Your source for the most up-to-date information on emerging beverage trends.
INNOVATIONS FROM BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES
Recent events have made us recognize that more needs to be done to generate awareness and build knowledge about minorities affected by discrimination and injustice while promoting diversity, equality and inclusion. Diversity in the food and beverage industry is more than a collection of trends and product offerings. It’s also the diverse cultural backgrounds, experiences and personalities that inspire the people who create them. In this edition of #Trendspotting, we are highlighting innovations by black entrepreneurs that are making waves in the industry.
Nostalgia Re-imagined
Me & the Bees CEO is only 15 years old, but she’s been running her business while fighting to save honey bees since she was 4 years old. The brand offers honey-sweetened lemonade in flavors like original, mint, ginger and prickly pear. Other products include beeswax lip balm and plantable pencils made of a biodegradable seed bank that provides vital nectar for hungry bees.
Sanaia offers grown-up applesauce (but kids might enjoy it, too!). The founder grew up in the Bahamas and utilizes Caribbean-inspired flavors like guava, hibiscus and tamarind as well as botanical flavor profiles like lavender-pear and ginger.
Partake offers permissibly indulgent cookies in nostalgic flavors like chocolate chip, cookie butter, carrot cake and birthday cake. All of their products are free of nuts, eggs, dairy, soy and artificial ingredients so they are allergen and vegan-friendly.
Yummy Spoonfuls offers childhood favorites like pancakes, mac and cheese and chicken nuggets with a healthy twist. All of there products include fruits and/or veggies so kids (and adults) can get the nutrition they need in a familiar, enjoyable format.
Café Inspired
Kabaki is one of the first brands to offer purple tea, a lesser known varietal of tea that is suggested to have more polyphenols than green tea, in an RTD format. The brand uses fair trade purple tea from Kenya and donates a portion of sales to healthcare facilities that serve Kenyan farming communities.
Ellis Island Tea is made with a flavorful Jamaican blend of hibiscus, rose hips, mint and honey. The recipe was created by one of the most successful black caterers in the Bronx during the 1960s and was passed down to his granddaughter who launched the growing tea company.
Bright Land Coffee Co. utilizes beans from around the developing world. The company supplies cold brew coffee to local businesses as well as individual consumers. One of their newer products is a cold brew enhanced with 20mg of CBD that was manufactured by Mile High Labs in Colorado.
Chicago French Press isn’t your typical flavored coffee. It’s organic, single origin coffee that is flavored by hand. In addition to signature flavors like maple pecan, chocolate blueberry and coconut crème, the company offers seasonal flavors like piña colada and lemon bruleè. A portion of sales are also donated to various charitable programs.
Tea Squares are snack bars made with ingredients like green and black teas, coconut oil and ashwagandha for improved energy and focus. In addition to creating a sustainable snack, the brand launched a fellowship program that trains young adults from urban communities in business, marketing, and sales.
Holistic Wellness
Golde offers a variety of superfood-based latte mixes and beauty treatments. The brand has three varieties of turmeric lattes: golden milk, turmeric and matcha, and turmeric and cacao. The product is promoted as the ultimate superfood for skin and gut health along with other benefits like energy and emotional well-being.
The owners of Vegan Smart saw a pattern of diet-related illness and obesity affecting family members and took action by creating a nutritious, vegan meal replacement that is accessible to underserved communities. In addition to being sold in premium health food outlets, their products are available at many major grocers.
The founder of Jive Juice is a certified health coach that believes, “your health is your wealth.” The company sells cold pressed juices, smoothies, vitamins and supplements that are suggested to fight against various health problems such as being chronically tired, sluggish and depressed.
