African American Expressions has had a great year. After being in business for 25 years, they are now the largest, and premier supplier for the minority retail market.
The company, based in Sacramento, was launched out of the owner’s desire to see more African American people represented on greeting cards.
“I got tired of walking into a store and not seeing myself in anything I bought. We are the strongest influencers in the retail market, and wield some of the strongest buying power in the United States; yet I couldn't walk into a mall and find a black or brown face on any of the cards I wanted to send out to my family? It made no sense. Something had to change," Greg Perkins, owner and CEO, said.
He began by selling three greeting cards out of his garage to offering hundreds of items ranging from calendars and coffee mugs to highly sought-after, limited edition collectibles featuring world-renowned artists.
Currently featuring 700+ quality products geared toward minority audiences, the company has seen a steady increase in sales over the years; over 70 new products were introduced to their product line this season alone sparking the prediction of a 12-14% growth rate in profits.
In addition, there is a give back component. Perkins helped raise millions of dollars nationwide for a variety of organizations around the Bay area and has actively taken part in providing services to homeless men, women and children in Sacramento through several charitable groups.
