Meet Allen and Subriana Pierce, an African American entrepreneurial couple whose company, Navigator Sales & Marketing, connects grocery retailers with small business owners that sell their own line of packaged foods, household items, etc. Their company is a food and beverage broker with product representation in over 15,000 stores including Albertsons, Safeway, Ralphs, Food Lion, Whole Foods, Stater Bros, Kroger, and more.
As the founders of a Black-owned company themselves that fully understand the importance of diversity and inclusion, Allen and Subriana are working hard to increase the representation of Black, minority, and women entrepreneurs in the food retail industry.
“We connect retailers with brands from this growing network and lead minority relationship consultations to ensure these brands are well-supported through each retailers’ system. With these tailored solutions, we will see an increase in three key areas: the presence and exposure of under-represented entrepreneurs, the number of qualified CPG entrepreneurs, and the successful integration of minority-owned brands into the marketplace,” says Subriana.
Their company mentors businesses for success, provides access to financing, and connects them to investors, tech and supply chain resources aimed at growing minority and women-owned businesses in the Food & Beverage and Consumer Products industries.
Allen comments, “We are committed to combating systemic racism, and are devoting more of our time, platform, and resources to uplifting the Black, brown and women business owners.”
Interested business owners are encouraged to apply at NavigatorSales.com/become-a-client.
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The Foundation
Most of the company’s plans to create opportunities for Black and minority entrepreneurs are being orchestrated through their charitable arm, Navigator Lighthouse Foundation, which provides the pathway to product sales that would otherwise struggle to achieve relative to the major CPG and other consumer brands.
The foundation just recently expanded its client roster with the addition of Nikki Chu, celebrity interior designer and star of Nikki Chu Unboxed on Aspire TV with her new product line: Nudies Essentials, Disposable Eco Chic Undies; Denise Woodard, Founder, Partake Cookies, a Jay-Z backed, Black-owned vegan cookie company; Nahum Jeannot, Founder, Go Oats, unique frozen breakfast treat inspired by Chef Nahum; Go Oats will soon to be featured on Shark Tank and rounding out the roster, the youngest client, Ethan Holmes, only 15-years old when he launched Holmes Applesauce. In addition, regional brands such as Lillie’s of Charleston, Taste Bars and Brooklyn Granola.
Other brands that they have worked with that are owned by minorities and women include ECOS, Purpose Tea, Ramona’s Frozen Burritos, Panacea Life Sciences to name a few. However, the launch of The launch of Navigator Lighthouse, offers much more hands-on training including sales support services. Ultimately, the mission of the Foundation is to educate, train, provide funding opportunities and to provide access to critical resources to prepare business leaders’ growth.
About Navigator Sales & Marketing
Navigator Sales & Marketing is a full-service broker representing a variety of products. Led by the best in the industry, NSM leaders are trusted partners and strategic advisors committed to customers’ and clients’ success. Navigator is rapidly expanding their roster of clients including brands such as PhURE Water, ECOS, North Coast organic apple juice and sauces, Old Trapper beef jerky, H2rOse, Deep River snacks, Ramona’s Frozen Foods, and many others.
Navigator has earned the reputation for excellence by successfully bringing unique brands from concept to being on shelves at a national level. Navigator enjoys product representation in over 15,000 stores, with Delhaize, Albertsons/Safeway, Ralphs, Food Lion, Whole Foods, Stater Bros, Bristol Farms, Savemart, Raley’s, Northgate Gonzalez Markets, Vallarta, Gelsons, Smart & Final, HEB, and Kroger among them. To learn more and/or to become a client, visit NavigatorSales.com, like them on Facebook, and follow them on LinkedIn and Twitter.
This article was originally published by BlackBusiness.com.
