By the late 2000s, the streets around Wulumuqi and Anfu roads were home to a growing international community. Yet, the neighborhood’s grocery stores had not fully adapted to its changing tastes. Much as Chinese students overseas find it hard to find coriander and water spinach, foreign residents in Shanghai have trouble sourcing ingredients such as avocados and fresh basil.

This was where Jiang Qin found her opportunity. The entrepreneur began stocking avocados when the fruit was still rare outside Shanghai’s high-end supermarkets, sourcing products that other neighborhood grocers did not yet see as commercially viable. Her ability to supply avocados and other imported foods made her shop a destination for international residents and globally minded local customers alike.

That one decision to go against the grain was nothing short of fruitful. As such, Jiang’s contribution extended beyond the neighborhood. For example, in 2018, ProMéxico, a Mexican government trade and investment agency, honored her for helping increase the popularity of Mexican avocados in China.

But her success was no accident. Self-taught English and an instinctive understanding of her customers allowed her to build a business around the changing habits of central Shanghai. Before she became known as the Avocado Lady, Jiang and her mother sold eggs, earning them an earlier neighborhood nickname as the Egg Ladies.

They were part of a wider group of resourceful local entrepreneurs who responded to the district’s increasingly international character. Nearby, the Beer Lady became known for her extensive knowledge of craft beer. Feidan, an imported-food shop on Anfu Road, offered a more affordable alternative to premium supermarkets such as C!ty’super. The original shop was transformed into Alimentari in 2017, and the Italian-style delicatessen remains at 158 Anfu Road.

In an era of rapid change, these women recognized new demands and built businesses through persistence, local knowledge, and commercial instinct. Their shops offered international residents a sense of familiarity while creating new possibilities for small-scale entrepreneurship in Shanghai.

Jiang’s shop sadly closed in January 2026 following the death of her mother. Yet the Avocado Lady remains an irreplaceable figure in the collective memory of Shanghai’s international community.

Cover Image via Substack.