Showing 16 results for:
black-owned-wine
Popular topics
All results
Entrepreneur Mark Cuban believes AI is not only the future but will pave the way for a feat that has never been reached by a person before: the world’s first trillionaire. Cuban stated on the “High Performance” podcast that while every technological wave, from PCs to 5G, has brought forth innovation , AI surpasses them all. “We haven’t seen the best or the craziest of what it’s going to be able to do, and not only do I think it’ll create a trillionaire but it could be just one dude in a basement. That’s how crazy it could be,” he said. Cuban is a serial investor who is embracing artificial intelligence in his daily life. He said AI technology has been helpful for the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks. “For the Mavs and for other businesses, we’re using all the new text-to-video stuff where you can just say ‘show me a guy carrying a rugby ball and that drop kicks it into a basketball basket,’ and it’ll give you 10 seconds of that in a minute. Just being able to be creative, whether it’s from a...
This Black-owned restaurant received a stamp of approval from Jay-Z and Beyoncé! Taste Kitchen + Bar Downtown Houston’s Taste Kitchen + Bar is a beloved Southern comfort and brunch restaurant owned by University of Houston alum Chef Don Bowie. Its current location is situated in downtown at 420 Main St. and opened in 2022. Customers can line up as early as 8 a.m. for brunch items that include peach cobbler waffles, steak and eggs, and elevated grits. Also featured on its menu is smothered chicken, greens, candied yams, jerk lamb chops paired with smoked gouda mac and cheese, cajun or smothered fries, and also various cocktails desserts. “At Taste, we don’t just serve food—we serve soul,” Bowie told Houston Style Magazine. “Each dish tells a story rooted in tradition, culture, and celebration.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Taste Kitchen + Bar (@tastekitchenbar) Taste Kitchen + Bar has seen an influx of customers over the years, but over the weekend, Bowie received...
A Black woman-owned wine brand has secured a sweet victory. Established in 2023, IBest Wines has secured a partnership with American Airlines. The company was launched by Ingrid Best, who carries two decades of experience in the wine and spirits sector from companies such as Diageo, Moët Hennessy, and Bacardi, the company website mentions. She entered the industry as a brand ambassador, assisting in the launch of a small rum brand for Diageo in San Francisco, CA, New York, and Miami, FL, she said during an interview on “Way Up With Angela Yee.” She later rose up the ranks in the aforementioned companies, holding titles that include Regional Marketing Manager for Hennessy (2013-2016), Brand Director for D’USSE (2019-2020), and CE’s EVP, Global Head of Marketing Spirits (2021). Her career milestones include managing two of the largest venture joint spirit partnerships. “I was so fortunate to be exposed to every facet of the business, which typically, in an ambassador role, you aren’t...
Maryland’s first Black family-owned wine company is expanding! As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Boyd Cru Wines is led by married couple Matthew and Jon’ll Boyd, who pursued separate career paths for over a decade before collaborating on a shared business venture in the wine industry. For over a decade, Jon’ll worked in the event planning industry, while Matthew built his career in the pharmaceutical and chemistry sectors. In the wake of COVID-19 in 2020, Jon’ll’s industry came to a standstill, leading to a greater focus on what became Boyd Cru Wines in April 2023. “I think the pivotal point for us came right about during the pandemic because that, of course for me, brought my event planning business to a very quick and fast halt as you can imagine with people not being able to gather,” Jon’ll told the Washington Business Journal. “It afforded us an opportunity to delve deeper into the wine industry, and simultaneously, I think at that time, I was seeing that there was some shifting...
Jessica Taylor has landed her coffee product in a new major retailer. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Taylor, a former Toyota diversity, equity, and inclusion business partner, became the founder of Ezra Coffee in 2021. The idea for the company stemmed from a soy and nut allergy developed by her sister who was also lactose intolerant. Taylor started conjuring recipes on a stove top, creating flavors that could be enjoyed without milk-based creamers. That passion and drive has now grown into an array of products sold through Ezra Coffee such as Candied Yams and Toasted Southern Pecan light roast coffee, as listed on its website. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ezra Coffee Company (@ezracoffeeco) Since launching, the company has secured placements in Target’s online store and was also stocked in more than 40 Texas-based H-E-B stores by October 2023. “This has been such a labor of love and an amazing experience, and I can truly say I could have not done this with out you...
Pronghorn has invested in a Black-owned company disrupting the event and spirits sector. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Pronghorn aims to pump $2.4 billion in “economic value” into the Black community by cultivating their growth in the spirits industry. With a goal in 2022 to invest in 57 Black-owned spirits brands by 2032, the firm also provides guidance to Black founders as well as employment opportunities. It is already working toward placing individuals in 1,800 roles within the sector. Pronghorn has invested in numerous companies in the spirits industry, including Tequila with Friends, Den of Thieves, Ego Tequila, and singer Ciara’s Ten To One. Joining the lineup is Eventnoire, an event management and online ticketing platform created by Jeff Osuji. According to a press release, Eventnoire has over 10,000 venues and event organizers and a network of 400,000 influencers across North America and Africa, solidifying the company as a leader within the ticketing sector that is...
