Meet Inez Hudson, a 73-year-old African American grandmother from Lakeland, Florida, whose homemade pies and cakes have become a local sensation.
This is after a TikTok video featuring her story went viral. Hudson has been selling out her baked goods, bringing joy to her and her customers alike.
Hudson sets up shop outside Super Choice Foods in Lakeland three days a week, from Wednesday to Friday.
Her delicious menu includes pineapple pound cake with cream cheese icing, red velvet cake with cream cheese icing and pecans, and sweet potato pie.
“I do it all myself,” Hudson told Fox 13 News. “I got into baking when I was very young, and it’s just something I like to do. As years went by, I kept baking and selling. I started doing this for the church.”
Since November 2018, Hudson has been selling her cakes and pies outside the grocery store. She often wakes up around midnight to start baking, unsure if the next business day would be slow or a sell-out.
Everything changed when a local named Mannie shared a heartwarming TikTok video about Hudson’s small business. The video, which has garnered nearly 800,000 views, brought a surge of customers eager to support her.
“That’s the main reason why I made it. Not to go viral for social media purposes. I just wanted local people to support each other because that’s the best rewarding experience,” Mannie said.
Jimeld Zad, the owner of Super Choice Foods, supports Hudson by offering her space free of charge.
Hudson, who is selling cakes to supplement her fixed income after retiring, appreciates the surge in attention. Her newfound fame makes her a bit nervous, but she remains optimistic.
“It makes me feel happy because I’ve been doing this for so long and it’s something I’ve always wanted to do,” Hudson said.
Though she dreams of having her own company, Hudson is content with her current simple setup.
