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
Strafford Organic Creamery is a one-farm, one-family dairy in central Vermont. They milk 50 Guernsey cows 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 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. 

Bon AppéSweet
Bon AppéSweet makes dairy-free, plant-based chocolate. It began when Theresa Black, a military mom, was deployed and away from her daughter for an extended time. After that experience she knew she never wanted to do that again. And while she was gone, her daughter fell in love with dessert. So, she created desserts that were sweetened using fruit-based sweeteners, zero processed sugars, and zero sugar alcohols, and eventually, their date-sweetened chocolate bars were born. 

Theresa also believes strongly in justice for all and leverages her business to work for change in the areas of voting rights and criminal justice. 

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. 

Mocktail Club
Faced with limited non-alcoholic beverage options when she was expecting, founder Pauline IdoghoI came up with the concept of Mocktail Club. She developed rich and interesting flavors inspired by her global travel.  

These beverages are perfect for people who want a healthier lifestyle and alternative to alcohol but still want the kick with the added benefits of prebiotics and antioxidants.

They source their fruit juice from organic suppliers and use sustainable packaging. One percent of sales go to supporting clean water access globally. Look for it in the juice aisle.

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.  

Yolélé 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 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. 

• 67 Black-Owned Businesses You Can Support By Shopping Online
• 200 Black-owned businesses to support in 2021

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. Read more.

• 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.