Egunsi
Founder: Yemisi Awosan
After moving to the U.S. as a teen, Awosan used food to stay connected to home and introduce her friends to Nigerian culture. This inspired her to launch Egunsi in 2017, which now has a variety of on-the-go, ready-to-heat soups like Brown-Eyed Pea (Gbegiri), African Peanut (Groundnut) and Lemongrass Mushroom (Pepper) Soup. Made from whole ingredients, these creations are free of artificial flavors, gluten-free and 100 percent vegan.
13. Bon AppéSweet
Founder: Thereasa Black
It all started when Black, a military mom, vowed to prioritize her relationship with her daughter and cut out processed foods. But that proved to be a challenge when her little girl, Isabella, developed a serious sweet tooth. Enter Bon AppéSweet, her very own brand of organic, better-for-you chocolates that are made up of just three ingredients: Dates, cocoa butter and cacao.
14. Jenny Dawn Cellars
Founder: Jennifer McDonald
In 2016, McDonald moved from making her wines at home to building a partnership with a wine facilitator in Napa, California. And by 2019, she opened her very own winery, Jenny Dawn Cellars, in Wichita, Kansas. The brand now offers more than a dozen handcrafted wines, including Union Station Chardonnay, Black Locomotive Crimson Cabernet and Red Caboose Dry Rosé.
15. Callaloo Box
Founders: Malika and Jamila Augustin
In 2017, sisters Malika and Jamila Augustin launched Callaloo Box, a Caribbean online grocery and subscription service that offers seasonings, condiments, sauces and snacks to help buyers enjoy the flavors of Trinidad and Tobago. The goal? To “bring a little piece of home” to customers who want to stay connected to their culture through food.
16. Cultured Kombucha
Founder: Milan Durham
Cultured Kombucha Co. is here to help consumers achieve a healthier lifestyle, one sip at a time. Based in D.C., the company brews nutritious, healing beverages with clean ingredients. Flavors include Genuine Ginger, Lavender Bliss, Apple Pie Chai and Orange Cranilla
17. Jones Bar-B-Q
Founders: Mary and Deborah Jones
Perhaps you spotted the founders in an episode of Queer Eye and have fantasized about visiting their spot ever since. Lucky for you, you don’t have to travel to Kansas City to enjoy the flavor of Jones Bar-B-Q. Consumers can now order their tangy secret sauce, the coconut pineapple sauce and their all-purpose seasoning and get it shipped to their door.
18. McBride Sisters Collection
Founders: Robin and Andréa McBride
These sisters may have grown up thousands of miles apart, but their shared love of wine ultimately brought them together. The siblings united in California and decided to launch the McBride Sisters Collection, which is now officially the largest Black-owned wine company in the United States. Their wine collections include Reserve, She Can and Black Girl Magic.
Shop McBride Sisters Collection
19. Love Cork Screw
Founder: Chrishon Lampley
In 2014, Lampley, a former art gallery owner, launched the wine and lifestyle brand, which not only offers quality wine (complete with whimsical labels), but also wine-scented candles and body butters.
20. Me and the Bees Lemonade
Founder: Mikaila Ulmer
It all began when 17-year-old Ulmer was stung by a bee. This prompted her to do a bit of research on bees and, after learning a bit about their role in the ecosystem, she decided to put her twist on a special family recipe to help save honeybees. Now, she sells bottles of her Me & the Bees Lemonade while donating a portion of her profits to organizations fighting to save the honeybees. We love to see it.
21. Yummy Spoonfuls
Founder: Agatha Achindu
Channeling her own upbringing in Cameroon, West Africa, where she only ate organic foods, Achindu decided to take the same approach with her son in the U.S. And now, through Yummy Spoonfuls, she's helping thousands of parents with clean and healthy alternatives to processed foods, including mac and cheese, sweet potato bites and burritos.
22. UN/restricted\
Founders: Dianna King & Eric Thompson
After receiving so many compliments on her vegan mac and cheese, King, an electrical engineer, decided to perfect the recipe and launch her own brand of vegan cheese sauces. With premade mac-and-cheese and flavorful varieties like Chipotle and Garlic, UN/restricted\ is ideal for anyone who's looking for tasty cheese and dairy alternatives.
23. SoCu Kitchen
Founder: Erica Barrett
After buying $30 worth of ingredients for a simple pancake recipe at the grocery store, Barrett left with a newfound desire to create Southern-inspired mixes that were more affordable. Now, through SoCu Kitchen, buyers can order a variety of breakfast products, from banana pudding pancake mix and ground grits to Cajun bacon rub.
