The Girl Who Sold Zobo in 94080

Her name was Tolu. She just moved to South San Francisco from Lagos. Worked as caregiver.

Every Sunday after church, she would make zobo. Real zobo - with ginger, cloves, pineapple skin. She would bottle it and try to sell to Nigerians in her apartment complex.

Nobody bought.

They said, "$5 for zobo? Aunty, na America we dey, not Surulere."

She was sad.

One day, her neighbor, a Mexican lady called Maria, knocked.

Maria said, "What is that red drink you always make? It smells like my Jamaica!"

Tolu said, "It's called zobo. Hibiscus."

Maria said, "In Mexico we call it Agua de Jamaica. Can I taste?"

Tolu gave her one bottle free.

Next day, Maria came back with 3 friends. All Mexican.

They said, "This is better than ours! You put ginger!"

They bought 10 bottles.

Week after, Maria brought her to the flea market in Daly City - 94014. Said, "Come sell there."

Tolu went. She sold 40 bottles in 3 hours.

Mexicans, Filipinos, El Salvadorians - everybody loved zobo. Only Nigerians were pricing her $5.

By month 3, her zobo had a name: *Tolu's Jamaica*.

She now supplies 3 Mexican restaurants in San Mateo County.

Moral: Sometimes your own people will price you. Strangers will value you.

Your market is not always where you came from. Sometimes it's in 94080 with Maria.