People of color who want to start a business often face unique challenges, especially within the food space. The specific reasons why vary based on the community in question. When it comes to Black people, for instance, decades of systemic racism have made it incredibly difficult to build up the type of personal or generational wealth that can be so helpful when starting a business. Plenty of research suggests that having less money is associated with a lower likelihood of starting a business, partly because it’s easier to start a business when you have savings, and also because a larger amount of personal wealth helps you get bigger loans and negotiate better credit terms. Instead, Black entrepreneurs are more likely to rely on credit cards than business owners of any other race, which can make it tough to keep a business afloat year after year. COVID-19 has complicated things even more as service industries, including food services, are at a higher risk for disruption and these industries also have the highest share of POC-owned small businesses.
Continuously investing our dollars into POC-owned companies is vital to their survival and success. One great way to do that is by buying cooking products and ingredients. As devastating as COVID-19 has been, many of us have been spending more time in the kitchen. In case you want to support POC-owned businesses and up your cooking game with quality products at the same damn time, below is a roundup of 19 POC-owned businesses that sell incredible spices, sauces, and condiments. Instead of making a one-time purchase, consider regularly stocking your pantry with these items. Also keep in mind that due to the increased demand of Black-owned products in particular, some of these items may be sold out, on pre-order, or have delayed shipping. Please be considerate and patient when placing your orders, since businesses are trying to meet this increase in demand.
