Spud’s #HerFairShare initiative empowers women-led brands on grocery shelves

Online grocery retailer Spud is launching an initiative, #HerFairShare, to empower women entrepreneurs on International Women’s Day.

The company says the initiative marks a step towards increasing the representation of women-led brands on grocery shelves, starting at Spud.

“Spud takes pride in supporting women in business. However, we also recognize that there is always more we can do to promote equity for women,” a spokesperson from Spud said.

With #HerFairShare, Spud aims to amplify its selection of women-led brands from 20 per cent to 25 per cent by 2025. The initiative will begin with Spud creating five new openings on its storefront exclusively reserved for women-led brands, with applications set to open on March 4.

“Spud was one of the first local retailers to say yes and offer Verily as an option for customers. They were an excellent partner in the early stages, helping us get Verily off the ground. They’ve always been a supportive local partner. Locally-minded businesses must support each other because without local support, expanding into other markets becomes much more difficult as a brand founder,” Karlene Karst, founder of Verily Kitchen, said in a statement.

The company says it does not charge a listing fee for vendors to feature their products on their shelves, nor do they implement price change fees.

“At Spud, we’ve never charged listing fees to provide easier entry for local and independent brands into the grocery space, removing barriers and jumpstarting their brands,” Bridget Westerholz, vice president of marketing at Spud, said in a statement.

HerFairShare aligns with Spud’s commitment to enhancing women’s visibility in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and grocery categories. The initiative aims to foster economic growth for female founders and contribute to the broader local economy, a statement reads.

“For small businesses, every dollar counts, and with slim profit margins, even a small loss can have a significant impact. That’s why support from businesses like Spud, who not only provide another sales channel and marketing support but also waive costs like stocking fees, is invaluable,” Katie Ruddell, founder of Kokomo and a Spud female vendor, said in a statement.