Women entrepreneurs are gaining traction in the U.S. The number of women-owned businesses increased by 114% from the early 2000s to 2019, according to Business Insider. In 2019, there were nearly 13 million businesses owned by women, which represented 42% of all companies. In addition, 50% of all businesses owned by women are minority-owned companies. (These are  the cities with the most Black-owned businesses.)

In honor of Women’s History Month, 24/7 Tempo is shining a spotlight on successful women-owned businesses. The majority of women-owned businesses are in healthcare and social assistance, professional and technical services (i.e. accounting, consulting, and P.R.), and hair, nail, and pet services. Only a small percentage are in packaged food, retail or wholesale, but many of these culinary companies have become renowned brands across America.

To identify a number of women-owned food brands to add to your grocery list, 24/7 Tempo consulted lists of such enterprises on sites including Women Owned, Oprah Daily, and Taste of Home, as well as the sites of individual companies. Women-owned beverage companies, including wineries, breweries, and coffee roasteries, were not included. 

Click here to learn more about 25 women-owned food brands to add to your grocery list

Some of the women-owned food companies listed (as well as many that are not mentioned here) are health-oriented and offer preservative-free, vegan, gluten-free, or lactose-free foods. Many are owned by women descended from immigrants who have incorporated their own family’s recipes and traditions into their products. A few are owned by women farmers who created their companies as a way to add value to the agricultural products they and their families were producing. (See a list of America’s most trusted food and drink brands.)

In some cases, the women included here have male partners, often family members, but are themselves the founders and principals. Only companies in the U.S. were considered. There are many more food companies owned by women around the country, but we used editorial discretion to choose a selection that represented a variety of product types. While some brands are available nationwide, others have limited distribution – but most sell their products by mail order via the links below.