$100 for chow?
David Joshua Petioni has got Trinidad talking.
Ever since social media shone a spotlight on his business, “Chow Me”, two weeks ago, people have been voicing their opinions. Some laughed. “Brother man, I can make that in my kitchen for $20.”
Others defended him hard: “Haters will hate but he is making an honest living. I will buy it.”
The 27-year-old Chaguanas North Secondary past student takes the noise in stride— because the orders are pouring in.
Before, David was pushing six to 12 bowls a day. Now he’s handling 25 to 50 daily, pulling in more than 500 new local and overseas customers.
“I didn’t expect so much exposure for my $100 bowl,” David admits to Guardian Media.
“I’ve gained more clientele than during my entire two years in business.”
He operates with a bare-bones crew: himself, and neighbours Darnel, the man behind the secret “red larva” sauce that gives the chow its signature texture, and Timothy, who designed the brand’s logo. Women form his biggest clientele. Governor plums and governor plums with mango are the fastest sellers.
“It’s very seasonal and customers take advantage of it when it is in season,” he says. However, tracking down those fruits isn’t cheap. Fruit suppliers raise wholesale costs the moment demand spikes, “leaving us no choice but to change our selling price on our packages,” he explains.
What people don’t see on the surface is the real sacrifice. David is in bed at 10 pm and is back on his feet by 2 or 3 am. He heads straight to Macoya Market for the freshest fruit, then returns to the “lab” to wash, cut, season and pack under a strict pre-order system. “I prefer it that way because I know my sale is confirmed,” he says. “Preparing chow is time consuming. It can be a lot when it’s only me doing everything from start to finish.”
Before he bought his first car, David— who also makes fresh cold-pressed juices with no sugar or water added—delivered everything on foot.
One day he journeyed to a customer in Todds Road, Chaguanas, walking seven miles. “I didn’t know how far I had to go till I took a taxi from Montrose to Todds Road. The driver dropped me by the bar and said this is the furthest he will go. He said ‘wait here and you’ll get a car.’”
Impatient to get the job done, he checked transport apps to find a private ride, but none was available. “So I started walking, hoping someone would give me a drop along the way. No one did. No one stopped to ask if I needed a drop. I couldn’t turn back otherwise my time and labour would have been in vain.”
There, on that long empty road, David turned to God.
“I was telling customers I’m a mobile service when in reality I’m travelling to drop off my products across Trinidad. I was asking God, ‘God you gave me this chow vision, how far do you want me to go with this? What I’m doing right now, is it making any sense?’”
At the five-mile mark, he felt like giving up. “I said, ‘How long again, Lord! How long again do I have to continue doing this!’ Then I remembered a message that someone told me: ‘When you’re being tested and you’re calling on God, during the test the teacher is always quiet.’”
David reached his destination and successfully handed over the order. He found a taxi to take him to Arima, a maxi to Curepe, and another to Montrose, before walking the rest of the way home to save some of the money he had just made.
During this interview, the entrepreneur, who didn’t attend university due to his family’s financial situation, was reflective of how far he’s come. He remembers a first-time customer who requested a single bowl, returned three days later for two more, then ordered five after that.
“She told me, ‘The people viewing behind the screen don’t know they are getting their money’s worth. I’ll continue to buy while they talk about why they won’t pay for quality.’”
These days, David is focused on his next milestone: establishing a permanent storefront to serve healthy snacks, cold-pressed juices, and fresh salads, which will also allow him to create jobs within a larger workspace.
“In this season of my life, I’m thankful for every customer who encouraged me along the way, especially “Kiz All Natural Smoothie Like Mine”, the first store that supported me. I know I have more mountains to climb, but this is just the beginning,” he says.
