The New Jersey Devils and Prudential Financial announced today the winning black-owned, New Jersey based business for this season’s Devils Buy Black Partnership presented by Prudential Financial, a business and marketing program seeking to expand access and opportunity for Black entrepreneurs. LeGrand Coffee House, with its flagship location at 10 Green Street in Woodbridge, NJ and an online store, will earn premier helmet brand positioning on the New Jersey Devils helmets for all road games, providing extensive national media exposure. Founded by Eric LeGrand in his hometown, LeGrand Coffee House serves signature coffee roasts and drinks, while also shipping merchandise nationally through a booming e-commerce business. LeGrand’s ethos of “Coffee. Comfort. Satisfaction.” attracts people locally in New Jersey and those who order all over the country to have their “Daily Cup of bELieve.”
“It Is an honor to have LeGrand Coffee House be chosen for the Buy Black Program by the New Jersey Devils and Prudential Financial,” said Eric LeGrand, CEO of LeGrand Coffee House. “I am so thankful to be able to serve Daily Cups of bELieve to the Devils community and inspire them one cup at a time. I will be forever thankful to the New Jersey Devils and Prudential Financial.”
While Eric opened this coffeehouse in May of 202 to give back to the community, it’s his personal story that has inspired sports fans, business executives, charitable groups and anyone who has heard it. In October 2010, LeGrand sustained a spinal cord injury while playing football for Rutgers University. Since that life-altering incident, Eric has become a source of inspiration and positivity who has influenced countless people around the globe. He has developed an incredible business and professional acumen, becoming an established entrepreneur, motivational speaker, sports analyst, philanthropist, and author. Philanthropically, his foundation, Team LeGrand has raised over one million dollars for the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. Sports Illustrated also recognized the Rutgers graduate as its 2011 Best Moment Award, and he was presented with the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at the 2012 ESPY Awards. IN 2017, he was inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame, receiving the Warrior Award.
As a sign of Prudential Financial and the Devils’ continuous support for the purpose-driven partnership, the “LeGrand Coffee House” will be displayed on each side of the team’s away-game helmets. The brand exposure will mark the first time a winner will have the entire slate of road games and take their brand across all the North American cities the Devils visit during the 2022-23 National Hockey League season. Broadcast exposure for the brand will include Devils broadcasts on MSG Networks, ESPN/ESPN2/ESPN+/Hulu, Turner Sports, NHL Network, International Rightsholders, and a range of local and national media outlets along with significant Devils digital and social platforms coverage.
LeGrand Coffee House was selected from a diverse applicant pool of hundreds of Black-owned, New Jersey-based businesses from sectors that included media, technology, human resources, graphic design, retail food/beverage, wellness, hospitality and more. This year’s program received an over-whelming response and a record-breaking amount of applicants- more than the first two years of the program combined, and reaching 150% of the anticipated goal. Through the Devils Buy Black Program presented by Prudential Financial, LeGrand Coffee House will also receive expert marketing and business consultation, print and digital advertising exposure, financial wellness counseling with a Prudential Financial advisor, local networking opportunities and more. The Devils are working to have the coffee served at Prudential Center during games and other Prudential Center events, and will also be distributed to Devils players in the team locker room.
“Eric LeGrand’s entrepreneurial spirit and undeniable ambition is what has led him here today.” said Susan Somersille Johnson, Prudential Financial’s Chief Marketing Officer. “His inspirational story is one of resilience, strength, and passion, all of which are examples of the qualities of diverse small business owners. Prudential is proud to partner with the New Jersey Devils to present the Buy Black Program, and to contribute to Black-owned businesses’ growth. Congratulations to Eric, and to all of our winners, who we have no doubt will continue to thrive and make positive impacts in their communities.”
“Every year, we are fortunate to receive more and more deserving applicants who exemplify what the Buy Black Program stands for and looks to support,” said New Jersey Devils & Prudential Center President Jake Reynolds. “Our selection committee had another extremely difficult choice, but to a person, Eric’s story was impactful, powerful and resonated with everyone and we are proud to partner with Prudential Financial to take LeGrand Coffee House to its highest levels of success. Whether you are walking into the store in Woodbridge, drinking a cup at Prudential Center for a Devils game, or getting it delivered to your home, we look forward to spreading LeGrand Coffee House’s ‘Daily cup of bELieve!'”
Through its partnership with the Devils, Prudential Financial set an industry-first standard in the 2021-2022 National Hockey League (NHL) season by donating the premier helmet brand position for 30 games to a Black-owned Newark-based business, driving unprecedented marketing and business exposure to the company. In the program’s third year, Prudential Financial increased their helmet brand position donation by nearly 50%, to include all road games this season. New this year, former Devils Captain Bryce Salvador, along with current Devils players, joined the program application process to review submissions and help select and congratulate the winner.
“Throughout the process, I was blown away by each powerful story from the applicants, the diligence of the Devils team in cultivating the finalists, and the passion of Prudential’s group to provide the resources, exposure, and opportunity,” said Salvador. “I look forward to working with LeGrand Coffee House in expanding its business and establishing an incredibly successful e-commerce platform. The additional commitment of Prudential Financial and the Devils to engage with all the companies shows that even applying can have value. Bringing Eric and his team into the Devils fold will be an exciting and impactful journey and we can’t wait to get started.”
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