MEET THE 2024-2025 FELLOWS!

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MEET THE 2024-2025 FELLOWS! 〰️

The data* is clear: despite consumers shopping and supporting minority-owned brands, most venture-backed founders are non-minority; the barrier to entry for diverse founders is too high.

Naturally Network’s Minority-Owned Fellowship, powered by NIQ, in partnership with The Angel Group and UNFI, is a program built to support the success of racially and ethnically underrepresented business CPG founders.

*Cruchbase data, all other data.

Meet the
Fellowship

Naturally Network’s Minority-Owned Fellowship is a 16-week program built to support and advocate for racially and ethnically underrepresented, early-stage founders in the natural and organic CPG industry. The program brings together resources, tools, and community, facilitating access to opportunities and success for Fellows.

The Fellowship’s Impact

“We applied for the Fellowship because we felt that it would help us access and find the tools we need to become successful business owners. We also wanted to meet and know more business owners who are just starting out. We wanted to be challenged to think in different ways so we can better anticipate future hurdles and face them with confidence when the time comes.”

- Zach and Delisa Harper, Minority-Owned Fellowship Austin Fellows, Funky Mello founders and recent KeHe Golden Ticket recipients

  • Education, access to experts, and community connection make up the Naturally Network’s Minority-Owned Fellowship experience. The Fellowship takes participants through 4 hands-on learning modules: startup operations and financial literacy, making your product, selling your product, and building a business that lasts. The educational modules are experienced in a virtual classroom setting where you’ll hear directly from experts.

    The national CPG community is here to support you and cheer you on! Connection to your peers and building a community around your business are important aspects of the Fellowship. We pair you with another Fellow for the duration of the program, help you build relationships, and facilitate access to industry leaders for candid conversations about their journey, and their learnings and insights on the way to success.

    • A facilitated 16-week program with learning and networking opportunities

    • A virtual weekly class on essential business foundations

    • A weekly, facilitated fireside chat and networking opportunities with industry leaders and founders.

    • Fellow-to-Fellow pairing for additional support within the cohort

    • Complimentary 2025 Expo West badge

    • Opportunities to meet with retailers, investors, and supporters at Expo West

    • July 8: Applications Open

    • August 6: Application Info Session

    • August 16: Applications close

    • September 6: All Fellows are notified of their acceptance

    • September 26: Virtual Program Onboarding Meeting

    • October 3 - January 31: Program Period, this includes.

      • Weekly Classes: Thursday at 11 AM CST

      • Virtual networking with industry leaders: Fridays at 11 AM CST

    • March 4 - 7, 2025: Expo West

    • Business must be 51% minority-owned

    • Must be on the market already and selling a CPG product

    • Must be between $10,000-$250K in sales from the last 12 months
      38% of last year’s cohort was between $10-$25K in annual sales

    • Have been in business for under 5 years
      62% of last year’s cohort has been in business for under 3 years

    • Ready and able to invest 10 hours per month to participate in the program

    • Willing to travel to Anaheim, California to participate in the program’s activities at Expo West March 4-8, 2025

"As a proud sponsor of the Naturally Network Minority Owned initiative, NIQ recognizes the vital role that diversity and inclusion play in the CPG industry. Supporting minority-owned businesses not only fosters innovation and creativity but also enriches our industry with unique perspectives and solutions. We believe that by championing diversity, we can create a more equitable and vibrant ecosystem that benefits everyone involved.” 
- Kenny Juskowiak, NIQ, Managing Director, Emerging Brands Portfolio

Thank you to our partners for making the Fellowship possible

Support the Fellows

The partners of Naturally Network’s Minority-Owned Fellowship are some of the nation’s most progressive and inclusive companies, led by leaders who are intent on creating and fostering more diverse communities. These companies are passionate about being a part of a real and lasting change in the industry.

Program supporters empower Naturally Network to operate the program and also have the option to allocate a portion of their financial support to go to a pool of grant funds. These grant funds will be evenly awarded to the companies in the cohort to support access and their success at Expo West.