Sainsbury’s launches £1m incubator for Black-led food and drink start-ups

Sainsbury’s is inviting applicants to apply to its Thrive with Sainsbury’s programme, with the nine successful businesses receiving a £20,000 “welcome grant” and “more than 150 hours of practical, one-to-one support and group learning opportunities”.

The grocer said the programme will “focus on increasing diversity within its supplier base” and could result in “up to five breakthrough Black-led brands hitting Sainsbury’s shelves in 2023”.

Applications will close on August 16 and the scheme is open to any food and drink business “founded by a person who identifies as being of Black ethnicity or heritage”. 

The grocer added: “Each participant’s journey will be tailored to their specific needs and there will be additional funding available at various stages throughout the process, up to the value of £105,000 per brand that makes its way to a listing at Sainsbury’s.”

Sainsbury’s director of grocery innovation Silika Shellie-Manso said: “A key focus of our Win in Food strategy is to bring innovation to our customers and at Sainsbury’s we’ve always been passionate about seeking out new or emerging brands. As an inclusive retailer, we believe that to offer great food and drink for everyone, it should be made by everyone. We know that despite the strength of ideas and potential amongst Black founders, often opportunities and success can be hindered by ethnicity, which is why we are starting with this group of the most underrepresented founders first.

“By working with brilliant partners, Mission Ventures and Foundervine, to launch Thrive with Sainsbury’s, we’re able to give start-up brands access to quality support and services to which they ordinarily would not have access to. Our hope is that this will help them grow and successfully sustain their brands and businesses.

“It’s a new approach for us and our hope is that it will drive both meaningful change within the retail sector, while also enabling us to bring more innovation and a broader range of product to our customers. I would encourage anyone who relates to this to apply and I am looking forward to seeing what pioneering products are out there.”