After moving to the United States 20 years ago, Toyin Kolawole wanted to retain the food traditions from her childhood in Lagos, Nigeria. “I wanted to share with my kids the diverse, nutritious, plant-based ingredients I grew up enjoying,” Toyin says. “Iya (“my mother” in Yoruba) was founded to offer everyday nourishing foods fortified with African ingredients and superfoods.” One of her favorite ingredients is cassava flour, which she uses for delicious pancakes and waffles. The product line also includes baking mixes, flours like tigernut and plantain, whole food powders, spices and seasonings.
Center of life
iya foods
Wellness for everyone comes from providing nutritious foods.
Blk & Bold
Coffee
Community support propelled the specialty coffee brand to national distribution.
Ritual giving
BLK & Bold coffee founders Pernell Cezar and Rod Johnson wanted to make purpose popular, so they donate 5 percent of profits to initiatives that advocate for youth. BLK & Bold turns a daily ritual—drinking coffee—into a way of giving back. The company’s collaborative economics intentionally support the families and communities involved in coffee production.
We welcome the obligation to equip young people with the tools to live their best lives and overcome familiar, unfortunate circumstances by turning a daily ritual—enjoying a cup of coffee or tea—into a means of giving back.”
–Pernell Cezar and Rod Johnson, Founders
Secondhand Tomatoes
The challenge of what to do with seconds from Linda Putnam’s hydroponic tomato business led to her creating a salsa that is not only great on chips, but also excellent for cooking. Available in hot, medium, mild, black bean and corn, the salsas can be added to your favorite recipes for eggs, pork, chicken, fish or chili. “Seeing Linda’s Salsa on the shelves of Hy-Vee is pretty overwhelming,” Linda says.
“It’s a great feeling of achievement. The journey hasn’t always been easy, but
Hy-Vee has made it well worth it.”
Linda’s Salsa
A heat level for all tastes with a fresh flavor for everyone.
Minority- and women-owned businesses are the lifeblood of American society. When you support one, you are investing in your local community at a grassroots level.”
–Linda Putnam, Owner
Red Hot grandma
Taufeek Shah grew up with his mother’s homemade hot sauce always on the table—passed down through the generations of her Filipino family. He decided to bottle it, and Lola’s Fine Hot Sauce was born. Lola is Filipino for “grandmother.” “I wanted to create a brand that had meaning for my son, nieces and nephews, because one day they will be the ones in charge,” Taufeek says. The world’s most exotic peppers serve as the base of the line of hot sauces, which contain ingredients like fresh red jalapeños, garlic and sea salt. The hot sauce also is used in Lola’s Fine Salsa.
Lola’s fine hot sauce
A brand brimming not only with flavor but also purpose.
PEPPER
FLAVOR
Just the right amount of pepper is used in the hot sauce for a hint of burn, not overwhelming hotness.