x
Breaking News
More () »

Afro Deli and Restaurants owner is Minnesota Small Business Person of the Year

The African, Mediterranean, and American fusion restaurants have a large following.

MINNEAPOLIS — Abdirahan Kahin won a distinguished honor this week from the U.S. Small Business Administration. He was named the Minnesota Small Business Person of the Year. 

"I am overwhelmed. It is not only my effort but teamwork," Kahin said. 

Kahin owns four Afro Deli locations across the Twin Cities. He has a fifth one in the works set to open in 2024. The restaurants are a product of Kahin's goal to share culture with Minnesotans. 

"Bridging gaps between the communities, it's something I really enjoy when I see people enjoying African food," Kahin said. 

He opened his first location in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood in 2011. He says he specifically picked a location around the University of Minnesota. 

"I believe when you own a restaurant you own space for community," Kahin said. 

Kahin's journey hasn't been easy. He had to permanently close a location during the pandemic. Even through his losses, he did what he could to help others during Covid19, including making meals for frontline workers.

"Food always brings people together," Kahin said. 

The national honor will be announced during National Small Business Week in early May.

Watch more Breaking The News:

Watch all of the latest stories from Breaking The News in our YouTube playlist:

WATCH MORE ON KARE 11+

Download the free KARE 11+ app for Roku, Fire TV, and other smart TV platforms to watch more from KARE 11 anytime! The KARE 11+ app includes live streams of all of KARE 11's newscasts. You'll also find on-demand replays of newscasts; the latest from KARE 11 Investigates, Breaking the News and the Land of 10,000 Stories; exclusive programs like Verify and HeartThreads; and Minnesota sports talk from our partners at Locked On Minnesota. 

Before You Leave, Check This Out