10 Indigenous-owned food and beverage brands to stock
Maple syrup, wine, jerky and coffee are just some of the high-quality products coming out of America’s Native reservations.
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Native American women-owned and handcrafted from farm fresh ingredients, Morning Light Kombucha is committed to sustainability, supporting local farmers, strengthening Native American food systems and providing a delicious and healthy product.
It started with wild rice, but Red Lake Nation Foods has expanded to wild fruit jellies, jams and syrups, batter mixes, popcorn, herbal teas and more—all grown, packed and shipped from a reservation in northern Minnesota.
A social enterprise project of the Tribal Youth Ambassadors, Acorn Bites are nutritious energy bites made from acorn meal and other gluten-free ingredients. Sale proceeds fund educational and cultural advancement of youth in Sonoma and Lake County, California.
Ute Bison Meat Company was founded in 2015 and offers humanely treated bison meats from the grasses of the Uintah and Ouray Reservations in Utah. Offerings include steak strips, jerky strips and more.
In the heart of Oregon, Sakari Botanicals grows Native American tribal foods and produces a range of products from bath salts and lip butters to body oils and salves. On the food side, the brand offers hot sauces, teas and seasonings.
Founded over four decades ago, Bedre Fine Chocolate was purchased by the Chickasaw Nation in 2000. Since then, it has transformed from a small chocolatier into a nationally recognized chocolate brand, offering a range of confections from bars and bark to chocolate-covered espresso beans, clusters, melting chocolate, gummy bears and more.
Named for the blue hills overlooking Northern California’s Capay Valley, Seka Hills is owned by the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation. The Tribe has more than 24,000 total acres in production, including permanent conservation easements as well as conventional and organic farms producing 16 crops, from alfalfa and almonds to walnuts and wine grapes. Products include olive oil, wine, honey, nuts, beef, vinegar, pickled asparagus and more.
Tribally owned and sustainably farmed by the Cedar Band of Paiute Indians in Utah, Twisted Cedar Wines provides employment and program support on the reservation. The business is built on respect for the land, responsible energy use and a desire to make the most environmentally friendly wine possible.
In 2016 the Quapaw Nation established an in-house roastery within a dedicated 2,500-square-foot warehouse with the goal of improving the coffee offered in Oklahoma’s casinos and restaurants. Today, O-Gah-Pah Coffee offers a range of roasts from light to dark, espresso to decaf.
Passamaquoddy Maple offers organic, high-end, small-batch maple syrup that sustains tribal land along the Atlantic Ocean and creates jobs for its people. Born from a 2013 economic development project, the brand launched a year later to tap into more than 65,000 acres in northern Maine. Today, it has tapped over 10,000 trees and produced over a thousand gallons of maple syrup.
Passamaquoddy Maple offers organic, high-end, small-batch maple syrup that sustains tribal land along the Atlantic Ocean and creates jobs for its people. Born from a 2013 economic development project, the brand launched a year later to tap into more than 65,000 acres in northern Maine. Today, it has tapped over 10,000 trees and produced over a thousand gallons of maple syrup.
While the number of businesses owned by Native Americans is on the rise, having grown 45% between 2007 and 2012 (the latest numbers from the U.S. Small Business Administration), Native and Indigenous people face unique hurdles. Restoring land ownership, fighting poverty and addressing systemic issues has historically made it difficult for Indigenous business owners to succeed.
The tide is changing, however, with more retailers and companies seeking to support diverse brands. Here are just a few standout food and beverage brands that are proudly owned by Indigenous people.
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