Mindshare Monthly: Spotlighting Black-Owned Businesses

Welcome back to Mindshare Monthly! In honour of Black History Month this February, we asked the Workhaus community to help us shine a spotlight on Black-owned businesses. We received lots of suggestions covering a variety of industries, and today we’re sharing all of them with you! To help you navigate the list, we’ve divided it into four sections:

• Non-Profits
• Technology
• Fashion & Lifestyle
• Food & Beverages

You can jump ahead to a section that piques your interest by clicking on it in the list above, or enjoy it all by scrolling through.

Black-owned Non-Profits  & Charities

In this section you can browse our list of Black-owned non-profit businesses.

TXDL (Techsdale)

TXDL is a Toronto-based youth development and mentorship nonprofit. Their stated missions are: “To give Black and diverse youth the skills and experience necessary to find entry into the gaming and tech industries. To channel this development directly into employment and internships for our qualified program graduates. To champion the wellbeing of Black and diverse youth as they navigate the world that they live in.”

Follow @techsdale on Instagram

Visit them online at txdl.ca

Reelworld Screen Institute

In the words of founder, Tonya Williams, “In 2000, I launched an initiative in Toronto that was new and bold – Reelworld Film Festival. A year later, Reelworld Foundation (now called Reelworld Screen Institute) followed. These initiatives had one single focus: to literally change the face of the industry. Reelworld became a training ground for curators/programmers, arts administrators, grants writers, theatre managers, publicists and more. Giving opportunity to filmmakers was just part of our mission. We wanted to make sure that everything we did would impact racially diverse professionals on every level of this industry.”

Follow @reelworld on Instagram

Visit them online at reelworld.ca

Black-owned Technology

In this section you can browse our list of Black-owned technology businesses.

Q-KNOW Edtech

Q-KNOW is a Black-owned educational software using data driven edtech to improve the delivery of quality education for students, teachers and schools in Ghana. They say: “Our life long mission is to ensure that every student gets access to Quality Education, irrespective of their financial background. In Africa, the urban-rural divide has created a long lasting disparity between the type of education and resources that rural areas receive. QKnow wants to work with partners that have education at heart to provide a level playing field so that these students in rural areas can contribute to bringing their families and communities out of poverty thereby leading a new generation that can develop these areas.”

Follow @qknowedtech on Instagram

Visit them online at qknowedtech.com

Andie

Andie is a live-information app and professional guest experience service based in Toronto. They offer an app that allows restaurants to boost traffic by sharing real-time capacity and availability information online to boost traffic. They also provide a bidding platform that allows restaurants to submit bids for big-ticket catering and dining experiences.

In conversation with Fred VanFleet and Derek Folk, founder Baba Ajayi told the story of how Andie got started:

We started out Andie last year as a live information platform. Originally we were building something pre-pandemic just to focus on helping people meet. Sort of an EA / virtual chatbot for assistance. When COVID came around, we had a little piece of code that could actually calculate what the wait time was at a coffee shop. So I was like, hey, maybe we could play around and do this for a grocery store. … Now we provide live information, not just grocery stores. We’re focused more on hospitality, restaurants, places people want to go, and say: “Hey, look! You want to go out there?” We can give you this live information and you can use that information to decide where you want to go.”

Follow @theandiesapp on Instagram

Visit them online at andie.work

Black-owned Fashion & Lifestyle Brands

In this section you can browse our list of Black-owned fashion & lifestyle businesses.

Lillon Boutique

Lillon Boutique sells beautiful jewellery made by Congolese and African Artisans.

On her website, owner Elisabeth shares: “I fled my country due to the political unrest and only came back for a visit as an adult in 2013. During that visit, I reacquainted myself with my country, fell in love with it and appreciated her beauty even more.I noticed  that Congolese artisans had great potential but had a very small  market to sell their wares.I realized that Canada could be a potential and bigger market for Congolese artisans.I saw this as a potential opportunity to share part of culture with my adoptive country Canada. I decided to create an online store to showcase Congolese and other African artisan’s work in Canada thus lillonboutique.com was created.”

Follow @lillonboutique on Instagram

Visit them online at lillonboutique.com

dr LIZA shoes

Toronto-based osteopath and entrepreneur Dr. Liza Egbogah (BSc, DC, DOMP), designs shoes (and bags) made for looks and comfort. Dr Liza has been featured in ELLE, Fashion magazine, and Bold Journey.

