NCG, Industry Partners Raise $191,785 for Project Potluck

Saint Paul, Minnesota - National Co+op Grocers (NCG) announced a collective donation of $191,785 to Project Potluck, a nonprofit organization run by and for People of Color (POC) with a mission to build successful companies and careers in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry.

NCG's $150,000 donation was augmented by industry partners including United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI), which generously contributed $25,000.

NCG led the fundraising effort in conjunction with two tradeshow events it held earlier this year: Focus on Fresh, a national conference for food co-op fresh department buyers, brands and industry partners; and Co+nvergence, NCG's flagship grocery and wellness conference and tradeshow, both of which were held in Saint Paul, Minn., over the summer. More than 650 retail food co-op staff and 700 representatives from natural and organic fresh, grocery and wellness companies attended the two events.

Project Potluck was chosen as beneficiary because NCG strongly supports its vision for a future where POC are represented on store shelves in the foods they eat, the drinks they enjoy and the products they use on their hair, skin and body. To bring that vision to life, Project Potluck provides mentorship, in-person and virtual networking and business grants.

"Project Potluck has helped me get connected with experienced CPG experts who are not only passionate about this space but eager to share their experience and learnings." Said Homayoon Ershadi, owner of Jabin Persian functional beverages, a product sold at NCG co-ops. "As someone without a background in the consumer space, this community of mentors, entrepreneurs and other industry professionals has proven to be an invaluable resource."

"We thank NCG for the partnership and generous support and we're grateful to be working together to build a more inclusive and equitable food industry," said Kathleen Casanova, Executive Director, Project Potluck. "We started Project Potluck to change who gets a seat at the table in the CPG industry, and NCG's partnership helps us pull up more chairs. We envision a world where everyone can walk down a grocery aisle and see themselves reflected on the shelves."

NCG's member-directed advocacy guidelines prioritize building partnerships that advance racial equity in the food system and build a more inclusive economy.

"NCG is proud to support Project Potluck and its mission to build community and opportunity within the food industry," said C.E. Pugh, NCG CEO. "Co-ops have long believed in the power of connection and mutual support, values that align naturally with this work."

NCG supports Project Potluck's mission and vision because as retailers, food co-ops see the need for racial equity in the CPG industry and appreciate that it is a systemic issue without a quick fix. Project Potluck's approach is based on network building, mutual support and mentorship of the community, by the community. As a cooperative owned by community-owned food co-ops, NCG knows this can be a successful model for meaningful change and is grateful to be in a position to lift up the organization within the CPG industry.

The following brands and companies joined NCG in making donations. NCG extends a sincere thank you to our partners for their generosity and community spirit.

• Four Seasons Produce
• Heaven Gluten-Free Bakery
• Charcutnuovo
• United Natural Foods, Inc.
• Acosta
• Alter Eco Foods
• Ancient Nutrition
• Archer Meat Snacks
• Baba's Modern Middle Eastern
• Better with Buckwheat
• Beyond Good
• CB's Nuts
• Choice Organics
• FILLO'S
• Frontier Co-op
• Grain Trust
• Health-Ade Kombucha
• Kitchen & Love
• Magic Spoon Cereal
• Maria and Ricardo's Tortillas
• Maya Kaimal
• MegaFood
• OLIPOP
• Oregon's Wild Harvest
• Peaceful Harvest Mushrooms
• Preserve
• Queen Street Bakery
• Seal the Seasons
• Spindrift
• SPINS
• Sunday Night Foods
• Treeline Cheesemakers
• Tropicana
• WishGarden Herbs
• Yerba Madre

About NCG

National Co+op Grocers (NCG), founded in 1999, is a business services cooperative for retail food co-ops located throughout the United States. NCG helps unify food co-ops in order to optimize operational and marketing resources, strengthen purchasing power, and ultimately offer more value to natural food co-op owners and shoppers everywhere. Our 167 member co-ops operate more than 241 storefronts in 39 states with combined annual sales of more than $2.8 billion. NCG is a winner of the dotCoop Global Awards for Cooperative Excellence and a Certified B Corp. Find a map of NCG member co-ops. To learn more about co-ops, visit grocery.coop.

About Project Potluck

Project Potluck is a nonprofit dedicated to helping create successful careers and companies for People of Color in the consumer packaged goods industry. By expanding networks, increasing access to mentorship and providing critical funding, Project Potluck helps break down systemic barriers to opportunity. Its programs include curated networking events, a mentorship program that connects emerging leaders with experienced industry professionals and a grant program that provides transformative funding to promising entrepreneurs. Today, Project Potluck is a vibrant network of more than 1,500 founders and professionals of Color and 500+ allies, leaders, and retailers working together to build a more inclusive and colorful CPG industry. Learn more at potluckcpg.org.

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Media inquiries may be directed to Kate Joachim, [email protected], (414) 213-7474.