Mirror Margarita, Riddles Tequila Ice Tea and Raise Snacks have been unveiled as the first brands to secure listings with Sainsbury’s as part of its Thrive incubator scheme.
Created to support brands founded by black entrepreneurs, Thrive kicked off last summer in partnership with Foundervine and Mission Ventures.
It offered nine applicants a grant of £20k, followed by further funding, one-on-one training and group learning opportunities.
The brands then pitched to Sainsbury’s category and buying teams in a bid to secure a listing under the retailer’s Future Brands programme.
Thrive had been “totally transformative, both for my business and for black-founded businesses in food and drink”, said Raise Snacks founder Chester Robinson. The brand had “gone from being a part-time side hustle to a full-time job,” he added.
Deano Moncrieffe, founder of RTD margarita maker Mirror, added: “I now feel more confident in my brand than I ever have done.”
Riddles Ice Tea founder Charles Odunukwe called Thrive “a life-changing experience”.
Sainsbury’s director of grocery innovation Silika Shellie-Manso said: “We launched Thrive with Sainsbury’s to give black founder-led startup brands access to quality support and services to which they wouldn’t otherwise have access to, as innovation and inclusivity are at the heart of what we do.”
“What these brands have achieved over the last sixteen weeks is phenomenal and we hope all businesses involved can take away skills and knowledge to help them grow even further.
“For the three selected brands, we’re so excited to welcome them into the Sainsbury’s fold.”
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