Support your local small businesses

Help close the gap in San Diego’s local food scene

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Close-up of two people and their hands shown at a table with white cups, red dishes, and chopsticks, with sunlight casting shadows.

Person wearing black gloves handling a string of smoked sausages over a plastic container filled with ice and sausages, outdoor setting with sunlight.

Diverse-owned businesses make up 53% of California’s small businesses but generate only 37% of total revenues.

CalAsian Chamber of Commerce, The Impact of Diverse Small Businesses (2024)

Hi! We’re Akitso, a nonprofit design studio dedicated to advancing equity in the food industry through design.

Brand identity & visual storytelling

Great food is unforgettable—but when there’s a strong story behind it, people connect even more. Akitso helps businesses shape a clearer, stronger concept and visual identity that connects their story with the people they want to serve.

Brand narratives
Logo & visual Identity
Menu, signage, packaging
Marketing Materials

Marketing & online presence building

People discover food online before they ever taste it. Akitso helps local small business show up online so new customers can find them, and loyal ones keep coming back.

Website
Google Business
Social Media
Email marketing
Customer engagement strategies
Local PR activations

Space & storefront design

Storefront and interior design plans that enhance curb appeal, flow, and the customer experience—through thoughtful layout, signage, and material choices.

Storefront design
Interior refresh
Furniture & fixture upgrades

$5,000

Main Course

A $5,000 donation gets you a placement on our website and mention in all of our newsletters for a year.

Donate

$10,000

Full Course

A $10,000 donation also gets you a catered lunch for your team of up to 50 people, directly from the restaurant you helped support.

Donate

Three women (an older woman, a younger woman, and a baby) smile and pose behind a counter inside a restaurant or shop, with bottles and floral arrangements in the background.

Dining room with neatly arranged tables covered with white tablecloths, each set with folded napkins, plates, and cutlery. Sunlight streams through large windows, illuminating the space with a cozy atmosphere.

A man, a pregnany woman, and a girl are standing outdoors in front of greenery and a wooden fence, with the girl hugging the man's shoulders from behind.

“I grew up in my parents’ Thai restaurant in a small town. That place fed our family, paid for school, and gave us a future. But I also saw firsthand how hard it was to compete—especially without the time or money to invest in branding, interior design, or even a website. I started Akitso to change that reality for today’s food entrepreneurs. With your help, we can transform San Diego’s local food scene—one restaurant at a time.”

— Anna Sotto, Founder of Akitso

Support small businesses like Addis Ethiopian

You can taste how much care goes into the food at Addis Ethiopian in City Heights. That’s why it has 4.7 stars on Google. But the reality is that the husband & wife team who own the business don’t have the extra funds or the bandwidth to improve the business’s web presence and ambiance, a key aspect of diner loyalty.

Akitso has already overhauled the business’s brand and web presence. Next up, an interior and storefront renovation. By providing $5,000 of funds and services, and also helping the owners access city grants, Akitso is able to work with Addis to transform their space.