December 29, 2022
Black Woman-Owned Food Business ‘Twisted Eggroll’ Making Its Way to Chicago’s South Side
Some expensive plans are in development for the South Side in 2023.
Twisted Eggroll, a food business established in January 2015, owned by Black businesswoman and Chicago native Nikkita Randle, will debut with a storefront in Greater Grand Crossing to provide a variety of frozen food products and made-to-order services for food lovers.
“Twisted Eggroll is a frozen packaged product that approaches the traditional egg roll with an infused spin,” the website states.
According to What Now Chicago, Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Chicago Recovery Plan and Community Development Grant extended a $784,238 grant to Randle and 59 other business owners recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.
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“This is something different, something new,” Randle said. “In our neighborhoods, we’re quick to have the same fast food options, but I hope [Twisted Eggroll] makes people step out of the norm. I’ve created a menu where people can be like, ‘I just got a taste for this today.’ Everything will excite your palate.”
Book Club Chicago reported that opening a storefront was the most reasonable business move for Twisted Eggroll. Randle worked to establish a following and built up a consumer base by attending pop-ups and corporate catering events.
“I looked at trends and what was doing well, and everyone was still shopping at the grocery store and shopping online,” Randle said. “I always had the vision to eventually get on stores’ shelves, but it’s costly to transition into consumer packaged goods.”
The restaurant will offer a variety of Randle’s signature eggrolls, including the cheesesteak and apple cheesecake options, frozen or ready-to-eat, along with a variety of side dishes and beverages for customers to enjoy.
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Twisted Eggroll is a tribute to Randle’s father, who passed away in 2010 from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
“I felt like this was a way to honor him with things that we loved, which was eating, helping people, and creating generational wealth,” Randle said. “I poured everything into this vision.”
According to Randle, total costs for the storefront are “looking over a million” as the restaurant plans to have a large commercial kitchen and walk-in freezer space.
Twisted Eggroll products can presently be found at Foxtrot, Dom’s Kitchen & Market, and Green Grocer Chicago.