In her own words: “After spending more than a decade of treating Toronto’s busiest clients in the city’s financial district, Dr. Liza wondered why beauty always had to equal pain when it came to footwear and accessories. Couldn’t comfort and chic coexist? 

Guided by this question, she set out to create a line of shoes and bags crafted with good looks and self-care in mind. Since then, dr LIZA Shoes and Bags has grown to include a variety of eye-catching styles that fashion editors love, and customers can’t get enough of.”

Follow @drlizashoes on Instagram

Visit them online at drlizashoes.com

Soie

“A Canadian brand, rooted in a love for natural body care for the whole family.” They create handcrafted skincare products free from preservatives, harmful chemicals and toxins.

In the words of their founder, Danielle Brown: “I created SOIE out of a need for quality natural body care products to help relieve my own skin concerns. Frustrated with products that only irritated my skin even more and that weren’t proving to help nourish or soothe, I began developing products to fill a void.

 After being diagnosed with cancer in 2007, I was left with very sensitive, hyper-pigmented skin. The traditional creams and lotions were just not enough to help reduce my scarring or help with my damaged, dry skin.My skin appeared unhealthy and no matter how I tried, it did not feel or appear smooth. As necessity is the mother of all invention, after months of making my own blends and concoctions, I eventually found a recipe that worked for me. It was simple, all natural and didn’t have any ingredients I couldn’t pronounce. This simple blend has been my go-to since.”

Follow @shopsoie.ca on Instagram

Visit them online at shopsoie.ca

Toronto Designers Market

Toronto Designer’s Market, who you may remember from past events at Workhaus, is an award winning concept boutique in Toronto’s luxury fashion district, who provide Canadian designers, artists and entrepreneurs with space to sell their products.

In their own words, they “work with designers, artists, and artisans to develop and build their brand in a retail environment. They get the opportunity to test their products while ensuring that they have control of their pricing and presentation. This ensures that our customers are getting quality Canadian designs at the best possible price.”

Follow @torontodesignersmarket on Instagram

Visit them online at torontodesignersmarket.com and in person at 50 Bloor Street West in Toronto.

Haus by Everton

With over 45 years of fashion-industry experience between its co-founders, HAUS by Everton creates stylish, handcrafted, ethically-produced footwear for at-home wear.

In the words of former Olympic athlete, and co-owner, Everton McDougall: “HAUS by Everton is not just a footwear brand; it represents a commitment to creating products that elevate everyday experiences whilst evolving with the needs and responsibilities of our lives. The brand invites everyone to join in walking a path towards a more comfortable, stylish, ethical and sustainable future.”

Follow @hausbyeverton on Instagram

Visit them online at hausbyeverton.com and in person at the Toronto Designers Market, 50 Bloor Street West.

Monoxide

Toronto-based Monoxide Style creates small-batch 18K gold plated jewelry. Their creations have been featured in Forbes and Elle Canada, and STYLE Canada.

In her interview with STYLE, creator Tyler Ferguson, described how she started her business after a piece of jewelry broke in her own home. She also described what “monoxide” means to her. “I liked what monoxide means when you break it down, because ‘mono’ means one ‘oxide’ is breath and I wanted this whole thing to be, you see the jewelry, you pause, you take a breath and then you go and you just be, you, you know, look good, feel good, do good. That whole thing.”

Follow them at @monoxidestyle on Instagram

Shop their products online at Hudson’s Bay and in person at the Toronto Designers Market, 50 Bloor Street West.

KWESIYA

Cameroonian-Parisian designer Fanny Ngantcheu, created this Canadian-based lifestyle brand seven years ago. She won the Accessory Designer of the Year at the 2017 African Fashion Industry Awards. Through Kwesiya, she creates clothing, accessories and home décor items using vibrant textiles fabrics characteristic of West Africa, and other parts of the world. Kwesiya (which means “Mix It”) has been highlighted by CBC and Chatelaine.

Follow @kwesiya_ on Instagram

Visit them online at kwesiya.com and in person at the Toronto Designers Market, 50 Bloor Street West.

