Indigo Culinary Co.
Our November highlight features Indigo Culinary Co. and its owner, Josmine. “As a passionate storyteller and culinary artist, Josmine brings together bold flavors and cultural narratives to create products that nourish both body and soul. Deeply rooted in her identity and heritage, Josmine uses food as a medium to honor ancestral traditions, uplift community, and inspire connection” - indigoculinaryco.com.
1. Why and how did you decide to start a food business?
Indigo Culinary Co. began as a personal journey into my family’s recipes and the wider African diaspora foodways. Cooking became a way to honor my grandmother’s stories, my mother’s kitchen, and the threads that connect us to ancestors across the Afro-Atlantic. Over time, I realized that these traditions weren’t just food — they were history, survival, and resistance. I started Indigo Culinary Co. to preserve those flavors and stories, and to create tangible ways for people to reconnect with culture through spice, tea, and meals.
2. How long have you been in business?
I’ve been working under the Indigo Culinary Co. name since 2021, beginning with pop-ups, storytelling dinners, and such but I didnt start taking it seriously as a business until late 2024 when I was accepted into the chef-in-residence program at Bas Blue that Chef Ederique led. I graduated with 14 market-ready products. The spice line — our packaged blends — officially launched January 29th 2025 and Ive been putting most of my energy behind that.
3. How has owning a business changed now from when you first got started?
In the beginning, it was just me experimenting — blending spices in my kitchen, carrying bins of supplies to pop-ups, and learning as I went. And even when I wanted to learn more about the logistics of running a business, it was really just me wanting to hustle on my own, but do it legally without getting in trouble. Now, I think more like a builder of systems. I’ve moved from being a solo cook to starting to figure out how to build a team and eventually an entire community of people who will be able to provide resources for themselves and their communities through Indigo Culinary Co. Indigo Culinary Co. has wholesale accounts, market stalls, and structured campaigns. It’s a business, no longer a hobby, but heart of the work hasn’t changed — it’s still about flavor, story, and community — but the scope has expanded, and I’m learning to hold vision and infrastructure at the same time.
4. Can you please tell us about your signature items?
Our blends are the core of Indigo Culinary Co. Each one carries a story:
Maroon Rub: a spicy allspice and thyme forward seasoning rooted in the survival foods of maroon communities.
Kitchen Pepper: an archival recipe, revived from early Black cookbooks, that layers black pepper with warm spices, and history.
Juneteenth Jawn: a red-hued, Galveston-inspired blend that honors the long arc of Black freedom struggles.
5. How has utilizing the food business programming and/or incubator kitchen in Eastern Market impacted your growth as a business?
In the Business of Food has been a backbone for our growth. Through IBF I’ve been able to position my business to perform in spaces like the incubator kitchen. Having access to professional-grade equipment, consistent production space, and a network of other food entrepreneurs has been invaluable. The programming — from business classes to mentorship — helped me shift from “just cooking” to understanding operations, scaling, and wholesale strategy. It’s been a launchpad, giving me the infrastructure and confidence to grow beyond my own kitchen and into stores, markets, and national partnerships.
6. Do you have advice for future food business entrepreneurs?
Remember that food is a human right — it should be free and abundant for all people. Because we live in a world where food is sold, it’s important that those of us who exchange currency for food do so with deep integrity. That means offering our customers the very best — in quality, in story, in care. Don’t cut corners on flavor or ethics. Build your systems strong, but keep your heart soft. Know your “why,” and let it guide your choices so that the business you’re building doesn’t just feed people’s bodies, but also nourishes their spirits and affirms their dignity.
Web: indigoculinaryco.com
Photos by Chuk Nowak https://www.chuknowak.com/