A Supplier Program Becomes Thriving Business Accelerator

Economic Development

Through her work producing large scale vendor marketplace activations including the annual Harlem Harvest Festival, Nikoa recognized an emerging product supplier community developing in Harlem in 2015. With the rising trend in artisanal product development coupled with the recent announcement of Harlem’s newest retailer, Whole Foods Market (WFM,) Nikoa seized the opportunity to form a strategic partnership with the grocery retailer, Columbia Business School and Hot Bread Kitchen to create the Harlem Local Vendor Program ™ (HLVP,) a business accelerator program for product entrepreneurs. HLVP™ was designed to provide comprehensive mentorship to Harlem suppliers in an effort to increase their capacity to scale and secure procurement contracts with mid to large-scale retail, restaurant, institutional and corporate partners including the Whole Foods Market Harlem. This would be achieved through expanding Harlem supplier business education and expertise; increasing access to sales and procurement opportunities for Harlem’s supplier industry; and producing additional economic and business development forums; and cultivating a supplier peer network.

The program launched in 2015 with a cohort of twenty (20) Harlem based brands. By July 2017, all twenty Harlem brands launched with the opening of the Whole Foods Market Harlem store. The launch was credited by Whole Foods as one of the most successful local supplier launches in the company’s history. The launch continues to be a success years later with more than 50% of the inaugural brands currently in 30+ WFM stores throughout the North East region. Additionally, HLVP™ has graduated (250+) suppliers; and facilitated 100+ supplier partnerships for HLVP brands in retail/institutional outlets including Whole Foods Market, Amazon, Fresh Direct, Kings/Balducci’s, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Walmart, Shop Rite and Columbia University . HLVP™ alumni brands have also been featured on Shark Tank, QVC and continue to be featured in yearly events including Shop Harlem Artisanal Fairs and Harlem Harvest Festival.