Seven diverse brands will soon be making their way into Target stores. This push is in part due to Diverse Powered Brands, a B2B global digital catalog that helps buyers connect with diverse suppliers and brands, according to its website. These efforts have led to victories for new business owners. According to a news release, 13 suppliers took part in a pitch competition, moderated by Diverse Powered Brands, in June 2023 at Target headquarters in Minneapolis, MN. Suppliers were able to pitch to Target’s wine team while founders interacted with executives from Women of the Vine & Spirits, Diverse Powered Brands and Johnson Brothers, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, and Republic National Distributing Co. What’s more, involvement in the competition came at no cost for participants but led to great rewards for the seven selected businesses, which are as follows: Boyd Cru Wines Mai Vino Mingle Mocktails Non-Alcoholic Cocktails Mom Juice Iron Side Wines Suede Rosé The Urban Wine Co. “We...
This Black-owned cream liqueur brand with a national presence has announced a whole new brand identity! According to a press release, LS Cream Liqueur — inspired by the iconic, traditional Haitian drink known as “cremas” — is on track to quintuple its revenue from last year. The brand’s overall mission is to place the founder’s authentic family recipe in the hands of the modern drinker. View this post on Instagram A post shared by LS Cream Premium Liqueur (@lscreamliqueur) They’re also looking to transform the way that people enjoy cream liqueurs outside of just the holiday season. “LS was first inspired by my grandmother’s cremas recipe that we’ve enjoyed at our family celebrations for decades,” said co-founder Stevens Charles in an official press release. “We managed to capture the taste of cremas and put it in the form of a traditional cream liqueur to make it more versatile for cocktails and easy sipping since the homemade version is usually a thicker recipe. We’re excited to...
Diageo is on a mission to diversify the spirits industry! According to a press release, the global leader in beverage alcohol has teamed up with industry veterans Dia Simms and Erin Harris in order to build an inclusive and diverse economic initiative with the goal of creating the next generation of diverse entrepreneurs, executive leaders, and founders in both a sustainable and scalable way. Pronghorn is the name of the all-new partnership and it will create a standalone business with a primary focus on expanding diversity, equity, and inclusion within the spirits industry. “Diversifying the industry accelerates innovation and competitiveness, and our strategic approach to recruit, retain and advance the Black community and communities of color within the industry alongside Diageo North America couldn’t be more necessary and timely,” said Pronghorn co-founder, Erin Harris in a statement. “We understand first-hand the importance of being motivated and the critical need for ownership...
Cheers! Thanks to these two Historically Black College and University (HBCU) grads, you could soon have your cocktail ingredients delivered to your front door, reports Blackbusiness.com. Navarr Grevious and Mikáel Pyles met on campus while attending Clark Atlanta University back in the early 2010s and not only did they become good friends and fraternity brothers, but now they’re business partners and have created the perfect digital platform for the alcohol industry. QuikLiq — operating out of Miami, FL — was designed to make ordering alcohol both easy and convenient and is well on its way to becoming a leading digital platform for wine, beer, and spirit delivery. “QuikLiq is a tech-forward digital marketplace that provides our customers with access to the best selection of wine, beer, and spirits , right from the comfort of their homes,” according to the company’s website. “By partnering with the premier alcohol retailers along Miami Beach and throughout the US, we have set out to...
When Jay-Z sold 50 percent of the luxury champagne brand Ace of Spades, Billionaires Row officially became the only Black-owned champagne company globally. And that was just fine for Founder and CEO, William Benson and Co-Founder and President, Patrick Ductant — childhood friends-turned-luxury brand owners. “We, perhaps more than anyone else, understand the buying power of Black America,” Benson told AfroTech. “$1.3 trillion in spending power is certainly not small change. And if that’s the kind of power Black America has, I see no reason why Black America shouldn’t be in bigger, wealthier rooms — which is the whole concept behind the brand.” Billing itself as a brand with a unique passion for distinction, exclusivity, and uniqueness, Billionaires Row has come so far in such a short time. Back in 2016, the brand teamed up with HB General Trading Limited of Guangzhou City to get their premier offering — the Champagne Cuvee Billionaires Row Brut Rose Grand Cru (Charles Mignon) — into...
Black-owned spirit brand Nyak has announced today its launch into new national markets in addition to its newly-formed partnership with famed rapper Young M.A. A press release reports that NYAK’s initial national debut will expand across several U.S. states such as Florida, Texas, Georgia, New York, New Jersey, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Delaware and Connecticut. Additionally, the brand has aligned itself with Young M.A to help represent cognac’s influence on Black and Hip Hop culture. Similar to the global impact of Young M.A’s music, Nyak also hopes to have that same effect on consumers. “Nyak is premium cognac and the culture loves cognac. We want to connect the Nyak brand to change agents in the culture…the artists who push the needle and drive our culture with their innovative artistry,” Nyak founder and serial entrepreneur Dennis McKinley says in a statement. “Our collaboration with Young M.A will be the first of many as we keep our finger on the pulse of what and who is...