Albertson’s Contemplates Hispanic Store
The Chicago Tribune reports that Albertson’s is considering a store designed to serve the growing Hispanic population, exclusively. The company is conducting focus groups with Hispanic consumers as part of its review, says Larry Johnston, Albertson’s chairman and chief executive.
Albertson’s Jewel-Osco is Chicago’s largest grocery chain. The city has emerged as the largest Mexican community in the country behind Los Angeles. Twenty-six percent of city residents are Latino, up from just under one in five a decade ago.
Latino households, which on average are larger than non-Hispanic white ones, spend $117 per week on groceries, or $30 more than the average U.S. shopper,according to a survey conducted late last year for the Food Marketing Institute. The survey also showed that besides shopping at supermarkets, Hispanics purchase food at specialty stores where they can find fresh bread, produce and grocery brands with which they grew up.
Moderator Comment: Do Spanish-speaking consumers want Hispanic format retail stores?
Previous attempts at Hispanic formats created by companies run by Gringos haven’t
worked out very well. Perhaps times have changed. Then again, maybe not. [George
Anderson – Moderator]