Cherry Gardens

Named after a neighbourhood in Kingston, Jamaica, where its founder Myla Davey grew up, Cherry Gardens offers ethically produced, community focused, all inclusive loungewear that has been featured twice in ELLE.

In an interview with Matte PR, Davey said: “It originally started as a creative outlet for me. I have a background in fashion and marketing, and wanted to create something new and tangible with my skill set. The brand is inspired by the feeling of nostalgia: it’s named after a neighbourhood in Kingston, Jamaica, a place I lived for a period as a kid. The memories from that time have stuck with me and I wanted to physically embody them through clothing. Each of the styles is also named after a person, place or object that is important to me.”

Follow @_cherrygardens on Instagram

Visit them at shopcherrygardens.com

Iluminar

Founded by successful content creator and business woman, Karina Waldron, Iluminar offers Canadian-made, niche scented candles made from all natural coconut and soy wax.

Karina describes the vision for Illuminar: “Scents are special because they have the power to evoke memories and truly speak to our emotions. Just like someone would take their time to select the perfect signature fragrance to wear daily, we want Iluminar candles to set the tone of your home and in turn, allow you to feel the power of scents.“

Follow @shopiluminar on Instagram

Visit them online at iluminar.ca and in person at the Toronto Designers Market, 50 Bloor Street West.

Black-owned Food & Beverage

In this section you can browse our list of Black-owned food and beverage businesses.

All Spice Jerk Express

This Toronto-based restaurant serves up authentic Jamaican Cuisine, offering “Delight in Every Bite”. They opened their permanent location just last year and have since been featured in the Toronto Star, who recommended their Jerk Pork.

As CEO and Chef, Jordonne Barrett, proudly told his followers on Instagram: “My passion for cooking developed as a child, growing up in St. Ann Jamaica helping my mom prepare dinner for my family. Over time my passion grew and developed into a career, here in Canada, where I am able to cook for others. My team and I deliver nothing but quality meals and customer service. With over a decade of experience, I continue to evolve and expand my craft. I hope to bring you delightful bites at all of your favourite festivals and straight to your dinner table.”

Follow @allspicejerk on Instagram

Visit them at Village By The Grange Mall, 109 McCaul St in Toronto.

The Nutmeg Spot

This Grenadian Restaurant sells authentic food, pastries, and beverages, with delivery available throughout the GTA. They also offer custom catering services, and even a limited number of agro-products and souvenirs directly from Grenada.

On their website owners Dwight & Trisha say: “Our cooking is deeply rooted in the traditions and memories we were raised in, working tirelessly to give customers a distinctly Grenadian experience; from hospitality to food, order to delivery.”

Follow @thenutmegspot on Instagram

Visit them online at thenutmegspot.com and in person at 1085 Weston Rd, Toronto

Conejo Negro

Owned by three Toronto friends, and operated out of the West End’s Little Italy neighbourhood, Conejo Negro serves delicious Caribbean and Latin American fusion at affordable prices. The restaurant has been acknowledged twice by the folks at Michelin. The restaurant earned a Bib Gourmand designation last year. Co-owner Lamine Martindale is also the proud winner of the Michelin Guide Toronto 2024 Service Award. They’ve also been recognized by blogTO, Toronto Life, and The Hollywood Reporter.

Follow @conejonegro_to on Instagram

Visit them online at conejonegrotoronto.com and in person at 838 College St in Toronto

Sugar Kane

Located in the heart of the Danforth, SugarKane is owned by three sisters with a passion for Caribbean and Cajun cuisine. SugarKane has some of the most delicious Caribbean food in the East end, hosts regular live music and DJ nights, and they’ve even hosted the Prime Ministers of Canada and Barbados!

We’ve previously highlighted SugarKane before, when we spoke to owner-operators Donna, Nicole, and Renee. They shared with us where that passion came from: “Growing up, we had a mini restaurant in our house. Our dad would cook and we’d serve the food. We even had seating set-up in our basement and people loved it, we had a lot of repeat customers. And truthfully, we loved it too.”

You can also read more about them on BlogTO and the Toronto Star.  

Follow @sugarkanerestaurant on Instagram

Visit them at 699 Danforth Ave in Toronto

Classic Juice Co

Classic Juice Co. creates healthy  cold-pressed juices, free from preservatives, additives, dyes, and artificial sweeteners. They have been highlighted by Beach Metro Community News. Door Dash awarded the company with its #BlackFoodEnergy grant last year. 

