Famous Amos Awards $150,000 to Three Black Entrepreneurs in 2026 Ingredients for Success Program

(CHICAGO, August 7, 2026) – Ferrero North America, in partnership with U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC), today announced the winners of the annual Famous Amos Ingredients for Success (IFS) Entrepreneurs Initiative. Now in its sixth year, the program will award $150,000 in capital – $50,000 each to three early-stage Black business owners – alongside access to mentorship, networking opportunities and educational resources designed to fuel long-term growth.

The 2026 IFS winners include:

• The Brunch Munch, a St. Petersburg-based food truck founded by Ashley Reed that uses food as a vehicle for community connection while supporting the preservation of culturally significant spaces.
• Maison Black, a New York City-based fashion platform founded by Tori Nichel that amplifies Black designers through curated retail experiences and increased market visibility, helping connect consumers with Black-owned fashion brands.
• The Marriage Pinnacle, a Maryland-based relationship support platform co-founded by licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Lara and relationship coach Memi that blends clinical and cultural expertise to help Black couples strengthen relationships and build lasting family foundations.

The announcement arrives at a pivotal moment for Black entrepreneurship. A growing wave of retirements is reshaping the business landscape, and as owners step away, new opportunities for entrepreneurs are emerging. According to Project Equity, more than half of privately held U.S. businesses with employees are owned by individuals over age 55, and most lack a formal succession plan. As these transitions accelerate, programs like Ingredients for Success help equip the next generation of entrepreneurs with the capital and resources they need to build lasting businesses.

“Six years in, Ingredients for Success remains one of the most meaningful ways we show up as a brand,” said Keith Peterfeso, Vice President of Marketing for Famous Amos. “We’re proud to back founders at a critical stage of growth and carry forward what Wally Amos understood: that support at the right moment can make a big difference. These founders are building innovative businesses that are creating an impact in their communities, and we’re excited to be a part of their journey.”

“At U.S. Black Chambers, we believe that investing in Black entrepreneurs is an investment in the future of our communities and our economy,” said Ron Busby, Sr., President and CEO of U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. “Ingredients for Success is more than a capital award—it is an opportunity to equip the next generation of Black business owners with the resources, connections and confidence they need to build businesses that can create generational wealth and lasting impact. We are proud to partner with Famous Amos in supporting these exceptional founders and helping ensure that the next generation has the opportunity to turn their ideas into thriving enterprises.”

This year, IFS received 2,800 applications, its largest applicant pool to date and more than double the number of 2025 applications, underscoring the program’s growing impact and continued resonance with early-stage Black entrepreneurs. A distinguished panel of judges, each with firsthand experience building and sustaining a successful business, reviewed applications and selected this year’s winners. The 2026 panel included “Rev” Shawn Amos – entrepreneur, author and son of the late Famous Amos founder Wally Amos; Steve Canal, founder of ONE Venture Group, best-selling author and branding expert; and inaugural IFS winners Tracy Vontelle Green and Nancey Flowers-Harris, CEO and COO of Vontelle Eyewear.

This announcement comes on the heels of Famously You, a new family-friendly variety series presented by Famous Amos, hosted by “Rev” Shawn Amos and executive produced by Gabrielle Union. Now streaming on The Roku Channel, the series celebrates the courage it takes to be unmistakably yourself.

Among season one guests is Lizz Rene, founder and CEO of PO’ UP! Card Game and 2024 IFS winner, whose appearance on the show brings the connection between the two programs full circle. Together, Famously You and Ingredients for Success reflect the same belief that drove Wally Amos: that every person has something special to offer the world.

“Famously You is about celebrating people who bet on themselves – those who show up with a gift and the courage to share it,” said “Rev” Shawn Amos. “That’s the spirit my dad built Famous Amos on, backed by an investment from friends who believed in him. Ingredients for Success carries that forward by giving today’s founders the tools they need to turn that belief into something real.”

With the addition of the 2026 winners, Ingredients for Success has supported 18 businesses with $900,000 in funding since its debut in 2020, opening doors for a new generation of Black entrepreneurs. To learn more about IFS alumni and their journeys, visit FamousAmosIngredientsforSuccess.com/IFSWinners.

Stay tuned to Famous Amos’s social channels for the latest brand news and Ingredients for Success updates: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X and Threads.