21 Black-Owned Businesses to Celebrate at Juneteenth on the Waterfront

May 31, 2024

Tomorrow at Juneteenth on the Waterfront, Black-owned businesses kick off a month of Juneteenth celebrations in the Bay Area by showcasing a range of delectable dishes and vibrant artisan goods at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. Meet the 21 Black-owned small businesses that will be selling delicious foods and handmade goods at tomorrow’s event, and a peek at what not to miss from each.

Juneteenth

Juneteenth has been celebrated by African Americans since the late 1800s to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. Although the Emancipation Proclamation was signed into effect on the first day of 1863, reluctant slave owners continued to withhold freedom from Black Americans in some states, including in Texas. Two years after the proclamation was signed, on June 19, 1865, Union troops made it to Galveston, Texas, where 250,000 Black Americans remained enslaved. Enslaved people were finally informed of their freedom, and since then, annual “Juneteenth” celebrations have occurred across the country.

In 2021, the year that Juneteenth was recognized as a national holiday, Foodwise and MegaBlack SF hosted the first-ever Juneteenth on the Waterfront. Participants voiced the desire to provide ongoing opportunities to showcase Black-owned businesses on the San Francisco Waterfront. With support from the Port of San Francisco and the Dream Keeper Initiative, the event has become an annual tradition, inspiring the Pop-Ups on the Plaza series, an initiative of Foodwise’s Building Equity program.

Food Businesses

Marcus Simpkins, Brutha’s Honey

Brutha’s Honey, founded by bee farmer Marcus, is a bee product business based in Vallejo, California. They supply local restaurants and stores with locally harvested honey, and they pop up at Northern California farmers markets with their honey and other bee products. Don’t miss: Wildflower honey and beeswax chapstick

Brownie and Princess Sims, The Final Sauce

Growing up, Brownie and Princess, “the Sims girls,” watched their Aunt Marion make pots full of her famous barbeque sauce, stirring it with a big wooden spoon for hours. Brownie finally recreated the recipe in 2014, but The Final Sauce wasn’t complete until Princess joined her sister in the kitchen. With Brownie’s creativity and Princess’ business savvy, The Final Sauce has flourished. Don’t miss: Grownfolks Collection Bourbon & Hennessey BBQ Sauces, plus the sisters’ Foodwise Demo at 12pm

Vicktor Stevenson, Gourmonade

Gourmonade is a San Francisco-based gourmet lemonade mixology company. Viktor, a Bronx native, was a barber by trade when he decided to start taking mixology classes and business classes, the first steps toward his lemonade business dreams. A participant in En2action’s Ujamaa Kitchen, he opened up Gourmonade’s first kiosk on Valencia Street in 2018. Don’t miss: Jasmine Palmer and Razmondae

Dontaye Ball, Gumbo Social

Also a participant in En2action, Dontaye draws inspiration from several sources, including his grandmother’s cooking, his background in San Francisco restaurant kitchens, and the variety of locally grown produce he sees at farmers markets. Visit Gumbo Social’s stand at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market on Saturdays and stop by their brick-and-mortar restaurant in the Bayview, where the restaurant’s one year anniversary celebration will be held on June 1 from 1-8pm. Don’t miss: Gumbo, Cali greens (vegan), shrimp po’boys

Tatiana Thomas, Josephine Southern Cuisine

Tatiana created Josephine Southern Cuisine to offer traditional Southern food. She intends for her food to make you feel like you’re at your grandmother’s house on a Sunday, sitting around the table and eating food that’s bursting with so much soul and love. She’s grown her business with the support of Mandela Partners. Don’t miss: BBQ chicken, mac & cheese, collard greens

Danielle Clark, Keep It Simple Juice

Also a participant in Mandela Partners’ program, Danielle’s mission with Keep It Simple (KIS) Juice is to offer the freshest, most invigorating ginger shots made with love and care. Her products highlight the transformative health benefits of ginger, and she’s passionate about making healthy choices accessible to everyone. Don’t miss: Sun-KIS’d ginger shots

Shani Jones, Peaches Patties

Shani started Peaches Patties in 2013 to bring more Jamaican food options to the Bay Area. Jamaican patties hold a lot of nostalgia for Shani and cultural significance for her family. Shani named the business after her mom, nicknamed Peaches, who often treated the family to patties at home. Once established as a caterer, Shani participated in a business incubator program with La Cocina, and in 2023, she opened a Peaches Patties shop at the Ferry Building. Don’t miss: Curry chicken Jamaican patties and sorrel

Shirley Moore, Sam’s Gourmet Jams

Shirley grew up on a farm and learned to make jam from her great grandmother, and now she sources fruit locally to make her jams. Through Sam’s Gourmet Jams, supported by En2Action, she strives to positively impact the health of all communities by offering great-tasting and low sugar, organic jams, jellies, and fruit butters. Don’t miss: Red plum jam and peach mango jam

Vanessa Lee, Smoke Soul Kitchen

After catering for family events, Vanessa “Vee” took the leap to turn her passion for cooking into a business. She participated in several entrepreneurship and cooking programs and worked with SF Black Wealth to launch Smoke Soul Kitchen, an authentic Soul Fusion catering company. Don’t miss: Soul-fusion brunch menu

