Emile Johnson, Goode Foods & Pic Select Fresh- Building a Black-owned Legacy

Sep 1

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This week, I spoke to Emile Johnson, CEO of Goode Foods and Pic Select Fresh. Emile’s companies are committed to delivering quality, nutritious, and delicious food products that lack preservatives and added sugar. His food products are also low in sodium, and high in protein and fiber. Their mission is to bring better nutrition to the country through proper education while providing the highest quality canned beans, vegetables, and baby foods.

After 30 years in the consumer package pharmaceutical industry, Emile decided to pursue his childhood dream of starting his own company. His goal was to improve the lives of fellow citizens. In 2003, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity were at epidemic levels, and Emile knew that it was the best time to start. Studies in the pharmaceutical industry also indicated that a proper diet could alleviate, and, in some cases, eliminate many of these diseases. He believed that convenience shouldn't have to sacrifice nutrition.

Emile stresses how his experience in corporate America trained him to run his own corporation. While working, he held on to his goal of building his own brand, and once his children started high school, he stepped out.

“If you want to achieve your goals, you have to help others to achieve their own” - Emile

Goode Foods has been on the shelf for about ten years and is available in nearly 2300 stores. The United States Department of Agriculture has also approved Goode Foods products as foods that meet the highest nutrition value for healthy eating. Goode Foods is also the first black-owned business to be approved by the USDA for the Women, Children, and infant program (WIC).

In today’s episode, Emile goes into great detail about the highs and lows of building a black-owned legacy while holding on to his vision of doing more for his community.

“If you don’t fail, you’re doing something illegal” - Emile

In This Episode You Will Learn:

The Power of Childhood Dreams and Goal Setting (5:00)
Business Coaching: A Key to Longevity (11:23)
Preparing for the Vision (18:03)
Profit is Everything (26:29)
Entering uncharted territory: USDA & WIC approval (38:06)
Getting support as a black-owned business (48:32)

Questions Answered:

How did you know it was time to shift and start your company?
How can one take their former experiences and use them as stepping stones in their business?
How did you select your product line? When is a good time to iterate?
What should a company do to remain stable amid global changes?
What does a business need to do to meet the demands of consumers as they evolve over time?
How can a black-owned business get access to the retail space?

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