A third-generation coffee farmer from Kenya, Margaret Nyamumbo grew up in Kisii, a region of Kenya that’s renowned for producing some of the world’s finest coffee. She founded Kahawa 1893 with a twofold mission: to share African coffee with the world and to advocate for gender equality in the region’s coffee industry. In Kisii, women perform 90% of the farm labor but own less than 1% of the land.

When 4-year-old Mikaila Ulmer got stung by a bee twice in one week, she set out to conquer her fear of the buzzing insects by learning all she could about them. Soon, she became fascinated by bees and the role they play in our ecosystem. When her parents encouraged her to create a product to showcase at local youth entrepreneurial events, she decided to add a buzzy twist to her great-grandmother’s flaxseed lemonade recipe, adding honey instead of just sugar. More than 10 years later, her Me & the Bees ready-to-drink lemonades come in five flavors, and a percentage of the profits goes to local and international organizations working to protect honeybees.

In West Africa, “ayo” means joy. It’s a fitting name for the company created by husband-and-wife team Fred and Perteet Spencer, who’ve found joy in bringing the cuisine of Perteet’s childhood to people around the world. After noticing a lack of representation of African foods in grocery store aisles, the Spencers launched Ayo Foods with frozen meals that make it easy to create traditional West African dishes like Jollof Rice, Chicken Yassa and more. The Spencers also believe in giving back to the communities that inspire their products. Through a partnership with Girl Power Africa, Ayo is helping create income opportunities for women and children who’ve been impacted by civil war and Ebola.

It’s been more than 10 years since three friends started mixing up bitters in Mason jars in their Brooklyn apartment. Today, CEO Jomaree Pinkard, COO Tobin Ludwig and CMO Eddie Simeon lead the first BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color)-founded American beverage brand to be available in all 50 states. Hella Cocktail Co.’s botanically inspired mixers and beverages are sold or used in more than 20,000 stores, bars, hotels and restaurants. With hopes for an inclusive community where all can feel invited to gather around the table, the company is on a mission is to bring cocktail culture to everyone with its bold portfolio of daring flavors.

When Julia Collins found out that she was going to become a mom, she had a nagging thought that she just couldn’t shake: “How can I create a better world for my tiny human?” The answer to this question has been the catalyst for her quest to create the world’s first climatefriendly snack brand, Moonshot. Moonshot is on a mission to tackle climate change through the power of food, starting with their crazy delicious climate-friendly crackers. Made with organic, high-quality ingredients traceable back to the farmer and field, Moonshot crackers are not only plant-based, they are certified carbon neutral!

Sourced, bottled and proudly made in the USA, Dr. Alkaline is premium beverage company producing naturally alkaline water. The team behind this Service-Disabled Veteran & Minority-owned company is on a mission to “hydrate and educate.” Co-owners Rodney Creer, a retired U.S. Navy Veteran, and Dr. Chayla Creer, a physical therapist, both say they’ve seen the health benefits of this naturally mineralized water. It contains zero chemicals or additives and can help flush out toxins to keep you healthy. The Dr. Alkaline team understands the wealth of health and has a desire to share that with others on a global scale with their crisp, refreshing, and beneficial water.

While brother-and-sister team Jeff and Jen Martin were packing up for a move back in 2012, they made a delicious discovery. A bag of tiny heirloom popcorn kernels from the Chicago health food store where Jen worked was the only food left in the empty apartment, so the two popped them. They were so impressed that they tracked down the Indiana farmer who grew it from his family’s heirloom seed stock. Then, along with Jeff’s wife, Teresa, they created Pipcorn. Since then, their popcorn has been endorsed by Oprah Winfrey and the investors on Shark Tank. Today, they also make cheese balls with their signature heirloom corn.

When her daughter was diagnosed with several food allergies, Denise Woodard couldn’t find healthier snacks that were safe and delicious, so she left her corporate job and set out to make her own. Passionate about getting safe food into the hands of food insecure families, Denise partners with organizations like No Kid Hungry to provide access to the food, education and advocacy these families deserve. As a Black female CEO, Denise is passionate about raising awareness of Black and female entrepreneurship and increasing opportunities for underrepresented people seeking careers in the food and beverage industry.

A Dozen Cousins offers a line of ready-to-eat products inspired by traditional Creole, Caribbean and Latin American recipes. Founded by Ibraheem Basir, A Dozen Cousins believes in the power of culture to make life richer and bring people together. The brand’s authentic global recipes are a tribute to Ibraheem’s experience growing up in Brooklyn and exposure to a melting pot of his mother’s native southern cooking and the rich flavors from his Caribbean and Latin American neighbors. The brand is named after Basir’s daughter and her 11 cousins and celebrates the large family dinners they share together. Reflective of the brand’s mission, 100% of A Dozen Cousins team comes from either a minority or multiethnic background.

Yolélé is a term of exuberance in the Fulani language, shouted out to get parties started and people dancing. With that same enthusiasm, Yolélé was founded by award-winning chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, activist and global ambassador for African cuisine and culture, Senegalese chef Pierre Thiam. Sharing culture through food has always been his driving passion. He started Yolélé with the purpose of creating economic opportunity for smallholder farming communities, to support their regenerative, biodiverse, and climatesmart agricultural systems and to share Africa’s vibrant foodways with the world. Yolélé’s microwavable Fonio, the ancient West African grain, is light and fluffy, nutrient-dense, and ready in just 5 minutes.

Pennie’s Tea infuses high-quality cold brewed tea with robust flavors to create a unique tasting experience. The brand has a supportive following and energetic founder and tea sommelier who carefully chooses each tea. Pennie Crockett, an educator, entrepreneur, a tea sommelier and health professional with a master’s degree in Health doesn’t mind sharing the secrets of better health and vitality. As a survivor of domestic violence, Pennie needed to rebuild her confidence and independence. Her experiences fueled a passion for helping other survivors of domestic violence, and she now donates a percentage of all proceeds to the safety and education of women who are also victims of domestic abuse.

Founded by Arsha Jones and her late husband Charles in 2011, Capital City, LLC is a minority, family-owned company based in the Maryland suburbs. Arsha was born and raised in Washington, D.C., and began to miss this sauce she grew up with when she moved to the suburbs and wanted to give her family a real taste of D.C. She regularly made Mambo Sauce in her kitchen for her boys and decided that it was good enough to market and sell. Mambo Sauce is a sweet, sticky and tangy chicken wing condiment created and offered only in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Arsha has grown the home-based business into a successful company, providing a beloved product from her childhood to people around the world.