This month we’re diving into the diversity of local vendors who bring us and their communities their best. We love supporting these minority artisans and helping their dreams go major!
Pittsburgh PowerBites!
Creativity and community are themes that have threaded through Sharif Rasheed’s life and career. When he founded Safi Health, he was constantly seeking a healthy snack his son Malcolm (who was teething) would like. Sharif tried his hand at creating a soft granola bar with healthy ingredients that would actually taste good. Malcolm devoured them and PowerBites! was born.
Flavor is, of course, the cornerstone of PowerBites! popularity: all about balancing the blending of Fair Trade dark chocolate, dates, maple syrup, cacao, oats, almonds, sea salt and almond butter. Consistency comes from never cutting corners or sacrificing flavor for speed. Reasonable sized batches with high-quality ingredients keep every bite as good as the last.
Not only is PowerBites! one of Pittsburgh’s successful black-owned businesses, but they donate a percentage of all sales to good causes, beginning with public school teachers. They call it #snacktivism!” Look for PowerBites! in popular Almond Butter Crunch and Salted Peanut Butter Crunch varieties.
Cleveland’s Nine Spoons Soup
Women-owned Nine Spoons began around an old family recipe — grandma’s. Often, you don’t realize just how unique and special a dish is until you begin sharing it. Jen Ferone’s grandmother’s wedding soup was (and is) just that: a cherished family favorite made in grandma’s Cleveland home that came to be desired by everyone! Honed to nurture and delight a growing family, this classic is now available frozen, which keeps all of the fresh and savory flavor ready to thaw, heat and eat. Try her Minestrone, Tomato Bisque and Fire-Roasted Corn Chowder, too!
Homegrown Popcorn, Columbus, OH
Homegrown Popcorn is locally produced in Wadsworth, Ohio, close to the Akron/Cleveland area. Dedicated to Sam, founders Bob and Patty Walker’s late son, a portion of their profits go to the “Sam Walker Memorial Scholarship” to help a high school senior determined to pursue a career in Special Education. Homegrown is proud to employ from their local community, including those with special needs. Moreover, each and every product that comes Homegrown is produced in small batches using the finest ingredients. Their caramel and toffee is made from scratch using real butter. They use GMO-FREE corn and pop each kernel in coconut oil. Even the peanuts are caramelized in-house and distributed evenly with attention to detail. We are pleased to carry a number of their fine popcorn varieties, including Ballpark Caramel Corn & Nuts, Toffee Almond, Sea Salt Turtle Pecan, Buckeye Peanut Butter & Chocolate, Bear Claw, Chicago Blend, Beer Cheese & Bourbon and Dill Pickle. Go ahead, try to choose a favorite!
Revival Nut Butters, Columbus, OH
In 2014, Rachel Klein started making almond butter at her Indianapolis home for her family because she was so disappointed with what she could find at the stores — the nut butters were too sugary, too bland, and too full of preservatives and palm oil. She was getting married a few months later and decided it would be cute to make party favors out of her almond butter. No surprise, everybody loved them. Then, Rachel began selling her almond butters at the farmers market, just for fun. A few weeks in, she started receiving calls from retailers, and that’s when it clicked. Today, five years later, her almond butters can be found on nearly 1000 shelves nationwide! We’re glad to be included with Rachel’s Classic, Super Spread, Coco Love, Chai Time and Balance Blend Almond Butters!
