Marquita and Deven Carter Founders of Blanket Pancakes & Syrup On Black Business & Entrepreneurship

Name: Marquita and Deven Carter Founders of Blanket Pancakes & Syrup On Black Business & Entrepreneurship
Uploaded: 2025-11-07T06:06:29-08:00
Duration: 38 min 25 s
Channel: SWAY'S UNIVERSE
Description: Marquita and Devin Carter share the journey of Blanket Pancakes, a food business born from health complications and a desire for clean ingredients, which…

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About this episode Marquita and Devin Carter share the journey of Blanket Pancakes, a food business born from health complication… AI summary

Marquita and Devin Carter share the journey of Blanket Pancakes, a food business born from health complications and a desire for clean ingredients, which grew from a radio show call-in to retail presence in Food Lion, Walmart, and World Market. They emphasize the critical importance of intentional planning, realistic scaling, and leveraging university food science resources to navigate regulatory and manufacturing hurdles. The conversation highlights that success requires rigorous preparation, community support, and understanding retail logistics before approaching major buyers.

Key takeaways 5

Scaling Strategy: The business started with local Food Lion stores in North Carolina (approx. 500 stores) with only two products to manage distribution, then expanded to Walmart and World Market nationwide, and is now targeting the Northeast US to maintain distribution control.
Resource Utilization: Instead of paying premium fees for private consultants, the founders utilized free or affordable university food science programs (like NC State's Food Innovation Lab) to learn about water activity, certification, and product formulation.
Retail Readiness: Major retailers require proof of demand and a solid plan; the founders secured initial shelf space because community word-of-mouth and social media buzz created pre-existing demand that buyers could see.
Product Philosophy: The brand focuses on 'excellent' quality and clean ingredients (low added sugar, recognizable items) to provide a healthier alternative that doesn't sacrifice taste, addressing the health crisis related to high fructose corn syrup and processed sugars.
Trademark Process: The name 'Blanket' was chosen for its connotations of comfort and security (inspired by childhood security blankets) and a play on words ('blanketing' pancakes with syrup); they conducted their own trademark research via the USPTO after being told it was too simple by a librarian.

Notable quotes 5 AI-generated: wording and quote attribution may be wrong. Use the play link to verify.

“We refer to our business as God's business... we just stepped out on faith... things don't line up this perfect just out of happiness.”

▶ 3:31 Devin Carter explains the spiritual motivation behind starting the business during his wife's health complications.
“A failure is never a failure; it's an opportunity... we took a step back, had some introspection... let's do this differently next time.”

▶ 8:54 Marquita Carter discusses how they used feedback from farmers markets to refine their product line.
“You have to be intentional... are you really prepared to handle that? Do you have the inventory in hand? What does your logistics look like?”

Devin Carter advises entrepreneurs on the logistical realities of scaling from ideation to retail.
“Intimates is always at the end of the aisle... they pay for that space... placement in the store... all plays a part.”

Marquita Carter shares industry knowledge about how grocery stores use product placement to drive sales.
“You can't sit on the couch and just do Instagram and think that's going to be the answer... you have to do the work.”

▶ 35:10 Mike Muse emphasizes that social media presence must be backed by actual product readiness and business infrastructure.