Support local small businesses

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

Close-up of two people at a table with mugs, bowls, and red chopsticks, engaging in conversation, with sunlight casting shadows.
Person wearing black gloves holding smoked sausages on a skewer, with more sausages in a plastic container filled with ice beneath.

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

$7,500

Main Course

A $7,500 donation gets you a placement on our website and mention in all of our newsletters for a year.

$20,000

Full Course

A $20,000 donation gets you a shareable video featuring your organization + the restaurant owner you impacted that you can share with your team to show the impact your organization are making on the local community

Three women posing together at a bar or restaurant, two younger women and one older woman, with bottles and flowers in the background.
Empty restaurant dining room with tables covered in white tablecloths, set with white napkins folded on plates, and surrounded by black chairs, near large windows with sunlight and greenery outside.
A man and a woman standing outdoors with a young girl behind the man, hugging his shoulders. The man is wearing a plaid shirt with suspenders, and the woman is wearing a white dress. There are green plants and trees in the background.

“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.

FAQs

  • Yes!

  • We’ll share a full story and photos of the business you impacted.

  • Yes! Every dollar helps.

Want to help level the playing field for San Diego's food entrepreneurs?

Assorted donuts with various frosting and toppings on a wire rack, placed on a wooden surface.
Person using chopsticks to pick up eggplant dish at a table with small bowls of dipping sauce.
Stack of steaming pancakes on a plate with smoke rising from them.
A baker piping white frosting onto chocolate cupcakes in a bakery kitchen.

$7,500

Main Course

A $7,500 donation gets you a placement on our website and mention in all of our newsletters for a year.

$20,000

Full Course

A $20,000 donation gets you a shareable video featuring your organization + the restaurant owner you impacted that you can share with your team to show the impact your organization are making on the local community