In honor of Black History Month, we are celebrating the following black-owned businesses and encourage you to support them year-round.  

Strafford Organic Creamery 

The Strafford Organic Creamery is a one-farm, one-family dairy in central Vermont. They milk 50 Guernseys and market their amazing milk in glass bottles and super-premium ice cream. Certified organic in 1997 and bottling on their own since 2001, Strafford Organic Creamery is committed to sustainable agriculture and dairy without compromises. 

Earl Ransom grew up milking cows on this 600-acre farm. Earl is one of only three Black dairy farmers in the state of Vermont, according to the 2017 USDA Census data. He and his wife, Amy Huyffer, carry on his family’s tradition of managing the land organically, with no herbicides, pesticides, or chemical fertilizers.

Learn more by reading Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op’s vendor spotlight on Stafford Organic Creamery or by listening to VPR’s interview with Earl Ransom from 2020. 

Me & The Bees 

Mikaila Ulmer started Me & The Bees when she was four years old. Me & the Bees Lemonade is made with flaxseed and honey and originated with Mikaila’s great-granny Helen’s 1940s-era cookbook. A portion of all profits goes to organizations working hard to help honeybees. 

As the founder and CEO of Me & the Bees and the author of the bestselling book Bee Fearless: Dream Like a Kid, Mikaila keeps the company’s mission of helping save and protect the bees at the forefront while inspiring the next generation of changemakers with her story.  

Element Snacks
Founders Nadia and Fred spent their childhoods enjoying rich and luxurious European chocolates. Many years later, in New York City, they combined the incredible flavors of their youth with their passion for healthy living — and Element Snacks was born. 

“Feel Good Indulgence™” is the core of their mission, and they are determined to create unique and irresistible low-sodium rice cake treats made from wholesome ingredients. All Element Snacks are Gluten Free, Non-GMO, All-Natural, and Kosher. Check out their recipe for Element Granola. 

Alaffia 

Alaffia is a fair trade hair, face, and body care organization that began in 2003 by founders Olowo-n’djo Tchala and Prairie Rose Hyde. The two met when during Rose’s service in the Peace Corps, she was stationed in Olowo-n’djo’s village of Kabole.  Headquartered in Olympia, Washington, Alaffia’s clean and safe products incorporate indigenous, nutrient-rich ingredients handcrafted at six women’s cooperatives in Togo and Ghana. 

A percentage of each product sale contributes to their Empowerment Projects in West Africa, addressing vital areas for the self-empowerment of the people of West Africa—maternal care, education, reforestation, and eyeglasses. Decorated with many certifications and awards, they are a model for sustainable businesses worldwide. Watch The Alaffia story. 

Hella Cocktails 

Since 2012, the folks at Hella Cocktails have blended their passion for celebration and diversity into a brand rooted in culture and place. Always focused on high-quality ingredients, they aim to elevate the cocktail experience for everyone – those indulging in alcohol and those who choose not to. As a certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), they are leaders in both product quality and inclusivity.  

Hillside Harvest hot sauce

Founder Kamaal Jarrett loved cooking from a young age. Born in Jamaica and later moving with his family to Milton, Massachusetts, he’s always enjoyed experimenting with traditional American and authentic Jamaican dishes. He learned skills while spending time with his Aunt Elaine in her Carribean bakery and restaurant and put those to use, developing hot sauces and marinades with simple ingredients and dynamic flavors. Learn more about his process and products.

Global Village Foods

At Global Village Foods, they believe everyone should eat well and without worry. Damaris and Mel met in Kenya and began exploring one another’s food culture. After settling in Vermont and realizing their child had severe food allergies, they made allergy-friendly food with clean ingredients and bold African flavors. They are happy to share the warmth and comfort of their freshly made dishes with you. You can find their samosas in our grab-and-go deli case.  

Pipcorn Heirloom Snacks 

The idea for Pipcorn Heirloom Snacks came in 2011 when siblings Jen and Jeff found a bag of heirloom popcorn in the back of Jen’s cupboard as she was moving between apartments. In need of a snack, they popped it up and were impressed with the flavor and crunch in these little kernels. Beginning with hand-stamped popcorn bags at farmers’ markets, they have evolved to reinvent their favorite childhood snacks using heirloom corn. With help from family, friends, Oprah, and Shark Tank, they now make snacks such as cheese balls and dippable corn chips. To stay true to the values behind heirloom corn, they keep their ingredients simple, using non-GMO sunflower oil, organic cheese, and no artificial anything.

Yolele Foods

Yolélé was founded in 2017 by Pierre Thiam and Philip Teverow. Their goal is revolutionary: to create economic opportunity for smallholder farming communities; to support their biodiverse, regenerative, and climate-resilient farming systems; and to share Africa’s ingredients and flavors with the world. They do this by supporting small farmers in Africa so they can continue growing traditional, climate-resistant foods. This includes processing and distribution support to help broaden the market for these products. This allows many people, primarily women, to make a good living and achieve food sovereignty. Look for their fonio in our international aisle. 

Longevity Wines

Longevity Wines is a family-owned, urban winery in the Livermore Valley of northern California. Started by Phil and Debra Long, the name is a pun on their last name and a testament to the enduring love they shared. Their son Phil Long, Jr. Works alongside his father to produce approximately 3,500 cases of wine each year. They are a Certified Minority Owned Business through the National Minority Supplier Development Council, and Phil Long (winemaker/owner) is the president of the Association of African-American Vintners. He is devoted to elevating awareness of African Americans in the wine industry and paving paths to wine careers for all minorities.   

McBride Sisters Wine Company

McBride Sisters Wine Company is the largest black-owned winery in the United States. They hold a clear focus on being inclusive, accessible, socially aware, and sustainable. Sisters Andrea and Robin share a love of all things wine and have been shaking up the industry since 2005. Our co-op carries their Sauvignon Blanc bottle and the She Can Fresh White. The She Can series is particularly inspiring because a portion of all proceeds go to their She Can Fund, which is dedicated to closing the gender and race gap in male-dominated fields by providing support to emerging women leaders. 

In addition to these brands we carry at the Co-op, here are some links to get you started finding all manner of things made by Black producers. 

The Vermont Professionals of Color Network

67 Black-Owned Businesses You Can Support By Shopping Online

150 Black-owned businesses to support in 2023

Additional Reading for Black History Month 

The African American Heritage Trail is a continuous effort to recognize, document, and share the important Vermont sites touched by inspiring Black Americans and those who fought for the abolishment of slavery and the establishment of civil rights. Read more.

Our sister food co-op, Davis Food Co-op, has a Black History Month blog recognizing the contributions that Black Americans have had on our food system throughout history.

The long tradition of African American cooperation is not well known and, in her book, Collective Courage: A History of African American Cooperative Economic Thought and Practice, Dr. Jessica Gordon Nembhard sets out to remedy that gap in our knowledge. From mutual aid societies to independent fugitive communities and from farmer cooperatives to consumer co-ops, Professor Gordon Nembhard details how people work together in the face of racism and active sabotage to improve each other’s lives in tangible ways. Cooperation has proved a powerful tool against discrimination. Read more.