For Black History Month “do something… do a little research. No matter what field you’re in, you’ll find there have been Black contributions across the board,” Top Chef alumna and restaurateur Tiffany Derry, told The Food Institute in a recent interview.
“The more you see, the more you realize how important Black History Month is for everyone.”
Black History Month is the perfect time to acknowledge the history of the African diaspora in America while learning about how Black creatives and entrepreneurs today are paving the way in their respective industries. The food and beverage sector is filled with many such inspirations.
FI recently spoke with Derry and two additional African-American leaders – Christian Sargent Westbrook, founder of Vicky Cakes, and Dixie Grace Jackson, founder of Dixie Grace Boiled Peanuts – about their experiences in food and beverage while discussing advice for industry chefs, makers, and other stakeholders to celebrate and promote diversity.
Start Small, Tap Your Community
Each of the aforementioned business leaders relished the community-driven aspects of starting small and owning one’s own production process.
Jackson noted how effectively starting her brand within her local farmer’s market community empowered her to take the brand to the CPG space. Boiled peanuts are a southern snack with African roots but can be found as street food in numerous countries around the world including India, China, and Vietnam, something she didn’t know until she started showing her product.
“At a farmer’s market you have the opportunity to facilitate trial and to educate in a relaxed environment. Customers have access to the brand and can ask questions,” she said. Jackson noted how this also helped her understand her product better, and, using immediate feedback from customers, could efficiently change the recipe to appeal to her target audience.
“I encourage any new creator in this space to “show up” to farmer’s markets. You’ll have the support of other vendors,” she said.
Derry, similarly, noted that community support was a crucial part of her success story. A local event, Salamander Hotel’s The Family Reunion, brought together stories and advice from Black-owned business owners across the country. She recommended Black creatives find similar opportunities to network and learn.
The celebrity chef charted the path to open her dream restaurant, Roots Southern Table, by launching Duck Fat Fried Chicken restaurant Roots Chicken Shak on the way, which helped fund the venture. Roots’ menu is divided into traditional southern dishes that endeavor to authentically translate culture-rich offerings, and a chef-inspired menu that offers modern takes on locally-sourced ingredients.
She explained how the restaurant growth model helped her to continue to control her business, as investors often buy into percentages of the company and end up becoming involved in purchasing decisions despite often lacking restaurant experience.
“We have to stop putting ourselves in debt before we even open the restaurant,” she advised. For chefs, smaller locations and additional revenue sources could provide the boon to more sustainably fund a larger, dream venture.
On the growth front, Westbrook noted that, although opportunities for national distribution are great, she explained that it was important for Vicky Cakes to control its production and scale authentically. As such, the brand opts to be in fewer retailers so that it can also support its e-commerce operations and express the brand creatively.
To celebrate Black History Month, Vicky Cakes launched limited-time packaging that features a “Mount Rushmore”-esque design with prominent Black historical figures featured.
Stakeholder Collaboration
When asked about how the industry supports diverse makers, Jackson remarked on how strides have been made to increase access to globally inspired products. She encouraged the industry to stay curious and to continue to make room for the beauty of others.
Westbrook, similarly, acknowledges how the industry has gradually grown to embrace diverse-owned products; however, she challenged retailers to provide more resources to emerging and diverse brands.
“You’re bringing me in on a special list, great, then give me some diverse resources. Give me some support to actually get competitive,” she said, noting how a challenger brand may be expected to hit performance measures akin to national brands, but without the support system to compete.
Westbrook explained that H-E-B has been a powerful brand for her company to work with, explaining how a commercial the two partnered on led to mutual success. Because H-E-B covered the ad spend, it showed they were willing to invest in Vicky Cakes to see the return they expected from the brand.
“Sometimes it’s difficult to show representation in retail spaces; [however,] when you own the processes and can exist in different sales channels (DTC, B2B, etc.) we can more easily speak to who we are and what we represent,” Westbrook explained.
The Food Institute Podcast
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