For 15 Years, East Bay Company the Xocolate Bar Has Carved a Path Against the Odds | Eater SF

"Started by sisters Wendy and Susan Lieu in 2001, Socola Chocolatier began at a Santa Rosa farmers market outside the family nail salon when Wendy was 19 and Susan was 16, and the duo felt they had to prove themselves in an industry that was mostly male and white. I note that the Vietnamese name prompted questions from curious customers, and Wendy turned early obstacles into an advantage by embracing less-common flavors—asking why Vietnamese coffee, guava, or durian couldn’t be chocolate flavors—and she expresses pride at seeing more representation from women and people of color in the industry over the last two decades." - Paolo Bicchieri