Black Owned Businesses at Eastern Market Series: In the Mix Detroit

Black Owned Businesses at Eastern Market Series: In the Mix Detroit

“I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a foodie but what I do really love are the stories of each of the growers and the farmers,” says Imani S. Foster. “It is their support that just drives me.”


Have you ever thought about starting your own garden and needed some support or resources? Meet Imani S. Foster, Chief Operating Officer of In the Mix Detroit, a collective of black farmers and gardeners making a huge sustainability impact on Detroit. 


Essentially, In the Mix helps farmers bring their fresh food to market; providing resources like gardening supplies, educational workshops and an inviting community that welcomes newcomers.


“It (In the Mix) is the first of its kind; flash frozen vegetable produce line that is sourced from Black farmers in Detroit, Hamtramck and Highland Park,” says Foster. “What we do is provide more resources and outlets for the produce through flash freezing. Even as harvest season is over, the consumer can still access sustainably-grown produce.”


Foster’s dream was to uplift the Black gardeners and farmers in Detroit, and provide a direct pipeline into the frozen food industry.  Every Saturday, Foster can be found in Shed #5 of Detroit’s Eastern Market, coordinating sales and acting as a liaison between the farmers and gardeners and Eastern Market shoppers. 

She began a partnership with Michigan Farm to Freezer creating a processing cooperative that sustains dozens of local farms and growers. 

Photos taken by Marcus Askew III


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