Cassels is excited to announce the 2020 recipient of its Black-Owned Small Business Grant: Lola Adeyemi and It’s Souper.
As Lola outlined in her application:
“It’s Souper was established to share love through food to a community that has given me so much. As a first generation African immigrant, I have had the opportunity to live and work in Canada without having to forfeit my connection to my birth country, Nigeria. Our core business values are based on what it has taken for me to succeed so far and what Canada as a country represents to me: Innovation, Diversity, Creativity, Community Spirit, and Love. These are the values we will retain as we grow.”
The grant is valued at approximately $72,000 and includes a commitment for an equivalent value of pro bono legal services in 2020 and 2021.
As for the next steps for It’s Souper, Lola notes that the grant “will enable us to scale-up the business in order to meet all the demands required to fulfill big retail and national listing opportunities across production, distribution, planning, packaging and sales. In addition, the pro bono legal services will ensure that we are well-positioned to navigate the complexities inherent in the partnerships that will allow for future growth.”
Natasha Jimeno, co-chair of the Cassels Inclusion & Diversity Committee, says that the firm is “honoured to provide this grant in combination with our legal services to support It’s Souper on its journey. We were truly impressed with Lola’s core values and business ventures and look forward to working together to help bring her vision to life.”
The firm would like to thank all of the prospective recipients for their time and enthusiasm during the process. We were overwhelmed by both the number of respondents and the high quality of their applications.
The next Cassels Black-Owned Small Business Grant application process is scheduled to launch for Calgary-based Black-owned businesses during the summer of 2021.
Learn more about It’s Souper: