# EatOkra

The platform for Black-owned food experiences, backed by Google for Startups

## Elevator pitch
EatOkra is the largest platform of Black-owned food experiences. Where food, culture, and community meet, EatOkra connects 500,000+ diners to culinary creators and restaurants, reimagining the dining experience in local neighborhoods nationwide.

- Canonical URL: https://wefunder.com/eatokra
- Entity ID: wefunder:company:114746
- Last updated: 2026-06-14T05:03:09Z
- Generated at: 2026-06-14T13:42:10Z

## Quick facts
- $3.2M cumulative revenue
- Partnerships with Uber Eats, ezCater, Apple Maps, and Pepsi Dig In
- 600,000+ app downloads & Apple Store Developer Award Winner
- 1.5B media impressions generated for EatOkra-listed businesses
- World-class team from Uber, Google, Mastercard, Culinary Institute of America, & U.S. Army
- Featured in Forbes, Fast Company, Good Morning America, CNN, TechCrunch, TIME & more
- 2024 "App of the Year" Black Tech Achievement Awards Presented by J.P. Morgan
- 2021 Apple App Store Developer Award Recipient for Connection (1 of 15)

## Active fundraises
- wefunder:fundraise:62606: 4(a)(6) successful (USD)
- wefunder:fundraise:62607: 4(a)(6) successful (USD)

## Story
EatOkra is on a mission to help millions of people find community through food. With EatOkra, foodies across the country can discover rich food experiences, and Black-owned restaurants acquire and retain new digital customers. Our vision is to create a Black-owned food ecosystem, built for and powered by community—revolutionizing how people find and support Black food entrepreneurs.Black communities have long been underserved and underinvested in, with far fewer goods and services at their disposal. Black entrepreneurs are more likely to receive less financing, less often, and at more unfavorable terms (Fundera). We’re seeing that start to change as consumers increasingly align their values with their spending.As consumers are becoming more conscious, the food delivery market is growing astronomically. 60% of digital consumers order takeout or delivery at least once per week (Fundera). However, food delivery apps fail to adequately showcase and validate Black-owned food businesses. Yet online searches specifically for Black-owned restaurants have surged by more than 2,500% (Yelp), and 60% of consumers say they prioritize buying from Black-owned businesses (Venture Beat).The Black-owned food market is massive and brimming with unrealized potential. Beyond the universal challenges of starting a business, Black entrepreneurs face additional difficulties, including lacking the technology necessary to scale their thriving businesses. Furthermore, independent operators often miss out on substantial savings by not leveraging collective buying, which could secure them better deals and enhance their competitiveness in the market.Introducing EatOkra. We’re creating a Black-owned food ecosystem, built for and powered by community.We unlock access to a network of untapped restaurants and users, making it easy for consumers to discover and share Black-owned food experiences, and for Black restaurateurs to thrive and scale.EatOkra helps Black restaurateurs get discovered by hundreds of thousands of new customers, while equipping restaurants with the marketing and business resources they need to grow. In partnership with Pepsi Dig In, UberEats, ezCater and Apple Maps, EatOkra increases visibility and sales for small businesses around the nation, funneling millions of dollars back into the community. More than half of Black small business owners report they are self-taught entrepreneurs–and most of them are eager for more educational resources (Fortune.com). In collaborating with Pepsi Dig In, ezCater, and Uber Eats, EatOkra helps provide digital support for Black-owned storefronts including access to resources, mentorship, and training to scale their businesses. EatOkra isn’t just about soul food. Many coffee shops, wine bars, restaurants, and a variety of concepts and cuisines are Black-owned. We offer users access to food experiences from around the world alongside many options for vegan, vegetarian, and health-conscious consumers. Our platform features Black-owned food businesses across the United States, helping Black-owned restaurants get discovered and tap into new revenue streams thanks to seamless integration with established delivery partners and the potential to provide nationwide coverage.To date, EatOkra has provided over 1.5 billion impressions for EatOkra-listed businesses.Users power our platform. Our directory was started by us, and scaled with the help of our community. In June of 2020, for example, over 8,000 businesses were added to our platform by our community. Users can easily recommend a new listing and our team of experts will verify Black ownership. EatOkra now hosts over 18,000 restaurants on the platform.Industry leaders are seeking companies that have strong brands with unique audiences - to reach new demographics through trusted sources. Last year Google invested in EatOkra via their Black Founders Fund. We also previously co-hosted the invite-only Taste 404 Summit with UberEats in Atlanta where we brought together Black restaurateurs, culinary creators, and industry experts and provided resources and programs to increase access, efficiencies, business performance, relation currencies, optimizations and sustainability.EatOkra is a trusted and respected member of the Foodie, and Black Foodie community. Have you seen our business spotlights?...We’ve been showcased and highlighted by the most trusted sources in the nation.EatOkra was featured during the 2022 BET Awards, viewed by over 3.2 million people across the country. In March 2023, EatOkra was selected to be featured in New York City’s colossal rebrand campaign “We ❤ NYC”, in partnership with the New York City Mayor’s Office. The campaign will run throughout the city over the next year via a dedicated rotating billboard in Times Square.EatOkra’s team consists of award-winning foodies, marketing veterans, renowned founders and developers with experience from leading companies. Between them, EatOkra’s co-founders spent nearly 20 years in the United States military and Border Patrol and Customs agency. With the discipline they learned and the sense of community that was created while serving our country, they poured all of it into EatOkra.There are approximately 3.12 million Black-owned businesses, generating $206 billion in annual revenues, and employing a combined 3.56 million people. (Forbes)EatOkra earns revenue through: (1) premium service fees from our Group Purchasing Program, (2) digital advertising fees, and (3) brand sponsorships with companies that have an average annual contract value of $300,000. *Forward-looking projections can't be guaranteed. Consumers want us to build this; we know because they’ve asked us themselves! EatOkra users continue to take action to help scale our platform.Now our sights are set on expanding our team, accelerating user acquisition, and scaling food and beverage merchant memberships — on our path to achieving national adoption by millions of new users.EatOkra - where food, culture and community meet.*Forward-looking projections can't be guaranteed. Community is at the heart of EatOkra and that’s why we’ve carved out a portion of the round for our supporters. You’ll be joining Google for Startups Black Founders Fund which has already come on board as an institutional investor.Let’s keep the community thriving and pour back into the culture that made us. Invest in EatOkra today.

