MICHIGAN- — Meijer is hoping to add more diversity to its shelves, by teaming up with businesses around the country to put their products in Meijer stores.
As part of that effort, the company is getting ready to host its third Supplier Diversity Event.
“Meijer has always embraced local and diverse. And last couple years, we have been focusing on this work and being more intentional,” says Kavy Lenon, Supplier Diversity Manager with Meijer.
The event will give diverse-owned businesses the chance to virtually show-off their products to Meijer buyers and procurement teams, and tell them a bit of their history.
“Tell us why. Why did you come up with this product? We love those stories, because we want to hear what inspired them to become entrepreneurs,” says Lenon.
Meijer is hoping to encourage minority, LGBTQ, women, veteran and disability-owned businesses to team up with them, to help get their products out to the masses at their stores across the Midwest.
“I want them to say that they started with us, Meijer took a chance on them, Meijer wanted to grow them,” says Lenon.
One business owner who echoes that sentiment is Elizabeth Rogers, CEO of Creamalicious Ice Cream out of Cincinnati.
“Kudos to Meijer for that, you know, as a small minority business [I] just got so much support, you know, and I was able to expand in a year's time to all of their store locations,” said Rogers. “Currently Creamalicious is the only African American ice cream manufacturer and mass production on the shelves today in the world. So it's very, very, very, you know, important, you know, because I feel like it really opens the doors.”
Rogers’ ice cream now sells at Meijer, along with other retailers.
Meijer is now looking for things like grocery items, general merchandise, and beauty and personal care items to sell in their stores. And new this year, they’re also accepting submissions from diverse-owned business service providers in fields like IT, Marketing, Real Estate and Manufacturing.
Meijer says the addition is a win-win for them and those providers in this current economy.
“There's so much demand that are coming from every direction, we want to ensure that we have a primary supplier a secondary. Third, you know, we got to build that supply chain to ensure that we have the level of service to support our stores. It's very important. I think others are thinking of that as well,” said Lenon.
The event is being called a chance for entrepreneurs to make their dreams come true.
“You know, we're not asking for handouts, we're not asking for anything to be different for us or special privileges. What we are asking is for an even playing ground and to be fair, and I really feel like they've they've given us that opportunity as we go on this journey to grow the brand because if we win, they win,” says Rogers.
The deadline to apply is Monday evening.
Companies can apply here and service companies can apply here.
Meijer's Supplier Diversity Event will take place March 29-31.
