Imani’s Original Bean Pies provides opportunities for young people

Imani Muhammad started making bean pies and bean soup as a project with the children at the daycare center she owned. PHOTO PROVIDED BY IMANI MUHAMMAD.
Imani Muhammad started making bean pies and bean soup as a project with the children at the daycare center she owned. PHOTO PROVIDED BY IMANI MUHAMMAD.

 Imani’s Original Bean Pies provides opportunities for young people

By Tia Carol Jones

Imani Muhammad started baking bean pies as a home school project with her daughter and the children in the home daycare she opened in 2000.

One of the lessons Muhammad taught the children was about food, and in it she told them about the importance of the navy bean to Nation of Islam followers. In the beginning, she made bean pies, bean soup and bean salad. She found the pies and the soup were a hit.

People recommended that Muhammad start a business making the pies. At the time, she wasn’t really thinking of it that way, but she was selling the pies as a fundraiser for the daycare, Your Childcare, NFP. The pies were sold at vendor events and in restaurants.

 Imani’s Original Bean Pies also has a brick-and-mortar space at 2423 E. 75th St., inside Quarry Event Space.

Selling the bean pies was a great way to show the children how to make and manufacture their own products. In 2014, Imani’s Original Bean Pies became available in Pete’s Fresh Market stores. Eventually, it was sold in Whole Foods and Treasure Island grocery stores.

Now, those same children who were learning about the navy bean and how to make bean pies are young adults and they still help with the making and selling of the pies.

Muhammad’s oldest daughter is the Vice President of Finance for Imani’s Original Bean Pies. Muhammad’s daughter has been able to see the ups and downs of running a business, but she has also learned how to be a problem solver and other things that are important in running a business.

The nonprofit has been renamed Imani Cares and the young people who participate learn entrepreneurship and life skills during their time in the program.

“I’m just happy that many of the young people that helped to build Imani’s Original Bean Pies are now giving back and helping to grow the company and helping the youth that are up and coming now,” Muhammad said.

Imani’s Original Bean Pies have become very popular and have been named some of the best pies in the city. Muhammad is happy and thankful that people like the pies so much.

“We’ve made it a comfort, homemade food. We put a lot of love into what we’re doing. We love the root of where the bean pie even came from. It’s just been a pure walk of faith and love for us. We put our all behind this,” she said.

Since Imani’s Original Bean Pies moved to its 75th St. location, it also has started to sell soups. Muhammad wants to make comfort, homemade food for the people. Currently, there are five young people working who are part of the Imani Cares program.

Muhammad is also shining a spotlight on the young people who have come through the program. She wants it to be a project that lets young people see they can contribute to something positive to the community. She called those hard working young people an asset to their community.

For more information about Imani’s Original Bean Pies, visit www.imanisoriginal.com. They are also available for purchase on their website, DoorDash and GrubHub.

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