Black-Owned MoCo Made Business Guide

In celebration of Black History Month, the Food Council is highlighting Black-owned MoCo Made businesses. They had the opportunity to chat with three businesses: Dodo Farms, AMAC Foods, and Passion to Seed Gardening. They had a conversation with the owners on the origins of their business, their advice to Black entrepreneurs, and their inspiration as they navigate the food industry.

Tope Fajingbesi is the co-founder of Dodo Farms, a trusted source of fresh, local and Certified Naturally Grown produce in Montgomery County. Dodo Farms produces leafy and root vegetables without using chemicals, pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides or GMO seeds. We had the opportunity to chat with Tope about Dodo Farms’s journey since its inception 5 years ago, and her experiences as a Black farmer. Click here for more on our conversation with Dodo Farms!

From the farm to your plate, Passion to Seed Gardening (PTSG) offers ethnic vegetables, white dent corn, horned melons and other varieties of mainstream vegetables, all sustainably and organically grown. Read below for more about Passion to Seed and what inspired the owner, Tanya Spandhla to start her farming journey. Click here for more on our conversation with Passion to Seed!

AMAC Foods brings West African flavors to America with their KP’S JOLLOF RICE. It is a great option for vegans and those looking to try new flavors! We had a conversation with the owners on the origins of the business, their advice to Black businesses, and their inspiration as they navigate the food industry. Click here for more on our conversation with AMAC Foods!

Additionally, the 2022 Food and Beverage Guide has arrived!

This year’s Guide lists over 73 MoCo Made food and beverage producers and farmers, with products ranging from honey to craft beverages to artisanal meats and more. The Guide is available as a downloadable PDF and interactive searchable Guide. Print versions will be on stands soon at local retailers, breweries, farms, farmers markets, and anywhere MoCo Made products are sold. If you would like to order print versions of the guide please fill out the interest  form.

The Montgomery County Food Council thanks the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation for expanding their investment in the MoCo Made Program in 2022 and for their continued support of this initiative. This publication is made possible with support from the Montgomery County Council and the Office of the County Executive, Heritage Montgomery, the Mead Family Foundation, and the USDA Local Food Promotion Program.

To learn more about the MoCo Made Program, please contact Ester@mocofoodcouncil.org.