Today we’d like to introduce you to India Johnson.
Hi India, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
From Detroit Hustle to Kale Queen: My Kalelicious Journey 🥬
By India Johnson, Founder of Kalelicious Kreations
My name is India Johnson, but many know me as the Kale Queen, owner and founder of Kalelicious Kreations. I’m a Detroit gurl, a mother, an entrepreneur, and what I like to call Kale Slanger🥬
My journey started over 13 years ago when I was pregnant and craving greens. Who would’ve thought that a pregnancy craving would turn into a business? I discovered kale, started experimenting with different ingredients, and began creating my own unique salads. I wasn’t following anybody’s recipe. I was just being creative, putting together flavors that made sense to me.
I started sharing my creations with family and friends, and before I knew it, people were asking me to make salads for them. That’s when I realized I might really have something special.
And just like that, Kalelicious Kreations was born!
It Was Never Just About Kale
When I started this business, I wanted to do more than sell salads. I wanted to introduce kale to my community in a way that people could actually enjoy. Let’s be real, everybody wasn’t running to the store to buy kale 13 years ago!
I wanted to change that.
I wanted people who had never tried I kale, or thought they didn’t like it, to take one bite of my food and change their minds.
That’s how my saying, “Taste a Whole Party in Your Mouth,” came about. Because that’s exactly what I want people to experience when they eat my food.
I don’t believe eating healthier has to be boring. My salads are full of flavor, color, texture, and creativity. Every Kreation has its own personality, and I put love into everything I make.
Being a Mother and an Entrepreneur
Building Kalelicious Kreations hasn’t always been easy. I’m a single mother, and I’ve had to balance raising my children, homeschooling, running a household, and growing my business.
There have been long nights, early mornings, sacrifices, and plenty of moments when I had to figure things out as I went.
But one thing about me, I’m a Detroit hustler. We know how to make something out of nothing!
My children are a big part of my motivation. They’ve even helped me in the kitchen, preparing croutons, seasonings, and other things that go into my Kreations.
I want them to understand that you don’t have to wait for somebody to give you an opportunity. Sometimes you have to create your own.
More than anything, I want to build something that my children can be proud of. Something that will outlive me. A legacy.
Detroit Made Me
I’m proud to be from Detroit. This city has taught me resilience, creativity, determination, and the importance of supporting your own.
I didn’t start with investors, a big marketing team, or thousands of dollars. I started with an idea, my hands, my creativity, and people who believed in what I was doing.
A lot of my business has grown through word of mouth. One person tastes my salad, tells somebody else, and before you know it, I’m feeding their family, coworkers, and friends.
That’s something money can’t buy.
One of my proudest moments was being named a semifinalist for the Detroit Historical Museum’s Detroit Hustle Award. To be recognized for something I’ve been building for years meant a lot to me.
It reminded me that people are watching, even when you don’t realize it.
The Hustle Doesn’t Stop Here
After more than 13 years, I still feel like I’m just getting started.
I’m currently working toward becoming fully licensed in a commercial kitchen, expanding my catering services, growing my product line, and taking Kalelicious Kreations to another level.
I have my ServSafe Manager certification, and I’m continuing to educate myself on the business side of entrepreneurship because I know that having a great product is only part of building a successful business.
My vision is bigger than salads. I want Kalelicious Kreations to become a household name. I want to create opportunities, inspire other entrepreneurs, and continue introducing my community to foods they may have never considered trying.
I especially want other mothers and women who are starting businesses with limited resources to know that their dreams are still possible.
My Message
If there’s one thing I’ve learned on this journey, it’s that you have to believe in what you’re creating, even when nobody else sees the vision yet.
I’ve had challenges, disappointments, and setbacks, but I’ve also had some amazing experiences and met incredible people along the way.
I’m grateful for every customer who has purchased a salad, shared a post, referred a friend, or simply encouraged me to keep going.
Because without my supporters, there would be no Kalelicious Kreations.
I started with a craving for greens, and somehow that craving turned into a purpose.
I’m still learning, still growing, still creating, and most importantly, I’m still slanging kale!
I’m India Johnson, Detroit’s Kale Queen, and this is only the beginning.
Kale Yeah! 🥬
Taste a Whole Party in Your Mouth!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Has it been a smooth road? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Oh, absolutely not! It’s definitely been a journey filled with ups, downs, lessons, and growing pains.
One of my biggest struggles has actually been my heart. I’m naturally a giver, a helper, and somebody who genuinely wants to see everybody win. I’ve always believed there’s enough money and opportunity out here for all of us to be successful. I’m constantly promoting other businesses, supporting other entrepreneurs, and helping people build their dreams. But sometimes, in the process of helping everybody else, I’ve found myself putting my own business on the back burner.
