Unboxed: 11 Expo West exhibiting brands from Black founders

The theme of this year’s Black History Month is “African Americans and the Arts,” designed to highlight Black Americans’ influence in such areas as the visual and performing arts, literature, fashion, culinary and “other forms of cultural expression,” according to History.com.

Guess which of those arts New Hope Network is going to focus on?

Africans who were brought to the Americas as slaves carried with them the food traditions of their homelands. Many Americans of all ethnicities have enjoyed red beans and rice, which comes from the Creole culture, according to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

More recent immigrants have been inspired to create foods from their homelands. Other Black people started food brands because they couldn’t find a nutritious, convenient version of a favorite. African Americans also are blazing trails in the growing non-alcoholic adult beverage category.

As a celebration of Black History Month and the increasing diversity in the natural and organic products industry, New Hope presents a dozen brands founded by Black men and women who are exhibiting at Natural Products Expo West in March. Click through the gallery to meet these brands and their founders.

Editor's note: One of the brands originally included in this gallery was erroneously identified as having Black founders. The slide was removed from the gallery and the product was removed from the cover slide on Feb. 13.

Natural Products Expo West, the leading trade show in the natural, organic and healthy products industry, begins March 12 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. Click through for the agenda, registration, travel information and more.