24. Cocoa Asante
Founder: Ella Livingston
Providing high-quality, ethically sourced chocolate from Ghana is the ethos driving this amazing brand. Founded in 2018, after Livingston's study abroad trip to Japan, this Chattanooga-based company offers a variety of tasty bars and bon bons. Flavors range from Cinnamon S'mores and Bourbon Pecan to Cookies 'n Cream.
25. Tonya's Cookies
Founder: Tonya Council
While waiting tables at her family's restaurant, Council experimented with cookie recipes inspired by her grandmother’s famous pecan pie. After creating her unique "Pecan Crisp" cookies, she launched her business in 2009. And now, the brand offers flavors like Oatmeal Raisin, Cranberry White Chocolate Chip and Peppermint White Chocolate Pecan.
26. Kokada
Founder: Breanna Atkinson
If you're obsessed with coconutty flavors, then Kokada should definitely be on your radar. Inspired by her travels and the flavors of her Jamaican heritage, Atkinson launched this line of decadent vegan spreads. Their flavors, including Kokada Classic and Kokada Brownie, will go well with almost any treat, from toast to fruit slices.
27. Kahawa1893
Founder: Margaret Nyamumbo
After noticing inequalities within the coffee industry, Nyamumbo made it her mission to give back to women farmers through her coffee brand, Kahawa 1893 (“Kahawa” is Swahili for “coffee,” and 1893 marks the year that coffee growing started in Africa). The company sources directly from women farmers in Kenya & Rwanda, and all proceeds go directly to their female coffee producers.
28. Cocoa Belle Chocolates
Founder: Carmen Portillo
From artisan truffles and rich chocolate butters to hot cocoa mixes, Cocoa Belle offers a collection of sweet treats that'll appeal to any chocolate enthusiast. Inspired by her trip to Europe, where she enjoyed gourmet chocolate, Portillo studied to become a chocolatier and started this brand, which boasts a client list that ranges from Fortune 500 companies to government officials.
29. Michele's
Founder: Michele Hoskins
Step aside, Aunt Jemima—there's a new Syrup Queen in town. In 1984, Hoskins used a secret family recipe to kickstart her dream of launching a successful business. And now, her specialty breakfast syrups, which include Honey Crème and Butter Pecan, can be found in a number of popular retail chains.
30. BoCa Flavor
Founder: Jelece Morris and Suzanne Delica
This all-natural spice blend was created by two entrepreneurs on a mission to share bold Caribbean flavors with the world. Made up of all-natural ingredients, like pink pepperberry, scotch bonnet pepper and raw cane sugar, this Taíno Spice blend will take your savory dishes to a whole new level. (FYI, proceeds are donated to The What If Foundation and Food for The Poor.)
31. Abisola Whiskey
Founder: Abisola Abidemi
According to Abidemi, it was her love of whiskey and celebration that inspired her to launch Abisola Whiskey. This tasty drink is a blend of one-year-old bourbon and 6-month malt whiskey, which has notes of vanilla and waffle cone. It's also got a yummy apricot and almond cream aroma, complete with a malted chocolate finish.
32. It's NOLA
Founder: Margaret Barrow
Before you grab another box of sugary granola bars at your local grocery store, consider getting these healthier options from It's NOLA. After learning that most granola bars aren't as healthy as they appear, Barrow decided to promote healthier eating and living with her delicious plant-based granola balls. Flavors include Cranberry Coconut, Mango Masala and Decadent Chewy Chocolate.
33. Mama Biscuit
Founder: Lesley Riley
Riley, an IT Project Manager by day, earned herself the nickname "Ma Biscuit" while working as a restauranter. But it wasn't until after she auditioned for Master Chef in 2013 that her business really took off. Her line of vegan gourmet biscuits are out-of-this-world good, including unique flavors like chicken pot pie, spiced mango and apple pear pistachio. Yum.
34. Vicky Cakes
Founder: Christian and Cortney Sargent
These delicious pancake mixes were all inspired by a secret recipe that was kept in Christian's family for a whopping four decades. But when Christian prepared the famous recipe one morning in 2013, her husband was so impressed that he convinced her to start selling them. Fast forward to Mother's Day in 2019, and the couple have officially launched Vicky Cakes (named after Christian's mom), which now includes goodies like pancake and waffle mixes and syrups.
