Jon Gray, Pierre Serrao, and Lester Walker

Ghetto Gastro, a Black-owned Brooklyn-based brand created by entrepreneurs Jon Gray, Pierre Serrao, and Lester Walker, is now selling their line of “ghetto” pop-tarts (toaster pastries) and pancake and waffle mix in Target stores nationwide. The name of their brand, however, has caused some controversy because some people feel that the word “ghetto” should not be made synonymous with Black culture.

But the three founders don’t quite see it that way. They’ve notably defined their own lane, merging food, fashion, music, art, and design.

According to their website: “We’re a flavor company. We layer flavor the same way hip hop layers samples and interpolations: as a way to expand, comment, shake up, share, and revel in our collective memory. To us, ‘Ghetto’ means innovation. It’s in our name as a reminder of why we do what we do and who we do it to honor the under-represented, under-estimated, and too often ignored.”

They say that the Bronx New York City serves as their home, muse, and a driver of global culture. It’s where Caribbean, Latin, Asian, and African cultures seamlessly thrive together, often creating new flavors of their own – including us.