During the Summer Fancy Food Show session, “Breaking Through: Marketing the Strengths of your Business,” Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color business leaders spoke about strategies and success in connecting with their consumers, many of whom are ethnically and culturally diverse. The panel was made possible by an SFA partnership with (included), a membership collective of BIPOC-led or owned companies devoted to one another’s successes, advocating for diverse representation, and committed to amplifying community voices and brands.
Speaker and moderator MaryAnne Howland, founder and CEO of Ibis Communications, a justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion consultancy specializing in marketing strategies and branding with social impact at the fore, spoke with the panel, asking questions about finding one’s consumer base, how to connect with one’s audience, and what authenticity means to their brand.
The panelists included Theresa Black, founder and CEO of Bon Appésweet, which specializes in healthy plant-based chocolate bars free of dairy, soy lecithin, cane or refined sugars, and emulsifiers; Sandro Roco, founder and CEO of Sanzo, an Asian-inspired sparkling water brand; and Chitra Agrawal, founder and CEO of Brooklyn Delhi, an Indian American condiment brand.
When asked about her breakthrough strategy, Black explained that her story as a single mom, military officer, and attorney, resonates with her audience, primarily mothers who want their children to eat healthy and nutritious food.
“When I had my daughter, I was determined she had a good diet, different from what I had growing up,” Black said.
Her transparency comes in putting herself into the packaging: every chocolate bar includes a social justice fact, called “Just Facts,” detailing realities for attorneys and the justice system, as well as the company’s mission; Black writes, “We were founded as a promise to my daughter that I’d never deploy again. Thank you for helping me keep that promise.”
Roco’s marketing strategy is also focused on his brand’s mission of community. And groups interested in Asian culture and products continue to expand. “I feel fortunate that broader pop culture is already expanding our customer base for us, with Asian media becoming popular in mainstream U.S. media,” he said.
Roco noted that he tries to connect with communities where congregation is already happening. He talked about a recent partnership at the Tribeca Film Festival with a documentary on “Linsanity,” a movement of pride within the Asian American community based on the success of Jeremy Lin, a Taiwanese-American basketball player. Sanzo provided product at the screening in an effort to connect with Asian and Asian American communities.
Agrawal’s driving force is in the reinvention of “authenticity.” “I tried to find quintessential recipes through speaking with my family, parents, aunts, and more,” she explained. “I found each person does something differently. I felt free in that I didn’t have to chase the 'authentic' title—I could do everything according to my own taste.”
The root of her mission comes from her blog, the ABCDs of Cooking, where the derogatory term "American-Born Confused Desi" was turned on its head, to be celebrated rather than feared. She brought this exploration of the positives of the “ABCD” to her brand Brooklyn Delhi, which elucidates why traditional Indian flavors are fused with traditional American staples, like ketchup and mustard.
Related: Fancy Food Show Education Preview: Q&A With MaryAnne Howland; Live Broadcast Highlights Diversity, Trends at Summer Fancy Food Show