The Plugd Is Helping Connect And Promote Black-Owned Businesses In Australia

It's more important than ever for people to be supporting local businesses as we come out of the coronavirus pandemic.

But there is an online directory that is helping connect and promote black-owned businesses in Australia and it's proving to be essential.

The Plugd was founded by Rumbie Mutsiwa, a Zimbabwean woman who has been living in Australia for more than a decade.

Ms Mutsiwa is the founder of Rumbie & Co, a curl specialising salon driven by the purpose to simplify curly hair for people with curly, wavy and afro hair. After opening the salon, Ms Mutsiwa realised Australians didn't have a way of seeking out other businesses that were operated by people of colour.

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The Plugd hopes to foster roots, identity and unity by highlighting and promoting members who are doing their bit in the community.

Its website states: "Our desire for belonging and unifying of black diaspora and indigenous peoples has been fuelled and awakened with the realisation around the importance of togetherness.

"Beyond the marches, we move forward by building the black economy and keeping money in our ecosystem. We seek to support black businesses and initiatives by addressing our issues in ways we understand."

The Plugd has loads of businesses right across Australia that are doing phenomenal things, like PedL, which is an e-bike/e-scooter rental, sales and repairs business located in Redfern, Sydney.

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They help people access cheap and temporary scooters to not only get them from A to B, but also keep customers fit and healthy.

Little Lagos is a restaurant that offers Sydneysiders a chance to experience Nigerian food and culture.

It's been around since 2017, but has been using 'recipes passed down generations'.

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They pride themselves on utilising original African ingredients and spices that help 'keep the taste authentic' but with a fun spin.

Another clothing brand that's worth mentioning is Repkulture, which is a 'family run fashion brand made from beautiful and vibrant African print materials'.

They use materials from Zambia, Tanzania, Nigeria and Ghana and they hope to 'inspire all people to celebrate who they are' as well as 'encouraging them to embrace their roots'.

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These are just three of the many businesses that are featured on The Plugd and you can see more of the black-owned businesses registered in The Plugd directory.

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Topics: Australia

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

@stewartperrie