(Newswire.net — October 12, 2013) South Holland, IL — The answer is….
Safeway, Vons and Ralphs
Michele’s Syrups is a story of determination. The story is taking a new turn as now the African American population spends $1 trillion a year. Most of that leaves the African American communities and the result is 27.1% live in poverty. Michele is determined to get the message out that African Americans can change that by consciously spending their money with African American small businesses.
The journey started like this.
In 1984, Michele Hoskins was in a very difficult time in her life. She had just got divorced, had three children and was on welfare. This was not the life she wanted, planned or intended to stay in. She was not OK with this.
She looked at her situation. She took something she knew really well and turned it in to a business. She started without any financial support. She started without any help or employees. She started with what she had right then at that moment, almost nothing. Her family thought she had lost her mind.
1984 was a different time.
There was no internet. People could not instantly find information.
Michele has a story she tells. “I was in a large grocery store. I was looking at the syrups. I told someone that that product, Michele’s Syrup was mine. The store got security and removed me, the crazy lady from the store. They could not imagine this African American woman could in any way have a product in the store. I must be out of my mind. My family thought I was. That was 30 years ago.”
African American facts 2010:
– $1 trillion annual buying power
– Growth rate is 30% higher than national average
– Increase in affluence and influence
– 21st century has increase in income and buying power
– If African Americans were a country, it would be the 16th largest in the world
– 13.6% of US population
– 42,071,000
– Education and income growing faster than the national average
– Are brand loyal which is very important to business sustainability
– Chicago is the third largest African American market
– Food preparation and family meals important
African American women entrepreneurs are the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs.
Michele Hoskins stepped out through the limitations and barriers imposed on women, small businesses and African Americans. Barriers and limitations still exist. Small businesses create jobs. They create jobs right in the community. They hire people from the community even people that would be unwelcome in the large corporate world.
The word is getting out.
Michele: “In African American communities in Los Angeles and other cities through ministers, community leaders, city councilmen and local small business owners. The message is that if they use their buying power to buy African American products they bring the money home.”
“What you spend your money on is what you are empowering. Young people want to create their future. When they see the community consciously buying an African American product they feel proud. When they realize that someone with the odds stacked against them has a product in Safeway they can imagine themself having a business of their own as well.
“They learn that syrup was really a African American family recipe not a marketing story created in 1889. When a young African American man or woman dreams of being in his or her own business they know they can be whatever they want to be. They know this as in their hand is a syrup that a young African American mother put in the biggest grocery stores in the country.”
Now, Michele champions the cause of small businesses buying from other small businesses.
She lets African Americans know they can use their $1 trillion annual buying power to empower African American and other small businesses. She advocates for consciously choosing to buy African American products and services offered by African American owned small businesses. There is power in numbers and the number is $1 trillion.
The power is in the new generation.
When Michele gives talks she sees more and more young people. She sees more and more women and small business owners of all ages. She sees how people light up when they feel they are no longer alone.
Michele’s Syrup is the only African American owned syrup company. No other syrup was ever an African American product. It is available nationwide.