When God gives you a vision, it’s up to you to make the move that brings it to life!
For Nic King, that idea came on an early morning as he researched Black-owned cereal brands following the Minneapolis protests last spring.
Proud Puffs is a chocolate-flavored cereal and the brainchild of King who says the concept was formed through divine inspiration at around 3 a.m. one morning.
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“I’m a man of faith, so I said, ‘God, this is your idea,” King shared with The Darien Times. “‘I have nothing to do with it. Before I leave this kitchen, I’m going to drink my orange juice, while you give me a (product) name.'”
With the word “proud” already on his mind, King tells reporters that it was the name, “Proud Puffs,” that came to him. The cereal is even formed in the shape of a fist.
A Connecticut native, King used social media as a resource to crowdfund the production of the cereal. He reveals that while he may be starting small, he has big plans to someday make his way into major grocery chains.
“I am completely fine with doing it grassroots and selling them from the website,” says King. “I go to grocery stores and hang out in local restaurants, and the response to the cereal is pretty good.”
For King, who is also a proud father, his company is not only about celebrating and embracing his Blackness but also building a legacy for his family.
“Everyone should be able to embrace their culture,” King said. “I go to Irish bars, and they are celebrating their culture. Legacy is the name of my company — it’s the theme. It’s a business. I just plan on making delicious cereal.”
Although King reiterates that anyone can enjoy the cereal, he did double down on his purpose for positive representation on the packaging, which includes his very own family. His goal is for Black children to see themselves as they walk down the cereal aisle.
“The characters on the box are my sisters, nieces, nephews, and my son,” shared King. “I’m all about the generational wealth, so having my family on the cover was important to me even though the designers cringed at 10 characters on one box. The whole box has meaning, from the characters to a two-parent Black household, to the positive affirmation on the back of the box, as well as the facts on the side about iconic Black legends that helped shape our culture.”
Proud Puffs is a reminder that representation matters and King is on a mission to inspire others one box at a time!