## FAQ
1. **How do I increase my campaign amount for EatOkra?**
   - Hi Teresa, this question came in before we officially launched our campaign, but I am answering for others who might have the same question! To increase your investment, follow these steps: Open https://wefunder.com/portfolio and select EatOkra. If the funds of your investment HAVE NOT been disbursed, click "Edit Your Investment" and enter the new total amount you’d like to invest. If the funds of your investment HAVE been disbursed, you'll have to open a new investment at https://wefunder.co...
2. **We are putting together an "NYC Crowdfunding Summit", specifically for NYC based WeFunder campaigns. Your founder Anthony should have just received an email from justin@arkhaus.miami. Can you please check and confirm if you would like to participate? We are finalizing the part...**
   - Hi Sam! Our campaign was inactive when this question came through. I’d love to hear your plans for this year’s summit. I’ll keep an eye on my inbox for any updates!
3. **What is your business model?**
   - Hi Lea, thank you for writing in! We are raising to expand online ordering in Brooklyn, NY plus expand to new cities We will make a commission on each order placed for pickup or delivery.
4. **What are the securities being offered (class, voting rights, etc), how much of the equity is being offered and what is the pre-money valuation?**
   - Hi Seth, we’re raising on a SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) with a $12M valuation cap. The first $500K invested in this round will receive preferred early bird terms - a SAFE with a 15% discount and a $10.2M pre-money valuation cap. I hope this answers your questions!
5. **What is the 76K a month being spent on is my only questions? Is paying your current employees and marketing?**
   - Hi Derrick, our monthly burn goes to employees 50%, app development 25%, sales & marketing 20%, software fees 5%.

