Tao Huabi

Tao was born in a poverty-stricken village, in Meitan County, Guizhou, in January 1947.[4] She was the eighth girl in the family.[4] She never learned to read or write. At the age of 20, Tao married to an accountant in the geological team and gave birth to two sons: Li Guishan (李贵山) and Li Hui (李辉).[5] A few years later, her husband got sick and her sons were young. Tao shouldered the family burden and went to work in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong province.[5] After her husband died, Tao returned to her hometown and worked hard at the construction site and set up a stall to sell vegetables in the vegetable market.[6] And she gave the restaurant cold noodles and chili sauce.[7] In 1989, Tao opened a restaurant called "Shi Hui Restaurant" (实惠饭店) on a street from Guiyang to Longdongbao, in a simple shed.[8] In November 1994, "Shi Hui Restaurant" was renamed as "Guiyang Nanming Taoshi Flavor Food Store" (贵阳南明陶氏风味食品店), mainly engaged in chili sauce.[9] In July 1996, Tao borrowed two houses of CPC Yunguan Village Committee in Nanming District and employed 40 workers to set up a "Laoganma Chili Sauce Factory" (老干妈辣椒酱).[10] In August 1997, "Guiyang Nanming Laoganma Flavor Food Co., Ltd." (贵阳南明老干妈风味食品有限责任公司) was established.