SAN FRANCISCO — Forty-four entrepreneurs in Chicago, New York and the greater Washington area were selected to participate in the DoorDash Accelerator for Local Goods. The six-week program supports consumer packaged goods businesses with owners who are women, transgender, immigrants or people of color.
In addition to educational programming, the businesses will receive a $5,000 grant, access to marketing and sales resources and an opportunity to sell items through Dash Mart, a DoorDash-owned and operated grocery and convenience store. DashMart delivers fresh groceries, household essentials, local treats and more to consumers throughout the United States. DoorDash already supports more than 400 local and regional producers with DashMarts nationwide.
Of the business owners chosen to participate in the program, 77% identify as female, 40% are Black or African American, 7% are Hispanic or Latinx, and 21% are Asian or Pacific Islander, according to DoorDash. Immigrant-owned businesses account for 20% of participants. Top product categories include sweet snacks, grocery products, non-alcoholic beverages and salty snacks.
“While we were selecting the participants for the program, we were immediately blown away by the entrepreneurial spirit of all of the business owners,” said Tasia Hawkins, social impact program lead at DoorDash. “It was evident from the applications how much passion these inspiring entrepreneurs have for their businesses and community they operate within. We hope that the immersive educational programming and financial capital helps these businesses quickly scale to the next level.”
Chicago-based businesses selected to participate include Sugar Bliss, Hoppy Planet Foods, Lorenzo’s Frozen Pudding, Signature Sweets Factory, Tubby’s Taste, Stellar Granola, Nemi Snacks, Chicago French Press, Laine’s Bake Shop and Herby Pop. Brands in New York City include DiLena Dolcini, Amasu, Milene Jardine Chocolatier, Call Me Caramel, Sofia and Grace Cookie Co., Best Damn Cookies, Nana Foods, Nourir Drinks, Maluli’s Kitchen, Creme and Cocoa Creamery, Little Red Kitchen Bake Shop, Bo-yi, Thin Cookies, Balkan Bites, Brooklyn Bites, Jamie’s Farm, BKE Kombucha, Sol Cacao, Mix’t Snacks, Jessie’s Nutty Cups, Yum Actually, Candid and Chef Asia B.
Washington-area participants include Everyday People Coffee and Tea, The Difference Baker, AppleCore’s Bake Shoppe, The Welle Made Co., Secretea, Retreat Foods, Zion Roar, Sweet Sage and Reston Kabob.
“Jamie’s Farm was created five years ago with the goal of bringing elements of fine dining into something as humble as granola,” said Jamie Kim, founder of Jamie’s Farm. “After graduating from college, I made the decision to turn this hobby into a full-time job to continue sharing my farm-to-bag granola with more people. Being a part of the DoorDash Accelerator for Local Goods will provide me with the necessary resources to grow my business, including information about wholesale, supply chain, and distribution.”