Los Angeles, California-based friends Claude Tellis and Kareem Cook turned a successful campaign to remove vending machines filled with junk foods from the LA school system into a business venture with a Walmart contract.
The men, who were friends in college, eventually won approval to replace the junk with healthier, wholesome options and today they have managed to turn their community-focused endeavor into a multi-million dollar health and wellness company. They own VeganSmart, a line of plant-based nutritional powders.
Tellis and Cook recently announced that VeganSmart will be sold in close to 2,000 of the largest Walmart Supercenter’s nationwide beginning mid-November. Consumers can purchase VeganSmart in Vanilla and Chocolate. The powders sell for $34 retail but about $26 on Amazon.com for close to a 23 ounce jar and looks to have gotten some great reviews.
These StartUp founders’ journey into entrepreneurship, policy reform, and disease prevention impacted their communities in ways that change the way underprivileged communities think about health, while at the same time worked to give them trailblazing opportunities as well.
Through their success, the men hope to create a positive change in the diets of millions of Americans and also hope their success inspires other leaders and entrepreneurs like themselves to break through the static.
Jay Jay Ghatt is also editor at Techyaya.com, founder of the JayJayGhatt.com and JayJayGhatt.com where she teaches online creators how to navigate digital entrepreneurship and offers Do-It-For-You Blogging Service. She manages her lifestyle sites BellyitchBlog, Jenebaspeaks and JJBraids.com and is the founder of BlackWomenTech.com 200 Black Women in Tech On Twitter. Her biz podcast 10 Minute Podcast is available on iTunes and Player.fm. Follow her on Twitter at @Jenebaspeaks. Buy her templates over at her legal and business templates on Etsy shop!