Founder Tamara Shelly was inspired by her own journey with nutrition and natural remedies: 

“My life experience included many of my grandmother’s natural remedies that come from the island of Jamaica, where there isn’t the luxury of a large medical system; so food is medicine. These roots and my experience with my doctor, inspired me to begin studying the health benefits of food … As my diet improved, my energy, mood, attitude and relationships improved leading to a complete lifestyle change. … I wanted others to experience this healing and started to design juice blends with a focus on specific healing properties. I began sharing the beverages and my story and eventually launched a small line of 3 beverages.”

Follow @classicjuicecompany on Instagram

Visit them online at classicjuice.co and in person at 287 Coxwell Ave in Toronto.

Four All Ice Cream

Four All creates hand-crafted ice cream using all-natural, locally-sourced ingredients. For All make their ice cream using A2 milk, which for many people is an easier form of dairy-milk to digest. This allows even dairy-sensitive individuals to enjoy a scoop.

Founder, University of Waterloo graduate, and engineer-entrepreneur Ajoa Mintah told CityNews Kitchener: “For me, ice cream is an intersection between my education — I’m a chemical engineer by my education — and also doing something that I love. I love ice cream. I love that living in Waterloo Region, ten minutes in any direction, I’m at a farm. It was a way to marry what I studied at school and what I love to do, which is create.”

Follow @fourallicecream on Instagram

Visit them online at shop.fourall.ca and in person at 75 King St. South in Waterloo, ON.

Lenjo Bakes

LenJo bakes creates bespoke cakes for all occasions, as well as ready-to-order cinnamon rolls, cookies, brownies, macarons, verrines, and more. In addition to the LenJo Bakes retail store they also operate a cafe called The Shed.

Founder Lenore Johnson shared her truly incredible story with Canvas Rebel:

“I got into the food industry by following my passion, really! I went to the University of Waterloo for a math/business degree, knowing that when it was all over I really wanted to go to pastry school and pursue my passion of baking.”

She continued, “I applied and was accepted to George Brown College for their baking and pastry arts program and somehow convinced my academic advisor to approve 4 economics classes at Ryerson to be approved to satisfy my remaining credit requirements at UWaterloo. I did my first year at George Brown concurrently with my last year at Waterloo – it was SO hard, but so worth it! In between my first and second year at GBC, I went to France to attend a French pastry school and work in a restaurant and that was my first foray into the industry proper and what an education it was! I learned the value of hard work, the difficulty of being the “new person” in the kitchen, and how to handle myself in racist and misogynistic environment.

Once I finished at GBC, I moved to London, England to work in a Michelin-starred restaurant and other luxury 5-star properties … I’ve taken all of those lessons and put them in to what we offer at LenJo Bakes and The Shed.”

Follow @lenjobakes on Instagram

Visit them online at lenjobakes.com and in person at 132 Ahrens St West in Kitchener!

Rade’s

Owner and chef, Okuba Tesfa, opened Rade’s in May 2020. Overcoming the incredible odds that naturally accompanied starting a business in the early days of the pandemic, Rade’s restaurant is still open in Kitchener, offering dine-in, takeout, buffet and catering. Boasting an incredible 4.9 star rating on google

Rade’s website details his remarkable experience and passion: “Originally from Eritrea in Eastern Africa, Okuba has worked in Israel for 9 years as a sous-chef in Italian and Middle-Eastern restaurants, with a total of over 15 years in the kitchen. Now in Canada, he wants to bring all of his experience and flavorful roots to Canadians through culture and tasty food. In fact, the name Rade is a combination of the names of his 4 kids; a hardworking family restaurant looking to bring good food and friendly service to its customers.”

Follow @rades.restaurant on Instagram

Visit them online at rades-restaurant.square.site and in person at 301 King Street East in Kitchener, ON.

Rasta Pasta

Located in the vibrant Kensington Market neighbourhood, Rasta Pasta offers a delicious fusion of Jamaican and Italian cuisine. They’ve been highlighted by Toronto Life as one of the top 10 meals under $10 in Kensington, and one of the 10 best restaurants in Kensington by Streets of Toronto. Their food is such a must-try that it even became a ritual for our own team, with a trip from our Spadina location to the Rasta Pasta patio become a feature of every onboarding week.

