Amidst the momentum in the Black Lives Matter movement, you may be wondering how best to support your fellow Black Americans in standing up against systemic racism. Speaking out, acting with your wallet, voting, staying informed, listening, seizing opportunities to take action – these are all good places to start.
Here at The Food Corridor, we recognize that systemic racism doesn’t take a sideline in the world of food entrepreneurship. People of color are underrepresented when it comes to business ownership, including startup food business ownership. This is largely due to disparities accessing capital and a smaller financial buffer due to the racial wealth gap. Add the challenges from COVID-19, and these disparities have contributed to a significantly higher percentage of Black-owned businesses closing their doors.
The good news is, several Black-owned food businesses continue to produce out of shared-use kitchens on The Food Corridor. We highlighted a handful of these businesses below from our kitchen network. Get to know them and support them with your buying power today and every day.
Order your new favorite product below!
*Disclaimer: please recognize that many of the startup food businesses below may experience increased demand from this post. Your patience regarding product stocking and shipping time is appreciated.
The Plain Ole Salsa Company
While founder Myron Callier claims to make plain ole salsa in Plano, Texas, his award-winning salsas are far from plain. The Plain Ole Salsa Company sources fresh ingredients from local farmers to produce unique salsas that are low in sodium, low in sugar, and packed with flavor. To do this, they use lightly smoked and roasted produce, mixed with fresh spice blends and natural juices. Their Zestfest award winning Smoke salsa is made with tomatoes smoked in applewood and vegetables smoked in cherrywood. No liquid smoke in this salsa! Purchase Smoke and other flavors for your next at-home happy hour.
Steamin’ Steve’s BBQ
Steamin’ Steve’s BBQ is a family-owned and operated company from Alcoa, Tennessee that offers small-batched barbecue sauces, rubs, and seasonings. Steve started the business when his catering customers wouldn’t stop asking for mason jars of his barbecue sauce. Now, they sell two rubs (more coming soon!) and three sauces, including their award-winning Sweet Heat ‘Hot’ flavor. Customers rave about this flavor, especially, saying “I’ve never had another BBQ sauce like it” and “you’ll definitely need at least 3 bottles because 1 is not enough.” Grab some for your summer barbecues or use in these creative recipes.,
Sweets in a Jar
Sweets in a Jar is a subscription dessert company featuring culinary creations from the mind of founder Kolby McNeal. The desserts are the perfect marriage of homemade cake flavors with a hip hop flair. Their staple cakes include Krim & Kreme (red velvet), The Real MVP (white chocolate), The Middle Child (7-Up lemon pound cake), Thrilla in Vanilla (vanilla), That Pretty Girl (strawberry), Bae’s Lemonade (strawberry lemon), The Plex (cookies ‘n’ creme), and Honeybun Kane (honeybun).
Sweets in a Jar believes that “as you eat good, you can do good.” They donate $1 from every subscription box to historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Additionally, all proceeds of Honeybun Kane go to support those with epilepsy. Feel good about treating yourself to a subscription, and look forward to that little indulgence every month.
Oatmeal & Company
Oatmeal & Company is not your basic oatmeal. Founder, Darian Washington, has disrupted boring bowls of oatmeal and replaced morning routines with thoughtfully curated blends of fruit, organic oats, and high-quality spices. Try flavors like bananas foster, lemon lavender, smoked peach bourbon, and blueberry cardamom.
Based in Austin, Texas, Oatmeal & Company was created from a place of love; the love a mother has for her only child. Her artisanal oatmeal will surely convert the pickiest of eaters into oatmeal lovers. Get the goods. #Dopemeal #NotYourBasicOatmeal
FH Jerk
“Cooking feeds my soul and makes me feel alive!” – the words of mastermind chef, Whit DuBois Gardner of FH Jerk. FH Jerk creates tasty jerk kitchen meals, sauces, and marinades. If you’re local to Chicago, order FH Jerk’s Home Cooked | Ready-to-Heat jerk kitchen meals for delivery. If you’re elsewhere, bring the delicious flavor of the Caribbean to your own home cooking. Their original jerk sauce, no bullsh*t combo, and signature marinade are all natural and made with no preservatives. Sauces and marinades are available for online purchase starting Juneteenth. Order yours before the weekend.
Flavor by Faith
Flavor by Faith is a healthy-eating lifestyle company based in Indianapolis, Indiana, founded by Faith Jackson. Jackson aims to get more people celebrating the elegance of healthy dining wholesomely, with lots of colors and garden fresh flavors. They do this through customized meal planning and also sell a few of their signature products online. Check out their looseleaf garden honey tea, garden zing sauce, seasoning, and a garden herb rub. Get some for your next date night.
Lush Popcorn
Lush Popcorn is a Milwaukee based gourmet popcorn company, founded by Marcia and Marc Taylor. They started their business with a decadent white chocolate popcorn. Since then, they have expanded to offer other infused creations inspired by the “lush” culture and brewer history of Milwaukee.
Lush partners with local farms to produce fresh, farm-to-bag gourmet popcorn with bold and unique flavor combinations. Check out their maple bourbon pecan, Wisconsin cheddar, and Milwaukee mix – an irresistible combination of sweet maple bourbon with savory chipotle cheddar. They use the best local ingredients to entice your taste buds and bring fun and togetherness through America’s favorite snack. This Lush, hand-crafted and small-batch popcorn is not your Grandpa’s Popcorn – but it should be! Order some for your next Netflix binge.
Comfort Foods
Comfort Foods brings a flair of authentic African and Caribbean flavors to your cooking with their Royal Red Stew African sauce. Based out of Tennessee, founder Helen Okpokowuruk creates 4 ready-to-eat flavors: Original Mild, Spicy Hot, Curry Flavor, and Extra-Extra Hot. Her sauces are made from all-natural tomatoes, onions, and spices, with no MSG or added sugars.
Eat it with rice, potatoes, beans, baked meat and fish, fufu, pasta, banku, kenkey, plantain, vegetables, and so much more. Check out mouth-watering recipes and order some for your next home-cooked meal.
Keep checking back for additional Black-owned food businesses you can support!