35. Peach State Drinks
Founder: Ni'Kesia Pannell and Choya Johnson
Perhaps you've grown tired of the sugary, poor-quality lemonades that you get at your local store, or maybe you've noticed that they're inconsistent when it comes to taste. Fret not, because Peach State Drinks is here to offer you the best tasting lemonade you've ever had. Former journalist Pannell and her pal Johnson teamed up to make quality drinks with fresh fruit and all-natural ingredients. And according to Pannell, drinking their Brown Sugar Lemon-Aid is "truly an experience."
36. Ellis Island Tea
Founder: Nailah Ellis-Brown
Ellis-Brown went from selling 32-ounce bottles of tea from her trunk to launching a successful hibiscus tea company—one that's been featured on MSNBC and Forbes. These drinks, which include natural hibiscus and rosehips, are actually a secret recipe handed down by the founder's great-great grandfather, who hailed from Jamaica. And as an added bonus, they're loaded with flavor—minus the overwhelming sweetness.
37. Midunu Chocolates
Founder: Selassie Atadika
For your next cheat day, consider indulging in Midunu's stunning artisanal chocolates—all handcrafted by their all-female team in Accra, Ghana. The truffles are inspired by Atadika's travels around the content of Africa, and she named each of them after African women who inspired the those flavors. Aside from their truffles, Midunu also has cocoa-flavored teas, hot chocolate mixes and chocolate tasting kits.
38. Sweet Dames
Founder: Genelle Drayton
After 10 years of working in the sports marketing and entertainment industry, Drayton turned to the culinary world by building a company that all coconut lovers will appreciate. Named after her grandparents, Henry and Daisy Dames, the brand offers a variety of chewy and decadent gourmet macaroons, which were inspired by one of her favorite childhood snacks: Bahamian coconut cakes.
39. B. Stuyvesant Champagne
Founder: Marvina Robinson
Named after Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn, where Robinson was born and raised, B. Stuyvesant Champagne is Robinson's way of paying homage to her best college memories, when she often joined friends to share a bottle of champagne. Now, four years after launching, the brand boasts multiple headlines and an impressive collection of spirits, from Rose to Grand Reserve Brut.
40. Essie Spice
Founder: Essie Bartels
Inspired by her travels around the globe and the spicy meals prepared in her mom's kitchen in Ghana, Bartels experimented with different seasonings and decided to started her own spice company. It offers bold and unique blends that you won't find anywhere else, taking influences from Asia, the Caribbean, South America and Europe.
41. J.I.V.E. Juice
Founder: Tamala Austin
Austin, an author and certified health coach, started this brand to help others achieve their wellness goals. And now, J.I.V.E (short for Juicing Is Very Essential) will go down in history as the first Black-owned juice company to be placed in Whole Foods stores. The company offers fresh, cold-pressed juices and smoothies, as well as cleansing packs designed to help with weight loss and detoxing.
42. Oh-Mazing!
Founder: Stephanie Williams
Finding a tasty snack that's both delicious and healthy can be a challenge—but Oh-Mazing! is here to help. Whether you need a quick energy boost during a long work day or a snack to keep you fueled during your next hike, this brand offers a tasty selection of nutritious granola packs. Flavors range from Cranberry Orange to Lemon Bar.
43. Boss Blend Coffee
Founder: Kalisha Carmichael
Driven by her desire to see more diversity in the coffee industry, Carmichael set out to create a safe space for coffee lovers in the Black community. If you're ever in New Jersey, you can visit the cozy cafe, which hosts Open Mic Nights on every first Thursday of the month. But as an added bonus, you can also enjoy their flavorful coffee products from the comfort of your home by ordering online.
44. Southern Roots Vegan Bakery
Founders: Cara and Marcus Pitts
After her husband switched to a plant-based diet, Cara, who also worked as a full-time caregiver for her grandmother, embarked on a mission to create tasty vegan meals. Through trial and error, she perfected her plant-based donuts, and it eventually led to the launch of her online bakery, which now offers cake donuts, cookies, brownies and more. (Psst, the brand got featured on Tabitha Brown's Very Good Mondays, so don't just take our word for it.)
Shop Southern Roots Vegan Bakery
45. Marjorie's Beef Jerky
Founder: Michelle Timberlake
Founded in 1991, Marjorie's Beef Jerky still stands as the first (and only) Black woman-owned jerky company in the United States. But don't expect your typical, run-of-the-mill store-bought jerky. Timberlake takes these snacks to another level by pairing high-quality meat with impressive flavors, like Orange Teriyaki and Cracked Pepper.
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