The folks at Rasta Pasta say: “Everything served at Rasta Pasta is made ‘from scratch’. From our pastas to our jerk marinade, we prepare and cook everything in our kitchen in Kensington Market. … As Jamaican and Italian Canadians, the good food is not just what we make but who we are. For example in our world famous dish the Vatican, we combine our beloved Italian paninis with Jamaican chicken that’s been marinated for 2 days. Other menu items we’re passionate about include the Dreadlock Lasagna, Irie Pizza, Dutch Pot Oxtail and more. Our mission is to serve the best in Jamaican and Italian cuisine.”

Follow @eatrastapasta on Instagram

Visit them online at eatrastapasta.ca or in person at 61 Kensington Ave in Toronto.

East African Cafe 

East African Cafe is a Black Canadian, family-owned  restaurant, located in the heart of downtown Kitchener.

When his restaurant was featured by The Waterloo Record, Owner, Afework Girmayie, described the experience of eating Injera, one of the key dishes on his menu: “Injera is round. We all sit down in a circle around it and eat.” Injera is a traditional dish, eaten by hand. “It’s good to use your fingers to eat,” he said. “You have the feeling of the food in your hand.”

He was also proud to inform both The Record, and journalist Kasetta Black, that the late Stephen Hawking has dined at his restaurant.

Follow East African Cafe on Facebook

Visit them at 50 Ontario Street South in Kitchener, ON.

Mary’s Brigadiero

Mary’s Brigadiero is Canada’s first gourmet Brigadeiro company, making specialty handcrafted Brazilian chocolates. You can find coverage of Mary’s in BlogTO, CBC, Futurpreneur, and many more. 

Owner Mariane Oliveira told CBC about taking inspiration from her mother: “My mom raised three kids by herself. Her income came from making Brazilian baked goods and brigadeiros, and selling it to the neighbourhood. It was about survival … I started my business for two reasons: to present Brazilian culture to Toronto but to also preserve a part of my culture that I was missing.“

Upon the opening of their first permanent location, proudly shared with on her website: “My dream has come true. I get to make beautiful chocolates everyday but most importantly I get to share them with you.”

Follow @marysbrigadeiro on Instagram

Visit them online at marysbsweets.com or in person at 1912 Danforth Avenue in Toronto, or at Chef’s Hall on Richmond St in Toronto.

Eight50 Coffee

The vision for Eight50 Coffee is rooted in the Ethiopian heritage of its founder, Muna Mohammed. She started the company after visiting her own family’s coffee farm in East Hararghe, Ethiopia, where her grandfather worked as a coffee farmer.

In the words of Muna Mohammed: “Having your own take on what makes coffee just right for you, is what coffee exploration and drinking is all about. I discovered my own passion for coffee different from my grandfather, but just right for me. In 2020, I brought together my love of coffee, community, entrepreneurial experience, to build a responsibly sourced coffee company, that gives back and creates impact in the coffee community it sources its coffee from and from the communities we serve.”

Eight50 Coffee is a member of the Coffee Association of Canada, and won their innovation award in 2023.

Follow @eight50coffee on Instagram

Visit them online at eight50coffee.com and in person at the Toronto Designers Market, 50 Bloor Street West.

Cup of Té

Cup of Té founder, Taylor Lindsay Noel, is a former gymnast and disability rights activist from Toronto. In 2008 while training she suffered an accident that left her paralyzed from the neck down. “Driven to overcome her challenges and transform her situation into something meaningful and extremely valuable to lives, she launched Cup of Té in 2018 with the goal of providing the world’s finest loose leaf organic teas and teaware.”

You can learn more about Taylor’s journey, from recovery to starting her own business to being named one of Oprah’s favourite things, in the Toronto Star, CBC, from her alma mater, TMU, or in her own words on the Cup of Té youtube channel.

$1 from every Cup of Té starter kit sold is donated to mental health awareness.

Follow @cupofteshop on Instagram

Visit them online at cupofte.com

Thank You from Workhaus

Thank you again to everyone who contributed this month by sharing the name of a Black-owned business. We hope you’ve enjoyed learning about these incredible brands and their founders. We hope you have the chance to check out one or more of these businesses – you might end up discovering your new favorite brand!