The Black-Owned Foodie Brands That Everyone Needs to Try at Least Once

The arrival of February means it's Black History Month, and one of the best ways to honor the triumphs and trials of the Black community is by supporting Black-owned businesses.

And if you're a foodie, you're in for a treat, because today we've gathered a list of the delicious Black-owned food and drink brands you have to try at least once. But believe us—once you fall in love with these brands, you'll be enjoying them way beyond the month of February.

Big Shake's Hot Chicken & Fish

Shawn Davis, aka Chef Big Shake, started working in a professional kitchen at the age of 12, and today, his Shark Tank-approved recipes can be tasted at his restaurants across Tennessee, Alabama and Florida. Even better, his meals, from Nashville hot family meals to Hot Mess sandwich kits and hot chicken and waffles are available to purchase online and ship nationwide. You really have to taste them to believe them.

(via Big Shake's Hot Chicken & Fish)

 

CariBBrew

According to the team at Caribbrew, coffee has long been the backbone of the agricultural economy in Haiti, and the company aims to revive the nation's coffee industry after a number of natural disasters slowed it down. They support local growers in Haiti with their hand-picked, impact-minded premium Arabica beans, selling delicious and unique coffee blends, as well as skincare products that use organic Haitian coffee as their main ingredient. Actress Gabrielle Union is obsessed, and you should be, too!

(via CariBBrew)

 

Creamalicious

Founded by Chef Liz Rogers, Creamlicious's unique ice creams combine four generations of family recipes into southern-inspired desserts that pair fresh-baked pastries and premium ice cream. The result is unbelievable flavors, including Granma Gigi's Sweet Potato Pie, Thick as Thieves Pecan Pie and Uncle Charles Brown Suga Bourbon Cake, just to name a few. It's the only African American-owned national ice cream brand in mass production, and it's absolutely worth a try—especially if you've been craving a taste of the south.

(via Creamalicious)

 

EatOkra

EatOkra technically isn't a food brand of its own, but an innovative app that allows users to discover the best local Black-owned restaurants, eateries and food trucks. Founded by couple Anthony and Janique Edwards, the app has more than 350,000 users (and growing) who've played their part in discovering and supporting the most delicious Black-owned restaurants around the country. We recommend downloading the app and finding out what mouth-watering delights await you right around the corner!

(via EatOkra)

 

Everyday People Coffee & Tea

Washington, D.C.-based Everyday People Coffee & Tea is a Black- and woman-owned company that's all about eco-friendly and sustainable practices and ensuring their farmers are being paid equitable wages. They also give a portion of their sales to orgs involving youth education and nature conservation, and their attention to detail shines through in their single-origin coffees and uniquely flavored loose leaf teas.

(via Everyday People Coffee & Tea)

 

Everything Legendary

The folks on Shark Tark are pretty discerning, so when we heard that they loved Everything Legendary's plant-based burgers, we knew they had to be good. The brand was co-founded by Duane Cheers, who set out to make a healthier plant-based burger for his mom, who has lupus. The result is a tasty plant burger that actually tastes and feels like a burger, but isn't as bad for you as the fast-food variety.

(via Everything Legendary)

 

Hot N Saucy

Created by chef Sam Davis-Allonce, Hot N Saucy's hot sauces are anything but traditional—and her unique flavors are apparent just by looking at the bottles. With her bold magenta Beet N Fresno sauce to the jet-black Black Garlic N Peri Peri to the green Collards N Ghost and Garlic N Peperoncini sauces and the vibrant yellow Sweet Potato N Habanero, these clearly aren't your mom's sauces, and each one is more flavorful than the last.

(via Hot N Saucy)

 

Kahawa 1893

Kahawa 1893 has quite the powerful story, with founder Margaret Nyamumbo's grandfather getting his hand on some coffee seedlings and starting his own farm in Kenya all the way back in 1893. After studying abroad in the U.S., Margaret returned to Kenya with a mission of ensuring that the women who provided 90% of labor on coffee farms were rewarded fairly for their work. The result is coffee beans that don't just produce delicious coffee, but also give back directly to farmers in Kenya and Rwanda, empowering them to live better lives.

(via Kahawa 1893)

 

Lefty's Spices

Lefty's Barbecue has been considered a Charles County, Maryland staple since it opened in 1989, founded by Georgia-born chef Walter "Lefty" Nash, Sr. While not all of us are lucky enough to live in the area to try his authentic barbecue dishes, we can buy his barbecue sauces and fish 'n chicken mix online, so we can enjoy that fantastic flavor anywhere in the country.

(via Lefty's Spices)

 

Manna Juice Bar

Manna Juice Bar is a Black-owned juicery owned by couple Dominick and Kristi Andrew, an athlete and a pharmacist, who brought their collective know-how together to create drinks for balanced lifestyles. Their cold-pressed juices aren't just packed with awesome nutrients, but also as delicious and satisfying as they are good for you.

(via Manna Juice Bar)

 

Midunu Chocolates

Crafted by chef Selassie Atadika, Midunu chocolates are made using Ghanaian cocoa and are designed to reflect the unique flavors and cultures of Africa. The brand's hand-crafted chocolate truffles include everything from seasonal teas to complex spice blends from all over the continent. Despite being the world's biggest cacao-producing region, West Africa has very little chocolate actually produced there, and Midunu's tasty chocolates buck that trend in an important way.

(via Midunu Chocolates)

 

Moonshot Snacks

We're always on the lookout for better ways to snack, and Moonshot was developed fully around that idea. When founder Julia Collins found out she was going to be a mom, she set out to create better snacks for her kid, not just in terms of flavor and ingredients, but also the impact on the environment. Moonshot makes crackers in Sourdough Sea Salt, Rosemary Garlic and Tomato Basil flavors, and in addition to each being a yummy, dippable cracker, each one is also climate-friendly, from the ingredients to the manufacturing and packaging processes. They're snacks you can feel really good about eating.

(via Moonshot Snacks)

 

Philip Ashley Chocolates

Founded by chocolatier Phillip Ashley Rix, nicknamed the Real-Life Willy Wonka of Chocolate, Philip Ashley Chocolates makes everything from tried and true classics to innovative truffles like you've never seen. His signature truffle collection, for example, features truffles with flavors including blue cheese, Thai curry, sweet potato and Caribbean hot sauce, in addition to more traditional sweet flavors. Believe us when we say they're all scrumptious.

(via Philip Ashley Chocolates)

Sip N' Slay Tea

Sip N' Slay Tea is a brand founded by Classye James with not just great taste, but also self-care in mind when it comes to their unique and flavorful tea blends. Their Lady Business herbal tea is formulated specifically to ease painful period cramps, as well as reduce bloating and aid indigestion, while their other healthy teas include blends for Beauty Rest, Positive Vibes and EncourageMint. We love Sip N' Slay's ethos and flavors and know you will, too.

(via Sup N' Slay Tea)

 

Looking for further snack suggestions? Click HERE to check out all of the super tasty foods and drinks getting us through the new year.