Meet an African entrepreneur who had plans for her business before she even arrived in N.B.

Nestled in the heart of the uptown area of Fredericton sits Divine African Market, which in a few years has become a go-to grocery for immigrants, as well as local folks looking to add more flavours and ingredientsto their cooking.

Store owner Bolaji Akintolasays the Fredericton community has welcomed her business a concept she developed before she even arrived in New Brunswickjust five years ago.

"Opportunities come to only those that prepared. So when you prepare for opportunities, you will keep soaring higher," Akintola said in an interview with CBC News.

"I don't allow my Black skin to determine from where I'm going to get to in life. And so I'm intentional about my future."

Akintola worked as a banker in Nigeria for 14 years before immigratingto Canada. She left Lagos with a population of 21 million, it's one of the largest cities in West Africa for a much smaller home in Fredericton, which has a population of about 63,000, or just a third of one per cent the size of her former city.

Even before immigratingin April 2018, Akintola had learned that Africans who had settled in Fredericton were missing traditional foods.

Having developedplansfor Divine African Market in Nigeria,she launched the business from her home after she arrived.

Her mother Florence Akintokun, an entrepreneur who she sayscould sell "anything and everything" inspired herto launch a business aimed primarily at other newcomers.

Growing her business from her smallapartment, she opened a walk-in store in December 2019.

WATCH | How Bolaji Akintola started her shop with 6months worth of supplies:

Discover the flavours of Africa at this Fredericton market

1 year ago

Duration 3:07

Bolaji Akintola's Divine African Market offers a huge variety of international food items, and is the only shop of its kind in Fredericton. Originally from Nigeria, she provides her community with a taste of home and gives New Brunswickers the chance for an African culinary adventure.

"I didn't know the business would be this big," she said.

In addition to the Fredericton store, she has been selling goods through retail outlets inWoodstock, Moncton and Dieppe.

'African food for me is the smile'

The store offers a wide range of African products not readily available in mainstream stores, such as West Africa's favourite jollof rice spices, African soup spices andfufu. The store stocks meats, produce, dried goods and other items.

The store caters to customersfrom a variety ofcultures, including people from across Africa, theCaribbean and Brazil, as well as hungry folks from Fredericton who come to shop and to ask questions.

"Some are just adventurous," she said. "They just want to try new things."

She imports foodand other goods from various African countries. A strong believer in the power of community, she works to support other local businesses and organizations, and often collaborates with other African entrepreneurs to promote their products and services.

The market has become a hub for sharing the African experience for many in Fredericton.

"African food for me is the smilethe laughter and the joy I see in the faces of people when they try new things." she said.

For those not yet accustomed to African cuisine, Akintola shares an electronic cookbook to customers wanting to know moreaboutAfrican culture through its rich food.

"I love the joy. I love the way people are so excited and happy about it," she said.

The cookbook contains various Nigerian recipes andmenus, and provides step-by-step guidelineson how to makeNigerian meals.

Akintolaworks full-time with the New Brunswick government as an internal audit manager, and works weekends at the store and manages it in her off hours. On weekdays, the market is runby staff.

She says running a business is no easy feat, on top of work and family demands.

But she says being the only African store in Fredericton has been exhilarating, due to the demand from customers.

"I don't get myself overwhelmed," she said.

Indeed, she's looking ahead. She plans to open morebrick-and-mortar stores in New Brunswick.

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.