Something for a 12-year-old to do during the COVID pandemic has turned into a business for a Santa Fe, New Mexico, family.
When the pandemic shut the world down in 2020, young Kyomi Franco-Abeyta took up the hobby of making boba tea.
“I found a video clip online, telling me how to make boba from scratch and I was just excited,” Kyomi told KOB.
Boba, also known as bubble tea, originated in Taiwan in the 1980s and has expanded to the United States.
“It was something that I really enjoyed doing,” Kyomi said. “Especially because, afterward, it was like a reward to drink it. It took so long, and it was really hard work.”
It wasn’t long before Kyomi shared with her father, Jose Franco, her desire to turn the hobby into a family business.
“The minute I said that my dad just clicked, and he got everything in order,” Kyomi said.
Jose endorsed the plan to create Mizu’s Boba Tea Spot, which opened in December.
“For us, it’s better to support her now, instead of later on saying I should have, when I should have wouldn’t matter anymore,” he said.
The business is named after the family dog and features Kyomi’s designs and recipes.
“I love my parents so much and I’m just glad that they want to carry me through this process and this journey and I’m not just going through it myself,” Kyomi said.
