Meijer to Host Summit for Black-Owned Businesses

Aug. 16 event links vendors with buyers

7/7/2023

Meijer's supplier diversity team is organizing a vendor summit at the retailer's headquarters in Michigan.

To strengthen supply chain links between its merchants and Black business owners, Michigan-based Meijer is hosting a Black Business Month Summit on Aug. 16. The summit, created by Meijer’s supplier diversity team, reflects the retailer’s ongoing efforts to diversify its products and pipeline of suppliers.

Held at Meijer’s headquarters in Grand Rapids, the event will bring together Black vendors to exhibit their offerings and pitch their products to the company’s merchants. In advance of the summit, Meijer is hosting virtual mentorship preparation calls on July 17.

"In celebration of Black Business Month this August, the summit is aimed to highlight the achievements, contributions, and economic impact made by Black entrepreneurs and business owners," explained Carla Hendon, director of supplier diversity at Meijer. "This event also gives Black-owned businesses the opportunity to demonstrate the quality, uniqueness, and value of their products directly to our buyers."

Interested business owners, including potential and existing vendors, can sign up for the summit online. The registration deadline is July 14.

This is the latest effort by Meijer to enhance diversity in its partnerships and assortments. In May, the retailer announced that it was seeking unique items from global manufacturers as it expands its premium private label line, Frederik's by Meijer. During Black History Month and Women’s History Month earlier this year, Meijer introduced collections featuring the art of Black and women artists and announced that it was donating portions of sales to relevant nonprofit organizations.

Privately owned Meijer operates 500-plus supercenters, Meijer Grocery, neighborhood markets and Express locations throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin. The Grand Rapids, Mich.-based company is No. 23 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. PG also named the company as one of its Retailers of the Century and Top 10 Most Sustainable Grocers.