JuniperMarket, the newly launched B2B ecommerce platform powered by IMC, shines a month-long spotlight on women-owned gift and home brands with a series of product features, live interviews and other curated content available online at JuniperMarket.com/womenowned.
“IMC’s January acquisition of Dough, an ecommerce platform focused on empowering women-owned businesses, is designed to amplify visibility and economic opportunities for values-based brands and makers,” says Vanessa Bruce, IMC vice president of social impact. “Women’s History Month provides a perfect backdrop against which to celebrate the women-owned brands available through JuniperMarket, as well as some of the women who make up 58% of the IMC team.”
Since its launch in 2018, Dough has identified, vetted and supported more than 1,000 women-owned businesses, 50% of which are led by women of color. In connection with the Women’s History Month showcase, dozens of Dough’s leading women-owned brands will begin selling on JuniperMarket. These newcomers include Baloo (eco-friendly weighted blankets), Coco’s Musings (handmade jewelry and accessories), Duebest (reusable teak wood cutlery), JJ Paperie and Company (handmade notepads and cards), KAZMALEJE (personal grooming tools and accessories), Kola Goodies (superfood and healthy treats), MASAMI (botanical hydration haircare products), Modern Theory (eco-friendly candles) and many others.
Additionally, in a weekly Instagram Live interview series, titled “Celebrating Women in Business,” Bruce will conduct Q&A sessions with owners of select women-owned brands. The first interview, with Michelle Tu, founder and creative director of Modern Theory, aired on March 15.
JuniperMarket’s content hub also will shine a light on women-owned businesses statistics – such as, “1,200 businesses are launched by women daily in the U.S.” (businesswomen.org) and “89% of new businesses opened daily are held by women of color” (Forbes.com), as well as the economic impact and consumer appeal of women-owned brands. Juniper also will shine the spotlight on itself, with features about Juniper’s 75 female employees.
Moving forward, IMC will continue to utilize Dough’s vetting process to integrate more socially impactful, female-owned brands onto JuniperMarket, as well as into IMC’s physical markets in Atlanta, Las Vegas and High Point. For IMC’s summer 2022 markets, a JuniperMarket pop-up booth featuring women-owned brands will be presented in the temporary exhibits at Atlanta Market (July 12-18 at AmericasMart Atlanta) and Las Vegas Market (July 24-28 at World Market Center Las Vegas). In addition to showcasing women-owned brands available on JuniperMarket, the multi-vendor booth will offer a series of related events and activities designed to raise awareness of values-based commerce.
“Our women-owned spotlight in March is only the beginning.” added Bruce. “It is just the first of many future initiatives to showcase values-based and mission-driven brands and makers across IMC’s physical and digital markets.”
