A loan helped address immediate operating expenses due to the COVID-19 crisis.


Zaaqi's story

I am a new business owner, but not new to the culinary business. Prior to founding Zoc’s Gourmet, my career consisted of culinary and hospitality work at many different restaurants and resorts. Running the gamut from fast food chain restaurants to family restaurants, to four-star hotel resorts. The work experience was as varied as the work location, ranging from waiter to line cook to sous chef.
As I put in time into honing my craft as a cook and learning the ins and outs of the service and hospitality industry, I realized making the leap to owning my own business seemed like a natural next step. With the help from my mother, I talked to other business owners for guidance, and ultimately made the decision to set off on my own. Zoc’s Gourmet was founded and opened as a sole proprietorship in June of 2016 with the generous support of family, Kiva Rochester, and the collective Rochester community.
As time has passed, I’ve gone through the struggles, triumphs, ups and downs that all business owners do when first starting out; it became clear to me that in order to realize the vision that I had in mind for Zoc’s in its entirety, it would require help beyond what friends, family and patrons were currently able to provide, and that help would need to come in the form of financial support. Kiva Rochester was able to step in and provide some of the financial support I needed, and thanks in part through the procurement of a Kiva loan, Zoc’s soon went from being a neighborhood name to a name known citywide and beyond. As a small business owner, I remain passionate about continuing to serve our neighbors and communities.


This loan is special because:

It helps a repeat Kiva borrower overcome the challenges posed by the COVID-19 crisis.



Loan details


About Zocs' Gourmet Burgers and Shakes

Industry: Food
Years in operation: More than 5 years

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Lenders and lending teams




Loan details