MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota — Next week marks three years since Tatiana Freeman launched her business.
"I just realized that I wanted more autonomy over my life. I wanted to create generational wealth for my daughter. And I just found it was difficult to access the kind of foods that I wanted to eat. So healthy, prepared meals and snacks," Freeman recalled.
Freeman is the founder of Nosh Posh — a health-conscious snack food company in Minneapolis that sources products exclusively from BIPOC- and women-owned businesses.
"There are a lot of barriers to entry into certain markets. I know that a lot of companies have seen success since George Floyd. But there's still a lot of costs associated with creating a product, bringing it to market, marketing, advertising costs. So I wanted to remove barriers for smaller companies, as well as just bring visibility and amplify our diverse founders," Freeman said.
Nosh Posh has three core product lines. The shop's curated snacks can be found in vending machines in seven locations across Minneapolis. Nosh Posh is currently operating in co-working spaces but Freeman is hoping to expand.
Nosh Posh also has a Workplace Snack Program to keep break rooms stocked with healthy snacks. They also provide meeting boxes that include 8 or 15 pieces.
Freeman's company recently received a $25,000 inaugural grant from Soon and McKeel Hagerty's Boundless Futures Foundation — focused on supporting female entrepreneurs driven to do good.
"I struggled quite a bit at the end of last year. So to get that funding kind of saved us. Also, just kind of set the stage for growth moving forward," Freeman said. "I really wanted to focus this year on increasing our impact kind of beyond a donation model. I know a lot of brands do a percentage of sales, but I really want to see how we can create impact and community, particularly for youth and families, in a more substantial way. So that's how I'm going to use some of the funding is really to build out partnerships and get some of our products in community."
For Women's History Month, Nosh Posh is also offering a Women's History Month Snack Bag featuring women-owned snack brands.
"think that this journey of entrepreneurship has taught me so much about myself. I wasn't really expecting to have to do so much self-work to scale a business," Freeman said. "So when you look around, I feel like women in business are so helpful and supportive... I'm really honored for the women that have paved the way and just excited to build more partnerships with women."
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