African Development Center

This article from the Southwest Journal is just one of many stories about ADC Business Development client and owner of Sadia’s Gourmet Hot Sauce, Korad “Sadia” Abdi. As the popularity of this delicious sauce grows, so does the coverage on the hard work and drive pushing Sadia towards success.

From a young age, Sadia was an entrepreneur. At the age of eleven, her father died and her mother became bedridden, so Sadia began selling tomatoes on the streets after school to make money to feed her and her five siblings. Even then, she had the dream to one day come to America to become a successful business woman.

When Sadia was in the eleventh grade, Somalia exploded into a violent civil war. Sadia and her family fled to Kenya for safety, where she met and married her husband and started her own family. She worked many jobs there, but still held onto her dreams to someday move to America. As her family grew, Sadia grew more impatient to get out of the refugee camp life. In 1999, she was finally granted an interview which she passed.

Sadia and her young family arrived in New York City in September, 1999. Her husband and five children flew with her to San Diego where they were assigned. A year later, they moved to Minneapolis because of the growing Somali community here. Both Sadia and her husband found jobs here, but she still had that dream of going into business.

In her spare time, Sadia began experimenting with her mother’s recipe for hot sauce, ultimately perfecting the three products currently available: Hot, Mild, and Sweet Sauce. Although she has plans for more recipes, Korad has chosen to focus her business on the high quality of her sauces. All three are made using the highest quality ingredients, all organic, natural and gluten free. Her ingredients include tomatoes, onions, cilantro, garlic, jalapenos, red peppers, dates, tamarind and sea salt. They can be used as a marinade for meats, or cooked with sauces for added flavor; but they are best when added to meats, chicken or fish, even pasta and rice.

To begin selling her sauce, Sadia first went to the store where she bought the ingredients for the sauce. She met with a manager to see if they were interested in selling her sauce. He explained that she must go through their wholesaler. So, Sadia made an appointment with the wholesaler, and he took her hot sauce there for a taste testing. They loved it, but laid out the long process she would have to go through to sell her product in grocery stores. Undeterred, Sadia remained focused on completing this process and reaching her goals.

The African Development Center of Minnesota is extremely proud of the work that Sadia has put in to her dream, and glad to be a part of her continued success. In 2010, ADC approved a loan to expand her business, and has since devoted a number of technical hours to help her take this business to the next level. Sadia understands the importance of strategic marketing and is working to increase her presence in the local Farmer’s Markets, and Co-Ops. After multiple meetings with ADC staff, Korad was given access to ADC’s expansive network that connect her to number of opportunities. Additionally, ADC also assisted Korad in resolving wholesale issues.

Her efforts in the last two years have been centered on getting FDA approval and chemical testing of her products for nutritional labels. Her sauces can already be found in 14 locations, including Farmer’s Markets and Co-ops in the Twin Cities, with her next goal to be a greater presence in area grocery stores and chains.

ADC was created in order to assist self-starters like Sadia – willing to work hard to achieve their dreams. A creative thinker, Sadia always knew that if she was lucky enough to be selected to come to the United States, she would make the best of that given opportunity. ADC simply provided the tools to help her achieve this. In Sadia’s own words, her business “would not be where it is today if it weren’t for the support from ADC.”