Meijer plans Black Business Month Summit to diversify its suppliers

Meijer is looking to widen its supplier diversity by hosting a one-day Black Business Month Summit next month to promote networking between Black business owners and Meijer merchants, the Michigan-based grocery retailer announced on Thursday.

The summit, organized by the Meijer Supplier Diversity Team, will be held at the retailer’s corporate headquarters in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Aug. 16.

"In celebration of Black Business Month this August, the Summit is aimed to highlight the achievements, contributions and economic impact made by Black entrepreneurs and business owners," said Carla Hendon, director of Supplier Diversity at Meijer, in a statement. "This event also gives Black-owned businesses the opportunity to demonstrate the quality, uniqueness and value of their products directly to our buyers."

The summit is open to all potential and existing U.S. vendors, as well as vendors looking to grow their brand into larger Meijer stores. Interested Black-owned businesses that manufacture or grow retail-ready products can register here by July 14.

North America’s largest publicly traded grocery distributor UNFI and global food corporation Cargill are also supporting a new program to bring more Black farmers’ products to store shelves.

Cargill and UNFI are founding partners of the National Minority Supplier Development Council’s new program: Acres Cultivating Equity in Black Agriculture. Cargill and UNFI have contributed more than $500,000, with a goal of tripling the number of trained ranchers and farmers to help build greater equity in the United States food system, the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) announced on Thursday.

“We are incredibly excited for the continued interest in NMSDC Acres. Cargill and UNFI’s leadership in supporting this effort to create greater equity for the Black community will help us to grow the program and make meaningful progress towards a more inclusive agricultural system,” said NMSDC Vice President of Strategic Alliances, Programs and Events Lisa Morris in a statement.

According to data from McKinsey & Company, just 1.4% of farmers identify as Black or mixed race compared with about 14% a century ago. 

“UNFI is proud to support NMSDC Acres as a founding circle member in the effort to create a more inclusive agricultural system in the United States,” said Guillaume Bagal, VP Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Wellbeing at UNFI.