## Team
- Anthony Edwards Jr (CEO & CTO)
- Janique Edwards  (Chief Brand Officer)
- Jason Wallace (Director of Business Solutions )
- Jeff Beliziare (Strategic Advisor)

## Recent posts
- Named USBC Power 50 Under 40! (2024-09-29T21:11:11Z)
- Our Fundraiser Last Days! Discover What’s Next for EatOkra (2024-04-29T01:48:18Z)
- PepsiCo Dig-in Day Block Party Recap 🎉 (2023-09-11T09:10:25Z)
- EatOkra FAQs (2023-08-24T21:46:54Z)
- Top 5 Reasons To Invest In EatOkra (2023-08-22T22:05:36Z)
- It’s Black Business Month! Here’s how you can get involved. (2023-08-14T22:55:48Z)
- Introducing Online Ordering! (2023-08-08T14:21:09Z)
- We’re open to the public! 🚀 (2023-08-03T21:49:41Z)
- 🚨 LAST CHANCE to invest before we open to the public on Thursday🚨 (2023-08-02T14:21:22Z)
- EatOkra webinar replay ▶️ (2023-07-26T19:31:40Z)
- Don’t miss EatOkra’s private investor webinar tomorrow! (2023-07-17T18:07:39Z)
- You’re Invited! EatOkra Private Investor Webinar (2023-07-11T10:32:51Z)
- Partnership Update! Slutty Vegan (Brooklyn) is coming to EatOkra 🍔 (2023-06-29T15:48:24Z)
- Share with Three Challenge (2023-06-23T13:46:55Z)
- Celebrate Juneteenth (2023-06-19T16:32:52Z)

