7 Black Entrepreneurs You Should Know

At VEGRPENEUR we celebrate entrepreneurs who are building a plant-based future. Now more than ever, more and more black entrepreneurs are leading the way for a just, sustainable, and plant-based world. We want to highlight a few of the leaders in the black community driving the vegan future:

 Joycelyn Mate and Rachael Corson

Afrocenchix

Piccture courtesy of Melan Mag

Joycelyn Mate and Rachael Corson met in college. They shared their frustrations with one another regarding the overwhelming lack of products focused on afro hair. “We wanted to make sure that what we made was kind to people and planet”, they told Melan Mag.

That’s when the two of them set out to launch Afrocenchix. They went on to produce their first product, hair oil, in 2009. The next year they won the award for ‘Ethical and Sustainable Business Innovation’ from the University of Birmingham.

Today, Afrocenchix is  based in London and is available in Whole Foods Markets.

Kareem Cook and Claude Tellis

VeganSmart

Image courtesy of Whole Foods Magazine

Kareem Cook and Claude Tellis met when they were both attending Duke University. In 2002, they decided to incorporate Healthy Body Products, a healthy vending machine company together. With a focus on healthy food in schools, they were leaders of a movement that resulted in the ban of junk food in Los Angeles public schools.

This success led to to their vending machines operation in every public high and middle school in area. Because of this success, they were invited by President Clinton and Governor Huckabee to discuss rolling out their program nationwide. After partnering with John Lewis in 2013, they launched VeganSmart.

Today, their protein powders can be found in well known stores, such as CVS, Walgreens, Albertsons, Safeway, Harris Teeter, Publix, Hannaford, Weis and thousands of other stores nationwide.

Pinky Cole

Slutty Vegan ATL

Photo courtesy of Pinky Cole

Pinky Cole founded the Slutty Vegan, a plant-based burger joint in Atlanta in the summer of 2018. Almost instantaneously, the restaurant became a national phenomenon.

Cole told WRCBtv, "It literally was only supposed to be a ghost restaurant where people only order food online and they pick up through a delivery service. But I wasn't thinking big enough because what I felt was only going to be a ghost restaurant turned out to be one of the biggest concepts and brands in America". She added that, “…black people coming together, especially standing in a long line for hours on end just to enjoy this experience and enjoy the food, it's really history making. Vegan is the new black!”

With her restaurant and brand becoming such a success over the past two years, Pinky Cole has decided to open two additional locations in the near future.

Dominick Thompson

Eat What Elephants Eat

Picture courtesy of VegNews

Dominick Thompson, who went vegan for animals during a three-year prison team for dealing drugs, now has more that 200,000 followers.

He founded the his clothing company, Crazies and Weirdos, to recognize and celebrate various body types in all genders. Now Thompson has gone beyond clothing to help others follow a plant-based diet.

In 2019, he launched Eat What Elephants Eat (EWEE) a food and nutrition company that helps others discover the “how” of being vegan.

Thompson told VegNews, “I wanted to do more than send out recipes. I wanted to support each individual by making EWEE the best personal one-on-one experience they will have when it comes to learning how to cook and live plant-based.”

Many wellness and nutrition programs are focused on the wealthy, however, Eat What Elephants Eat  is accessible and affordable for everyone.

Chauniqua Major - Louis

Eat Project Pop

Picture courtesy of the Eat Project Pop website.

Chauniqua Major - Louis, launched Eat Project Pop when she realized that most popcorn on the market today was “a little too dirty for her taste”.

After months of experimenting, she ended up creating her popcorn in batches with ingredients that were simple, organic, non-GMO, vegan and easy to pronounce. 

Project Pop is on a mission to give the gift of quality snacks, food education and smiles to snackers all over the globe, according to her website.