Nashville, TN (TN Tribune)–There are no preservatives or shortcuts in June Michaux’s cooking, which seems appropriate because there have been no shortcuts in her journey to becoming a successful business owner as a Black woman. Her journey involves a career as a food scientist, a missing food truck and kind firefighters.
Now, thanks to a partnership with Market Wagon (MarketWagon.com), an online farmers market, Ms. June’s Gumbo N’ Greens is a booming enterprise based in the Antioch neighborhood.
“Market Wagon saved my business and my life,” said June. “I am a disabled veteran and a business owner. Market Wagon is my knight in shining armor.”
June joined the Air Force at the age of 18 and was part of Operation Desert Shield and the Gulf War. She was honorably discharged due to medical disability as a result of her service.
Next, June transitioned into a career as a well-respected food scientist. One of her clients was the U.S. Army who wanted an energy drink for troops in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait.
For her next challenge, she went back to her Cajun roots and Louisiana culture with the creation of Ms. June’s Gumbo N’ Greens in January 2019, just months before the pandemic began. She paid a company to build a food truck, but they went out of business, a blow that almost wiped her out financially.
Instead, Ms. June hit the streets with “Big Blue”—a large blue tent with the perfect name for a Tennessee State University graduate. Rain, sleet or snow, it did not matter. She served her delicious Cajun/Creole foods from Big Blue all over Nashville directly to lines of cars, the perfect recipe for social distancing.
Word quickly got around. Some first responders in the neighborhood kept coming back for more, eventually giving her orange cones to create a better traffic pattern.
Ms. June couldn’t keep with the deluge of emails. Everyone wanted her to be everywhere at once and she had no way to serve the masses. That’s when someone told her about Market Wagon—and the rest is history.
Thanks to the ability to sell online, now she can be in all places at once, selling her delicious dishes like Cajun gumbo, shrimp & grits or collard greens to a delivery area which includes EVERY home in a 20-county area of Middle Tennessee and Kentucky encompassing all of Nashville, Murfreesboro and Bowling Green. Due to the ease and convenience of Market Wagon’s platform, Ms. June has also been able to expand and sell to Knoxville, Memphis and throughout Tennessee.
As a successful Black-owned business, Ms. June is also committed to giving back. She donates a percentage of her profits to the Wounded Warrior Project as well as for scholarship funds. When she has a little extra food after a Market Wagon delivery, she gives it to a local food pantry so it isn’t wasted.
Her efforts during the pandemic garnered Ms. June the Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the South Eastern region of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. She is also a 2022 Athena Award nominee on behalf of the Nashville chapter of Les Gemmes.
All of the delicious dishes from Ms. June’s Gumbo N’ Greens are for sale on Market Wagon where Nashville-area customers can connect with more than 55 LOCAL farmers, chefs and artisans. People can shop 1,100+ locally grown products on their computer or smartphone throughout the week and place an order from multiple local vendors with one single checkout. Orders are delivered to each home every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon.