## Q&A
- Q: We are putting together an "NYC Crowdfunding Summit", specifically for NYC based WeFunder campaigns. Your founder Anthony should have just received an email from justin@arkhaus.miami. Can you please check and confirm if you would like to participate? We are finalizing the partners in the next week.
  - A: Hi Sam! Our campaign was inactive when this question came through. I’d love to hear your plans for this year’s summit. I’ll keep an eye on my inbox for any updates!
- Q: Do you have Black-owned restaurants that do fusion Asian-Soul food?
  - A: Hi Hiram, Yes we do have quite a few restaurants on EatOkra that are Asian cuisine inspired! If you come across more please submit them to us via the app!
- Q: Would you be so kind as to answer Kevin Hardman's questions #'s 1 & 4 publicly please? Thank you.
  - A: Hi Stephen, thank you for reaching out. I’ve included answers to the questions below. 1) $550K YTD revenue via a multi-year brand partnership with a projected $1.2M in revenue this year. You can also send me an email to anthony@eatokra.com to access my data room detailing further revenue projections. 4) EatOkra’s unique and proprietary data and authentic impact-powered mission to uplift Black-owned restaurants and their communities is an attractive asset for food delivery and martech companies acquire assets of underrepresented markets to expand into new verticals and territories.
- Q: Can I get some kind of report on this investment I've made almost 2 years ago
- Q: The app looks great, and I discovered a new restaurant that I intend to try this weekend. The data presented indicates that you've had 500k+ downloads of the app and 1.5b+ media impressions for listed businesses. So each user (lifetime to date) has looked at 3,000 restaurants on average? Is that what you're saying? That certainly seems like some serious engagement! But you also indicate that you burn through $35k cash per month in excess of your revenue - how soon can you monetize these engaged, rabid fans of yours and become cash flow positive? And how will you do it?
  - A: Hi Mike. Thanks for your encouragement. The 1.5B media impressions were not for the EatOkra app, but rather for the 19,000 restaurants listed on our app through various marketing channels and partnerships we’ve established to bring awareness to the Black-owned food business industry. We’re on track to becoming profitable and cash flow positive. In addition to our brand partnerships that have generated $2M+ in revenue, we’re expanding our in-app ordering functionality, which just went live in Brooklyn, New York. Capital we’re raising now will enable us to scale our marketing and sales teams to build in-app ordering demand and restaurant supply (45 restaurant commissions contracts signed to date).
- Q: 1) What is your YTD revenue, and what are your revenue projections for 2023 and beyond?? 2) Do you foresee ads on the app as a future revenue stream? 3) Do you anticipate expanding to other industries beyond food service? 4) What's the exit strategy?
  - A: Hi Kevin, thank you for writing in. Yes 100% we foresee ads on the app for future revenue streams. We will remain in the food service space but will be expanding our revenue stream feature set into products like e-commerce (coffee, tea, spice, sauces, ect), events, and content. For the restaurants we will add premium subscription services and SaaS productions aimed at servicing our restaurant partners. Please send me an email to anthony@eatokra.com for access to my data room. Cheers!
- Q: How would you describe your goals for EatOkra for the next 6-9 months? The big picture vision/long term goals? I've also noticed that some of the restaurants listed on the EatOkra app don't have many reviews or have somewhat low reviews - what are you doing to mitigate this issue and what is your process for selecting restaurants to add to the EatOkra platform? Thanks!
- Q: Is this the next delivery app like door dash?
- Q: what is the $ value per stock/share for early investors willing to take the risk?
  - A: Hi Patresha, Since we're raising a SAFE round, the number of shares you receive is determined at the next priced financing when professional investors set the price. Then, based on the valuation, the SAFE on which you invest will often convert into shares at a lower price than the round price, rewarding you with upside for investing earlier. While we don't have a specific dollar value per stock/share at this moment, our belief in the long-term growth potential of our company remains steadfast, and we are dedicated to creating value for our early investors.
- Q: Love the company! Quick questions on competitive threats: How are you thinking about larger delivery platform direct competitors (UberEats, DoorDash, etc.) who likely have many existing relationships with restaurants EatOkra is trying to onboard? What keeps them from doubling down on their promotion of Black-owned restaurants to preserve their business? Could there be a pricing/bidding war they engage (i.e., charging lower commissions to restaurants for them to stay on UberEats and not switch to EatOkra) with among restaurants on the platform that could threaten EatOkra's ability to compete and stay financially viable? Thank you!
  - A: Hi Jeff, great question. We like to think of EatOkra as collaboration over competition. Consumers have lots of choices between Caviar, DoorDash, Grubhub, UberEats, ChowNow, Postmates, Seamless and more. EatOkra is on a mission to build community through food and we thus have built the #1 biggest directory of Black-owned restaurants in the United States. While our customers can get their food delivered through a myriad of apps, and restaurants can list their offerings on them too, the community-powered ethos of EatOkra is sticky, and drives customer acquisition and retention. Our customer base is unique and powerful, not represented by the other apps. This is one of the many reasons that UberEats has chosen to partner with us. I hope this answers your question.
- Q: What is the 76K a month being spent on is my only questions? Is paying your current employees and marketing?
  - A: Hi Derrick, our monthly burn goes to employees 50%, app development 25%, sales & marketing 20%, software fees 5%.
- Q: What are the securities being offered (class, voting rights, etc), how much of the equity is being offered and what is the pre-money valuation?
  - A: Hi Seth, we’re raising on a SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) with a $12M valuation cap. The first $500K invested in this round will receive preferred early bird terms - a SAFE with a 15% discount and a $10.2M pre-money valuation cap. I hope this answers your questions!
- Q: What is your business model?
  - A: Hi Lea, thank you for writing in! We are raising to expand online ordering in Brooklyn, NY plus expand to new cities We will make a commission on each order placed for pickup or delivery.
- Q: How do I increase my campaign amount for EatOkra?
  - A: Hi Teresa, this question came in before we officially launched our campaign, but I am answering for others who might have the same question! To increase your investment, follow these steps: Open https://wefunder.com/portfolio and select EatOkra. If the funds of your investment HAVE NOT been disbursed, click "Edit Your Investment" and enter the new total amount you’d like to invest. If the funds of your investment HAVE been disbursed, you'll have to open a new investment at https://wefunder.com/eatokra. I hope this helps!
- Q: Hello, what is the current status of this project?