Shopping Black-owned businesses is just one of the many ways you can support the Black community, today and every day. Here are a few that I’ve been obsessed with lately:
1. LoAdebar
These nut, seed, and dried fruit energy bars are actually perfect for everyone. They’re organic, non-GMO, vegan, *and* gluten free. Developed as a portable snack for cycling, each bar is loaded (pun intended) with protein and healthy fats.
2. Me & the Bees Lemonade
Founded by an entrepreneurial five-year-old girl, Me & the Bees Lemonade has been selling refreshing lemonade and donating profits to save the bees for ten years now. In addition to their classic lemonade, they have four more delicious flavors: Mint, Ginger, Iced Tea, and Prickly Pear.
3. Pipcorn
Made from heirloom corn, Pipcorn snacks are more nutritious than normal popcorn. Their crackers, popcorn, corn dippers, and cheese balls are full of fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins that you don’t get from your typical corn snacks. And I can say from personal experience, their cheese balls are 10/10.
4. Uncle Nearest
This award-winning, premium whiskey brand sources the best Tennessee whiskey and bourbons *and* uses unique aging and filtration techniques to make their elite drinks.
5. Tubby’s Taste
These vegan, organic, and nut-free cookies come in five fun flavors (and in the most adorable packaging): Coconut, Mango, & Lime, Dark Chocolate Chip & Sea Salt, Coconut, Oatmeal & Cinnamon, Oatmeal Rum Raisin, Ginger, Molasses & Cinnamon.
6. Love Cork Screw
These fun wines are more than just their adorable packaging. By sourcing grapes from a variety of vineyards, Love Cork Screw’s wines have a unique complexity of flavors. But obviously the packaging is too perfect not to take a photo for IG.
7. Trade St. Jam Co.
These low-sugar vegan jams are hand-made in small batches from natural ingredients. Their flavors are unlike any jams you’ve tried before: Blueberry Lemon Basil, Smoked Yellow Peach, Strawberry, Chipotle, & Fig, Sour Cherry Ginger, Blackberry Mulled Merlot, and more!
8. Southern Culture
Southern Culture is bringing your favorite Southern food right to your door. With products like fried chicken mix to ten different pancake and waffle mix flavors, you’ll never be stuck with bland food again.
9. Karibe
Looking for high-quality kitchen equipment? Karibe has you covered. From cast-iron skillets to spatulas, their cookware is versatile, long-lasting, and definitely worth the splurge.
10. McBride Sisters
Best known for their Black Girl Magic wine collection, the McBride Sisters have taken the world by storm with their wines, rosés, and spritzers. Their adorable packaging and unique flavors have made them the largest African-American owned wine company in the U.S.
11. Jones Bar-B-Q
This family business has been making their secret BBQ sauce recipe for over thirty years. Try their original Sweet & Tangy sauce or switch it up with their Coconut Pineapple sauce. Either sauce goes great with their BBQ rub. Trust me, you’ll be drooling over their BBQ sauces the second you try them.
12. Sanaía
This brand is completely reinventing applesauce—it’s no longer just a kid’s snack with one boring flavor. With exotic flavors like guava, hibiscus, lavender pear, ginger, tamarind, and blackberry, Sanaía has transformed applesauce into an organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, adult snack.
13. Iya Foods
Iya Foods is the health-food brand of your dreams. From their four gluten-free flours to their baking mixes, it has never been so easy to eat gluten-free or paleo. And with their ten whole food powder options, you’ll have no trouble getting your greens in.
14. Cookie Society
I don’t know about you, but a perfect cookie for me means a crispy on the outside and chewy in the middle. That’s exactly what Cookie Society is shipping out—chewy, crispy cookies in eight delicious flavors: Chocolate Chip, Salted Caramel, Cookie Butter, Strawberry Shortcake, Cookies & Cream, M&M, Oatmeal Raisin, and Banana Pudding.
15. Golde
Matcha lovers: this is for you. This wellness brand specializes in pure matcha and superfood latte blends. The turmeric, cacao turmeric, and matcha turmeric latte blends will have you glowing.
16. A Dozen Cousins
Not only is A Dozen Cousins serving up deliciously flavored beans that are non-GMO and rich in plant protein, but they are also working to get rid of socio-economic health disparities in the United States.
17. BLK & BOLD
With seven micro-roasted specialty coffee varieties and 13 loose leaf teas, this is a brand you will love for their quality products and their commitment to make a community impact. BLK & Bold pledges 5% of its profits to initiatives that support at-risk youth. We love to see it.
18. Symphony Chips
These vegan, gluten-free, MSG-free, all-natural chips will create a legit symphony in your mouth. Originally a spice company, Symphony Chips is the king of spice blends. Trust me, once you try these, you’ll never be the same.
When you try out any of these amazing brands, make sure to tag us @spoonuniversity on Instagram!