CHICAGO, Oct. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Famous
Amos, in partnership with the National Black Chamber of Commerce
(NBCC), announces the launch of its Ingredients for Success
Initiative, a grant and mentorship program that aims to provide the
necessary tools and resources to help Black business owners
succeed.
According to a recent story by CNBC, there are about 2.6 million
Black-owned businesses in the United
States, equating to approximately 9.5 percent of all
businesses. Yet nearly 8 out of 10 Black-owned companies usually do
not survive the first 18 months. Famous Amos strongly believes that
pairing these entrepreneurs early on with financial resources and
mentorship is a key ingredient to contribute to a more positive
direction.
"In honor of Wally Amos, the
founder of Famous Amos, we are extremely grateful to partner with
the NBCC to help create pathways for Black business owners to
thrive," said Rachna Patel, Senior
Director, Distinctive Brands at Ferrara. "Famous Amos remains
committed to fostering racial equity through the work that we do as
a company and our connection to the communities we serve."
In its inaugural year, a total of $150,000 has been committed to award three
Black-owned businesses, each receiving a $50,000 business grant. Along with the monetary
award, grant winners will receive a complete suite of mentoring and
coaching resources and tools provided by the NBCC to help drive
sustainable growth and success.
"Our mission is the economic empowerment of Black businesses and
communities," said Charles H. DeBow,
III, Executive Director, National Black Chamber of Commerce.
"We are pleased to partner with Famous Amos to provide
mentorship, as well as the necessary tools and resources to the
grant recipients to assist them to not only participate but to
succeed in America's economy."
Grant applications will be judged by some of the nation's
foremost Black business leaders including Jeffery Beckham Jr., Chief Executive Officer at
Chicago Scholars; Roby Mercharles,
vice president of partnerships at The American Dream Fund &
Marketplace; Steve Canal, co-founder
of Flourysh, ONE Venture Group, Saint Miles and The Baptist
Collection; and Mandy Bowman, and
founder and CEO of Official Black Wall Street.
Businesses must be at minimum 90 percent Black-owned and have
been in operation for five years or less. For official rules and
eligibility requirements, and to apply now, please visit
https://famousamosingredientsforsuccess.info/. All entries must be
submitted by Monday, November 29th,
by 11:59 p.m. EST.
About Famous Amos
The Famous Amos story began in 1975 at a bakery on Sunset
Boulevard in Hollywood,
California. Inspired by a family recipe, the founder
Wally Amos perfected the ultimate
chocolate chip cookie. He used only the best ingredients to make
his bite-size cookies. This delicious homemade signature helped
them gain fame just by word of mouth. From there, the Famous Amos
story becomes a Hollywood success
story. Iconic musicians and other Hollywood celebrities began singing the
praises of delicious tiny cookies from the small bakery on
Sunset.
This was just the beginning of the Famous Amos story. It was
always a core belief of Wally Amos
that you make a tastier cookie if you use high-quality ingredients.
While this has never changed, what customers looked for in a cookie
did. They wanted fewer ingredients and internationally inspired
recipes. So, we set out to find the ingredients from the most
renowned places in the world and bring the bite-size cookies back
to once again being Famous. That brings us to today, and we hope
you enjoy our new Famous Amos Wonder From The World™.
About Ferrara:
Ferrara, a company, related to The Ferrero Group, is an emerging
powerhouse in the North American confections and sweet snacking
categories. A passionate team of more than 6,000 employees works
together to share delight in every bite through leading brands that
have shaped the industry for more than 100 years. Our diverse
portfolio of nearly 35 brands includes SweeTARTS®, Trolli®,
BRACH'S®, Black Forest®, and NERDS®, along with iconic favorites
like Lemonhead®, Red Hots® and Now and Later®. Ferrara also manages
the Keebler® and Famous Amos® businesses for The Ferrero Group.
Headquartered in Chicago, Ferrara has an operational network of 20
locations in North America that includes manufacturing,
distribution, and R&D facilities. Learn more
at www.ferrarausa.com.
National Black Chamber of Commerce (NBCC):
The NBCC is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, nonsectarian organization
dedicated to the economic empowerment of African American
communities. 140 affiliated chapters are locally based throughout
the nation as well as international affiliate chapters based in
Bahamas, Brazil, Colombia, Ghana, Kenya,
France, Botswana, Cameroon, and Jamaica and businesses as well as individuals
who may have chosen to be direct members with the national office.
In essence, the NBCC is on the leading edge of educating and
training Black communities on the need to participate vigorously in
this great capitalistic society known as America.
The NBCC reaches 100,000 Black-owned businesses. There are
2.6 million Black-owned businesses in the United States.
Black businesses account for over $138
billion in revenue each year, according to the US Bureau of
Census. The National Black Chamber of Commerce® is dedicated
to economically empowering and sustaining African American
communities through entrepreneurship and capitalistic activity
within the United States.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Derrick Clifton
dclifton@explorefcg.com
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SOURCE Famous Amos; Ferrara Candy Company