Sitalbanat Muktari, That Hausa Vegan

Sital is a Nigerian American chef whose vision is to introduce Hausa food and culture to the world. Sital grew up on signature Nigerian and Hausa dishes like Tuwo da miyan kuka (baobab), jollof rice, Acca (fonio), zogale (moringa) and Patte (porridge). Sital is excited to bring Hausa food to the Diaspora with continued support from Oakland Bloom. Don’t miss: Vegan Nigerian food

Lavani Wright, Wright’s Delights 

Lavani Wright started her dessert business because of her love of sweets. Lavani has popped up at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market with our community partner, En2Action, as part of our Building Equity program. Don’t miss: cookies, cakes, and banana and bread pudding

Plus: Foodwise Demo with Azikiwee Anderson, Rize Up Bakery

Before pushing bread boundaries by innovating Rize Up Bakery’s sourdough flavors like Ube, Gochujang, and Garlic Confit, Azikiwee “Z” channeled his culinary skills into his career as a private chef. In the time of civil unrest following the murder of George Floyd in May 2020, Z’s experimentation with sourdough also became an important salve for his state of mind. Before he knew it, baking one loaf a week turned into running a bakery. Don’t miss: Azikiwee’s Foodwise Demo at 11 am, and Rize Up Bakery booth at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market every Tuesday and Saturday.

Craft Businesses

Support local Black designers, including participants from the Fillmore-based Black-led marketplace In The Black.

Jasmine Curtis, Avocurl

Tired of products that left her hair dry and damaged, Jasmine began making hair products in her room using edible ingredients to heal her hair and scalp while she studied biology at Cornell University. Her hair care line is made by hand with natural ingredients, representing Jasmine’s commitment to toxin-free hair care. Don’t miss: Conditioning butter and clarifying clay cleansing mask

Nicole Williams, Belle Noire

After regularly receiving offers for the jewelry pieces she would wear in her daily life, Nicole started Belle Noire (French for “Beautiful Black”) to connect women makers in Africa and the African Diaspora with a local market. Nicole, a third-generation San Franciscan, is a participant in In The Black marketplace. Don’t Miss: Handmade beaded earrings and necklaces

Cianni Jackson, CIK Apparel

CIK Apparel is owned and operated by Cianni, a San Francisco native and mother of three. She began the apparel line in June 2020 and has since started vending at the In The Black marketplace. Cianni is determined to reflect her love for her family within her business, and the letters “CIK” are a legacy nod to her children. Don’t miss: Signature camo Black pride jacket and enamel pins

Jessica Telfor, Coccinelle Boutique

Jessica Telfor created Coccinelle Boutique, named after the French word for butterfly, to create appealing and comfortable outfits for women of all ages. Coccinelle Boutique is usually only an online store, but you can also find their clothing at In The Black marketplace and at Foodwise’s Pop-Ups on the Plaza events. Don’t miss: Women’s apparel

Kim Leonard, En Vie Naturals

Before starting En Vie Naturals in 2009, Kim worked in the cosmetics industry for 16 years. Put off by the amount of animal products and harmful chemicals she saw on ingredient labels, she was motivated to start her own business focusing on natural, vegan beauty products. You can also find her products at the Mission Community Market and In The Black marketplace. Don’t miss: Body butter and pain relief cream

RedBone, Glam Jam

RedBone, an International Burlesque Artrepreneur, created Glam Jam out of necessity. In 2013, RedBone was mixing store-bought body butter and craft glitter and was inspired to create something more eco-friendly and less messy. Through plenty of trial and error, Glam Jam was born, and it continues to grow with the support of En2Action’s Ujamaa Kitchen. Don’t miss: All-natural glitter lotion sticks

Denisha DeLane, Melanin Meanings

What started as a passion project for Denisha DeLane has grown into a Bay Area-based stationary shop with products for purpose, passion, and play. Denisha produces products that celebrate Black culture and entertainment, adding to the growing representation in the stationery space. Don’t miss: Stationery accessories, notepads, tote bags, apparel, and novelty enamel pins

Nateanah Albury, Millennial Mommyin

When Nateanah had her daughter, she wanted a community to share her motherhood journey with and reach out to for help. While she worked in the financial industry by day, she also grew as a content creator and clothing designer. Through her brand, Millennial Mommyin, Nateanah creates comfortable, fashionable pieces for moms that celebrate the superpower of motherhood. Don’t miss: Sweatshirt and sweatpants sets

Rashida Taylor, Stash Candle Co.

Rashida and her team are creators of ambiance, curators of calm, and champions of mental wellness. Stash Candle Co.’s mission is to redefine the role of candle’s in people’s lives by integrating mental health benefits into their usage. Don’t miss: Pynk Mimosa and Black Excellence candles

Support these makers at Pop-Ups on the Plaza: Juneteenth on the Waterfront tomorrow, June 1, at the Ferry Terminal Plaza and Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. 

Topics: Building Equity program, Celebrations, Entrepreneurship