This Black History Month, Mission Kitchen is excited to shine a spotlight on some incredible Black-owned food brands that are not only crafting delicious and unique flavours but are also making a meaningful impact. To mark the occasion, we’ve curated special gift hampers that feature these talented entrepreneurs, each telling a story of culture, health, and innovation through their products.
Supported by Yelp, the project aims to showcase and celebrate Black entrepreneurial talent in the food sector, and has helped the founders of 10 up-and-coming brands get their products in front of hundreds of new customers across the country, generating more than £12,000 in sales for the businesses who have taken part.
Let’s meet some of the inspiring Mission Kitchen members that are bringing bold flavours and positive change to the table:
1. Sylt Pickling
Founded in 2021 by friends Temi Olugbenga and Ash Ringhus, Sylt Pickling is transforming the way we experience pickling at home. With a range of pickling juices, Sylt makes the process simple and accessible, allowing everyone to enjoy the art of pickling without the hassle. Their approach removes the tedious and messy steps, leaving you with a fun, creative experience.
“We’re looking to the past with preservation to create the future of food with pickling liquid”
Their standout products include:
- Dill & Mustard (Great Taste Award-Winning 2023): This little flavour is an all-time classic and homage to the greatest pickle of all. The godly gherkin *cue bow*. Expect a tangy twist on this familiar number.
- Scotch Bonnet & Lemon (Great Taste Award-Winning 2023): Delicious blend of eye watering chillies. It’s wonderfully hot and featured in this year's Black History Month gift hamper!
- Spiced Apple with Cinnamon & Cardamom (Great Taste Award-Winning 2023): A wholesome blend of delicately balanced woody cinnamon, spicy cardamom and sweet sweet apple.
2. Manna Eating
Vanessa, the founder of Manna Eating, spent over 25 years in the financial services industry before embarking on a journey to create something truly nourishing. Tired of processed snacks that lacked authenticity and health benefits, Vanessa decided to craft wholesome, plant-based snacks designed to fuel busy lives with real, raw ingredients. Manna is a labour of love that focuses on providing delicious, nutritious snacks that empower people to snack with intention.
Her standout products include:
- Beetroot Brownie: Whole beetroots add complexity along with enriched nutrient rich almonds and dark cocoa powder, blended with whole juicy, sweet honey-like medjool dates adds the perfect balance.
- Fig & Date Dark Chocolate Truffles: A nutrient-packed raw cacao powder, alongside subtle hints of warming cardamom spices weave through each bite, creating a mindful moment experience.
2. The Garden of Eva
Eva Thorne’s journey into the food world was deeply inspired by her family’s traditions of canning and preserving, passed down from her mother, who hailed from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Eva grew up surrounded by these culinary customs and later fused her Southern roots with flavours from around the globe. The Garden of Eva, born from a blend of these influences, creates pickles inspired by diverse world cultures, offering unique flavours that are as rich in history as they are in taste.
Have a peak of Eva’s delicious condiments:
- Chili-Watermelon Jam: A versatile fusion of sweet, spicy, and savoury flavours. It can be eaten as a spread, a glaze, a dipping sauce, or for an added depth of flavour!
- American Southern Chow Chow: A staple throughout the American South; ideal for any beans, vegetables or as a sweet and tangy topping.
- Pickled Watermelon Rind (Great Taste Award-Winning 2022): A zero-waste rind pickled with a sugar and spice-infused brine. Great for BBQs, as an alternative to chutney, in a salad or to snack on.
Follow the journeys of these trailblazing entrepreneurs, as they shake up the industry, and check out all of the other brilliant Black food founders featured in the hamper below:
Our support of Black founders and entrepreneurs extends beyond events like Black History Month but we recognise that projects like this, alongside the kind of affordable and flexible kitchen memberships we offer here at Mission Kitchen, play a pivotal part in fostering a more equitable food industry.
Support The Project
Our Black History Month Gift Hampers are available for organisations to order as gifts for their employees, clients and partners. If your company is interested in finding out more about this and future projects please contact us at: charlie@missionkitchen.org
