Introducing Target Forward Founders Cohort 3!

The Target Accelerators team is thrilled to announce the third Target Forward Founders cohort. This program is built to equip historically under resourced founders to become the next wave of generational wealth building companies, by utilizing Target’s privilege and scale to democratize access, education, and resources.

On May 24^th , the Target Forward Founders program will take place for the third time with a cohort of brands representing multiple product categories: baby, beauty, food & beverage, entertainment, and lifestyle. The Target Accelerators team is thrilled to welcome and introduce this group of unique brands. Meet the cohort!

Itadi is an Earth informed skincare essentials brand created by ancestral roots and rituals. We have compiled a unique formula using the purest ingredients on Earth from our family-owned farms in Togo, West Africa. ITADI provides an all-natural, safe and effective daily skin care regime.

MATTIAS is a men’s makeup company committed to providing you with the best possible products, without cutting corners. Bringing you performance ingredient-loaded formulas, free of fillers. Demand better.

Melanin is is an ethnic-focused skincare brand that addresses common skin concerns present in the community of color. We provide toxin-free and organic products that scientifically improve dark marks, discoloration, skin dehydration, and more. Melanin is products empowers people of color to become confident in their beautiful, healthy, and glowing melanin skin.

Riven makes oral care products using probiotics to help you achieve a healthier mouth.

Smitten makes beautiful nail art. We create hand-painted & Semi-cured nail polish strips for instantly fun nails!

TheBraidReleaser is a tool that acts as an aid to maintain healthy hair. The benefit would be providing a pain-free, time efficient experience.

babaLID is committed to manufacturing baby products that are simple, practical, and durable. Its premier product is a bottle that support parents and caregivers to confidently feed their babies at home or on-the-go.

Dandylion is a community-powered brand on a mission to clean up the dog grooming category by creating products that put skin-health first and empower the next-generation of millennial dog parents.

Dope Pieces presents the best in Contemporary, Fine, Urban, and Street Art. Each piece highlights the vibrancy, flavor, and pulse of today’s artists, ranging from the classically trained to the self-taught, to the urban street artist. Our puzzles bring art to life piece by piece.

EZ Doez It potty trainsers offers a safer way to train toddlers to use the potty. EZ Trainers(underwear) +EZ Pants (toddler pants) saves money, the environment and your baby’s bottom from harmful chemicals. Going back-to-basics with my product will save our planet 7.6 billion pounds of garbage each year!

Milksta offers guilt-free, vegan, and decaf lattes designed to help postpartum & breastfeeding mothers naturally boost their breastmilk supply and boost energy through plant-based lactogenic food ingredients.

The Adventurous Bartender is a functional novelty gift created to take the guesswork out of mixing cocktails at home is here!

KnoNap works to inclusively empower, educate, and advocate against drink spiking. Knope is a discreet, portable, gender-inclusive empowerment tool against drug facilitated sexual assault and crime; Say Knope to Drink Spiking.

Rove Biodegradable Paper Soapsheets are papers that disappear into hand soap with water. Our reusable, pocket-sized container of 50 aromatically sudsy sheets are perfect for travel, road-trips, cookouts and when life gets a little messy!

Seal Shoe Cover’s water-resistant outer shell repels water, mud and snow to keep your shoes clean and dry.

Seeds of Paper creates Biodegradable greeting cards that can be planted to grow into wildflowers!

50Hertz Sichuan Pepper makes Sichuan pepper accessible and relatable to American palates. Not spicy, its citrusy aroma and delightful tingling numbing sensation will strike a chord with world foodies. Our name 50Hertz comes from a peer-reviewed scientific paper that concludes the sensation is at a 50 Hz frequency.

A Little More Zest is an “all food everything” brand that encourages foodies to craft vibrant meals by offering an indulgent suite of culinary items that amplify the flavors of food with every bite.

alternative OATS is founded on the principle of offering a delicious, all-natural breakfast that is not only convenient but keeps you full until lunch. We don’t chase fad diet trends or advertise anything other than what we offer: pure, simple ingredients combined to make the most delicious breakfast available.

Carolyn’s Krisps are 100% plant-based and 100% ridiculously addictive cookie-crackers. Deliciously dippable and perfectly pairable, they blend the texture of a cookie with the Krisp of a cracker. All our snacks are vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free, inviting you to “snack as you are.”

Heart Soul Heat passionately makes small batch 100% American spicy hot honeys inspired by our candy making Mexican heritage. Drizzle it on raw veggies, grilled meats, pizza, chicken wings, fresh fruit, cornbread and even on ice cream.

Joe’y is the delicious coffee alternative with a fraction of the caffeine in coffee, a more sustained boost of energy, and more health benefits than you can count.

MABÏ is a modern & healthier take on this Caribbean classic. A combination of that nostalgic and refreshing flavor with other delightful and healthy spices and herbs that give a complex, special character and elevation to this drink. A bottle of MABÏ is filled with natural ingredients only that will make your body and spirit feel good.

Navina makes wine out of functional herbs and botanicals to create Herbal Wine, an age old tradition the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Chinese and Romans practiced.​

Phreshly produces Better-for-you handcrafted cocktails in a can.

POKS Spices is the American home cook to the West African holy trinity of spices; chili pepper, ginger and onion, via award-winning West African Seasonings.

Sankofa Snacks is a Mission-Driven brand, producing and sharing creative-authentic snacking experiences that celebrate global black food culture, while supporting and building sustainable local food systems.

SIPPIN SNAX Gourmet Bar Snacks is a woman-owned company specializing in gourmet beer, wine and party snacks based on flavor popping, authentic flavors. Made to accentuate, innovate and energize established styles of craft beer, wine and cocktails offering the consumer Authentic pairings for at-home or on-the-go enjoyment.

SYDPLAYEAT makes black truffle hot sauces and seasoning salts made with clean ingredients. SYDSAUCE is available in three heat levels and made with real black truffles and organic olive oil for a complex flavor. SYDSALT is a truffle explosion, packed with intense umami flavor and a hint of heat.

The Got Damn Sauce is a Boutique Sauce company started by Howard Alums who wanted to take the sauce world by storm. With so many flavor profiles we have been called the Bauce of All Sauces and we mean it! The Got Damn Sauce, the name says it all!

The Target Accelerators team is excited to help all of these brands accelerate their business over the next 8 weeks!

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