Shop These Black Owned Brands at Weaver Street Market
As boycotts of Target, Amazon and WalMart continue, more people are turning to food co-ops like Weaver Street Market for groceries.
Food cooperatives are owned by the community. This means that members have a say in the direction of the business and they are less susceptible to the whims of privately owned grocery stores.
Although Weaver Street Market is not Black owned, they carry several Black owned products.
Want to know how to get your product into grocery stores? Start with a food co-op like Weaver Street Market
As a food founder, how long have you been working towards getting your products into your dream retailer?
Many food entrepreneurs cannot wait to get their products into big box stores like Whole Foods, Kroger and HEB.
Ashley Kirk of Planted Foods Co has talked extensively about the importance of networking with decision makers to get your food on store shelves.
And about how costly this can be for you and your business.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or GoodPods.
All of these things still matter when you approach local food cooperatives, but some of the advantages are:
- Food co-ops are invested in their community because the community invested in them. Money flows within the community instead of leaving to other states or countries.
- Many of their products are locally made and use local ingredients, so food companies that are close by can sometimes get priority over out-of-state brands.
- Less corporate red tape and it’s easier to build relationships with the general manager and other store staff.
Black owned brands at Weaver Street Market
1. Queen’s Jollof Sauce
West African-inspired seasonings and sauces including jollof sauce, chili oil and honey jerk BBQ sauce. Founded by Abena Antwi. She is often a vendor at the Cary Farmer’s Market and the Black Farmer’s Market at both the Durham and Raleigh locations.
Front & back of Queen’s Jollof Sauce jar
2. Bingo Bango Soda
Artisanal craft fruit soda based in Winston-Salem, NC and founded by Michael Robinson II. They are also vendors at the Black Farmer’s Market Raleigh location and the Midtown Farmer’s Market, also in Raleigh, NC.
Bingo Bango Soda flavors: Strawberry Lemonade and Passion Berry
3. AJ’s Cheesecake
Durham-based bakery with a focus on cheesecake and youth baking classes for beginners. They are most known for their strawberry crunch cheesecake but also have flavors such as sweet potato pie, Snickers and blueberry. Vegan options are available. AJ’s also has a location in Greensboro, NC.
AJ’s Cheesecakes Vegan Plain.
4. Eli’s Lemonade
Father and son duo based in Charlotte, NC, who crafted a lemonade that strikes the right balance between sweet and tart. LaMor and Eli Leach started with a lemonade stand at the now closed NoDa Farmer’s Market. Flavors include peach tea, cotton candy and strawberry. There are also reduced sugar options.
Eli’s Lemonade Original Gourmet and Strawberry flavors
5. Yolélé Foods
West African foods like fonio pilaf and chips founded by Senegalese chef Pierre Thiam. Fonio is a versatile and nutrient-dense grain that has been grown across several African countries for more than 5,000 years. This company is committed to sustainability and economic development by working with smallholder farmers.
Yolélé Foods fonio: Jollof Tomato, Onion & Garlic then Yassa! Onion Lime & Chili
6. A Dozen Cousins
Creole, Caribbean and Latin American inspired sauces, beans, bone broth rice and seasonings founded by Ibraheem Basir. A Dozen Cousins provides volunteer support and an annual grant to nonprofit organizations fighting health disparities in the U.S. Partnerships have included Instant Pot, Crocs, and Marvel’s Black Panther. Their products include coconut rice seasoning, Creole red beans and Mexican pollo asado seasoning.
A Dozen Cousins Trini Chickpea Curry
