Nine-year-old 'Soda Kid' starts Calgary business cutting homemade soda costs

A nine-year-old budding entrepreneur has found a way to refill soda-making machines at a discount.

Atley Ma has launched "Soda Kid Inc.", a Kijiji-based business that sells canisters of beverage quality CO2. The canisters are used to carbonate tap water, so families can make homemade soda.

So far, he's sellingabout two canisters a week for $10 eachhalf the price of the ones sold in stores.

"I don't know what I want to do with the money yet because I'm not allowed to buy any more Lego with my money because there's no room," Atley said, laughing.

In the family's garage, his father transfers the CO2 from a big canister which comes up to Atley's waist into small ones to sell. They started doing it last year for family and friends. In January, Atleystarted posting ads on Kijijioffering small canisters for sale.

"I was already doing lemonade stands on the corner of our block with my friends and I wanted to make some more money with a bigger business so I opened up the Soda Kid Inc.," he said.

Atley also donates $1 per canister to the food bank. His mother and grandmother have long volunteered at Calgary Food Bank drives.

"I also wanted to give back to the community because I'm in a position to," Atley said.

"If you give back to the community, then the people who may not be as fortunate as you can be better off."

The rest, he says, he's going to save in his bank account.

Atleyhopesto grow his business from two customers a week to five.

With files from Montry Kruger.

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