And unfortunately, everybody doesn’t have the same heart or intentions as you.
I’ve experienced losses, disappointments, betrayal, and even situations where people have spoken negatively about my business. That hurt, especially when I knew how much love and hard work I had poured into what I was building. For a long time, the advice I received was to just leave things alone, stay quiet, and keep moving. But sometimes you have to acknowledge what hurt you instead of pretending it didn’t happen.
One thing I’ve learned is that having a good heart doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have boundaries. I can still support others without sacrificing myself or my business.
But here’s the thing: I refuse to let somebody else’s actions change who God created me to be. I believe being a helper is part of my calling, and I’m not going to allow a few bad experiences to take that away from me.
I’ve taken some losses, but I’ve gained wisdom, strength, and a better understanding of the business world.
Through it all, I keep going, glowing, and growing!
And if there’s one thing I want people to take from my journey, it’s this: You can talk about me, you can doubt me, and you can even try to discourage me, but you cannot stop what God has ordained for me.
At the end of the day, I’m still standing, still building, and still slanging kale!
Kale Yeah! 🥬
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m known for taking something as simple as kale and turning it into something extraordinary! My motto is “Taste a Whole Party in Your Mouth,” and that’s exactly what I deliver. I specialize in gourmet kale salads, homemade dressings, seasonings, and unique kale-based foods. My Kreations are full of fresh ingredients, bold flavors, and combinations you wouldn’t normally expect in a salad. Many are even named after people who have inspired or supported me. That’s what Kreativity do!
Here’s something a lot of people don’t know: When I started, I didn’t even know how to cook! Shout out to my cousin, my sister for real, Kniya Laquay Billingsley! She lived hours away and would mail me her homemade seasonings. As my business started growing, she called me one day and said, “I’m not going to keep sending you seasonings. I’m going to teach you how to make them yourself!”
We got on a video call, and she started telling me, “Mix a little of this, a little of that,” and that was all she wrote! Today, I make my own homemade seasonings. I believe in giving credit where credit is due. I don’t have biological sisters, but Kniya is my sister in every way that matters. Her love and support helped shape Kalelicious Kreations, and I’ll forever appreciate her. I love you, babe!
One of my greatest accomplishments has been introducing kale to people who never imagined themselves eating it, especially in my own community. I’ll never forget selling out right in my hood on Seven Mile and Dequindre! Shout out to my cousin Salomi Folks, aka Buddha, who opened her salon doors and allowed me to slang kale. And when I say the whole hood came out, THE WHOLE HOOD CAME OUT! Nobody was asking, “What’s kale?” They were asking, “Can I get that salmon or chicken Kreation?” I’ve sold out in the suburbs, too, but selling out right there among my own people? That hit different!
Being named a semifinalist for the Detroit Historical Museum’s Detroit Hustle Award was another unforgettable experience. I was recognized alongside some of Detroit’s most talented entrepreneurs, including professionally trained chefs and established business owners. Here I am, a Detroit gurl who never attended culinary school, being recognized among people I admire. Sometimes you’re so busy working that you forget to pat yourself on the back. That recognition reminded me to appreciate how far I’ve come.
In 2027, Kalelicious Kreations will celebrate six years in business, and I plan to celebrate every bit of that journey!
What sets me apart is my authenticity. I didn’t follow anybody else’s blueprint. I created my own lane, my own recipes, and my own brand, with the support of people who believed in me. I’m building something my children can be proud of, and here’s a fun fact: I even have a three-year-old son named Kale! So yes, kale really is part of my family!
I believe there’s enough room for everybody to win. Somebody else’s success doesn’t take away from mine, and mine doesn’t take away from theirs.
At the end of the day, anybody can sell a salad. But everybody can’t give you a Kalelicious Kreation!
Kale Yeah! 🥬
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The most important lesson I’ve learned along my journey is that every experience comes with a lesson, even the ones that don’t feel good. Whether it’s dealing with a broken village, people riding your coattails, being talked about, or facing unexpected challenges, there’s always something to take away from it.
I’ve learned not to let negative experiences make me bitter, but to allow them to make me wiser. Life is going to teach you lessons whether you sign up for them or not. You just have to be willing to recognize them, accept the reality of the situation, and grow from it.
You’re never too old to learn, and every lesson doesn’t come wrapped in something pretty. Some lessons come through disappointment, some through success, and others through people you never expected. But every experience has taught me something about myself, my business, and the people around me. At the end of the day, I take the lesson, apply it, and keep moving forward. That’s growth!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Kalelicious Kreations
- Facebook: Kalelicious Kreations
- LinkedIn: Kalelicious Kreations in
