Person:Ukabhai Solanki (1)

Big Saver Foods History

Uka Solanki came to the United States from India to obtain a degree in electronic engineering from Pacific State University in 1973; however, he took a detour from his career path to take a chance on a business opportunity. Today, that gamble has paid off, and Big Saver Foods Inc. operates one of the largest grocery store chains in Los Angeles.

His daughter and Director of Corporate Relations, Jyoti Solanki, says the company is known in the area not only for its service and competitive prices, but its dedication to giving back to the community.

Big Saver Foods initially found success by focusing on a niche market – Hispanic Americans – and catering to their specific needs. Today, it caters to the specific needs of communities, such as African-Americans and Asian-Americans that it serves.

In 1973, Solanki’s father joined a group of friends in purchasing a drive-in dairy and convenience store in Redondo Beach, Calif. The experience inspired them to aim higher, purchasing a grocery store in Torrance, Calif. However, the store was too large for the partners to handle, and they sold it within a year.

Uka Solanki took his share from the sale in 1977 and purchased Big Saver Foods, a small independent grocery store.

Today, there are 14 Big Saver Foods locations in the Los Angeles, Orange County and Riverside areas. Solanki says her father‘s success comes from persistence and focus on serving his clientele with an authentic experience and working to make the surrounding community a better experience.

http://www.bigsaverfoods.com/about.aspx

Name: Ukabhai Govabhai Solanki
Birth Date: 5 Feb 1944
Age at event: 33
Court District: California
Date of Action: 19 Dec 1977

Name Ukabhai Govabhai Solanki
Petition Age 33
Record Type Petition
Birth Date 5 Feb 1944
Birth Place Opleta Dist Bajkot, India
Petition Date 12 Aug 1977
Petition Place Los Angeles, California, USA
Petition Number 391073

PRESS RELEASE
First Choice Bancorp Mourns the Passing of Board of Director Member, Uka Solanki
Published: Sept 10, 2018 8:00 p.m. ET

First Choice Bancorp,(nasdaq capital markets:FCBP) the holding company for First Choice Bank (the "Bank"), announced today the passing of Uka Solanki, Director for First Choice Bancorp and Bank.

Mr. Solanki's leadership and philanthropy had a remarkable impact in local communities and abroad, effecting positive change through his charitable foundation and individual community service. Peter Hui, Founding Chairman of First Choice Bank, said, "I have lost a close friend and valuable business associate, Uka Solanki. Uka joined the First Choice family in 2012, initially becoming a member of the Board of Directors of First Choice Bank, and then in 2017 joining the Board of First Choice Bancorp. He was dedicated to First Choice and its commitment to helping local businesses and communities and was very proud to join the First Choice Board at Nasdaq in Times Square to ring the Closing Bell on August 17, 2018. He will be sorely missed by all of us here."

https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/first-choice-bancorp-mourns-the-passing-of-board-of-director-member-uka-solanki-2018-09-10

Uka Solanki, 1944-2018

Uka Solanki, founder of Big Saver Foods, passed away unexpectedly Sept. 8, at the age of 74 from complications of a chronic disease. Solanki was born in a small, rural city in the state of Gujarat, India, in 1944. Even as a young man, he was an entrepreneur, working in businesses as diverse as sugar cane, livestock, and cotton, before attending the University of Gujarat and earning a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. Nearing graduation in India, he earned admission to the University of Southern California and moved to Los Angeles in 1970 at the age of 26.
As a young immigrant in the 1970s with only a few borrowed dollars, he struggled in those early years, often working two jobs while earning his degree. Solanki and a partner bought a drive-through dairy in the South Bay in 1973 as a means to support themselves and as a path
to citizenship. That business would become the precursor to Big Saver Foods, which Solanki founded with his wife, Nalini, in 1976.
Over the course of 42 years as the owner and operator of Big Saver Foods, Solanki employed hundreds of people, operated 15 locations, and gave back through a variety of charities to the communities they served. Beyond his business success, Solanki was most proud, professionally, of the Solanki Foundation, which provides support to numerous organizations in Southern California and his native India. Through the Solanki Foundation, he was
an active supporter, board member and volunteer for numerous organizations, including a medical camp he helped found that provides free medical services in his hometown of Upleta, a girl’s school in Gujarat that educates 1,200 underprivileged girls each year, the Yadunandan Center for India Studies at Cal State Long Beach that host lectures and helps exchange students, and numerous other organizations.
Solanki is survived by Nalini, his wife of 46 years, daughter Jyoti Kelly (son-inlaw Luke, grandson Jaan, and granddaughter Arya), daughter Pratima, daughter Kavita Huerta (son-in-law Jose, grandson Eric, granddaughter Sarah, and grandson Adam), son Harish and son Dharam Dave. Services have been held.

http://www.ddbcsocal.org/DDBCnw1118_PROOF2.pdf