At the age of 10, Ihsan Munir found a love for mixing up spices in his home in Bordeaux with his grandmother. As an adult, this Virgin Islander has managed to turn his passion into a successful and flourishing business.
Munir, along with the help of his wife, owns and manages the spice company entitled Islandboy Spices. Islandboy Spices prides itself on its motto, “No Additives, No Preservatives, No GMOs, No Fillers, Just Ingredients You Can Pronounce!”
Munir began his business on a small scale, selling around 10 to 15 spice blend bottles a month to friends and family. Decades later, and through tireless efforts, Munir now runs his business from California, selling hundreds of bottles every month to locations worldwide. He has even gone one step further to ensure his products can be found in grocery stores throughout the Virgin Islands and nationwide.
Munir saw great success with his online retail business but knew he could do more and wanted to get his brand onto the shelves of brick-and-mortar stores. Although this did not happen overnight, his efforts surely paid off, as Islandboy Spices has secured national distribution through partnerships with one of the largest food distributors in the United States, Gordon Food Services (GFS), along with food distributor KeHe and, most recently, Walmart.
The strategic expansion of Munir’s company is commendable, and you may be asking yourself, how exactly did he do it?
Munir was a young child with a dream — a relatable feeling for many. He dreamed of having as many people as possible taste and enjoy the aromatic and robust flavors of his spice blends. In his adult life, he has witnessed this dream come true.
Munir may have moved away from his island home, but the “island” in this island boy remains. Munir has stayed connected to his Virgin Islands roots and wants to help individuals in the community develop and expand their businesses within the retail space.
“I want people in the Caribbean to understand that representation matters, especially in the retail space, and there are not enough diverse products,” Munir told the Source. He explained that although expanding a local product nationwide is no easy feat, it can be done. He would like to help fellow entrepreneurs, particularly those in the Virgin Islands, reach that goal. This is what led Munir to begin developing the program that he has coined “Retail GPS.”
“Retail GPS Shelf-Ready Program” To Offer Guidance to USVI Entrepreneurs
The “Retail GPS Shelf-Ready Program,” which is being facilitated through a Facebook group, offers group coaching sessions and podcast discussions, during which Munir speaks with expert industry leaders. They discuss their challenges and successes in the retail space and offer Retail GPS members exclusive partnership opportunities.
In the coming months, the program will be expanding, allowing members the opportunity to be mentored by Munir through one-on-one sessions. The process of getting into the consumer packaged goods (CPG) space can be quite overwhelming, particularly for those who are just starting with the launch of their product. Munir hopes that through this program, he can offer comprehensive guidance on how to take a product from the idea stage to pitching buyers to eventually getting said product on the shelves of retail stores.
Interested persons can join the Retail GPS Facebook Group for free and gain access to group coaching sessions on the specifics of retail expansion and online events with industry experts. There will be a fixed cost associated with receiving all of the program’s perks, including the specialized one-on-one mentorship, learning modules, and templates.
During his conversation with the Source, Munir was asked what advice he could give to young professionals in the retail industry who desire to begin or grow their careers. Munir replied that they should “stick to it, have a dedication and desire to stick with it … if you have a goal, a vision, and a passion, you should pursue it because the easy thing to do is to quit.”
To purchase and explore the array of spice blends Islandboy Spices has to offer, go to https://islandboyspices.com/.
