Wal-Mart Celebrates Houston Latinos With Its First “Supermercado De Wal-Mart”
30 April 2009, 10:31 AM. By Alex Alvarez
Wal-Mart is celebrating you, the Latino consumer, with the creation of a “Supermercado de Wal-Mart” in Houston, Texas- it’s sort of like a regular supermarket but with no “ethnic foods” aisle, less peanut butter (a delicious, protein-rich product that has proven to sell poorly among Latinos who don’t know what’s up) and a bakery that sells sugary Latino baked goods (without peanut butter). We have these in Miami, where they are called “Sedano’s.” Houstonians also have the option of shopping at local chain H-E-B’s giant “Mi Tienda” store.
For the grand opening party of their first Supermercado (a second is slated to open in Phoenix, Arizona), Wal-Mart invited mariachis and set up piñatas. We guess, in Houston, Latino is synonymous with Mexican. Personally, we are frightened of both mariachis and piñatas and will continue to shop at supermarkets with peanut butter.
Speaking of which… We touched upon, yesterday, how we are baffled by attempts to market to Latinos via social networking sites like Facebook. But what about when it comes to getting Latinos to creating a store or brand that appeals, or specifically caters to, Latinoids? Would you shop at a peanut-butterless supermarket with piñatas strung from the ceiling because it has products you like, or because there aren’t many other “Latino-centric” options? Additionally, think of what something like this Wal-Mart spin-off would do to local, Latino-owned business selling the same products.
What do you think - are huge chains and brands that cater to Latinos positive, or will they end up hurting Latino business owners and consumers, especially at a time when minority-owned businesses are feeling the brunt of the recession?
At any rate, what sort of Latino products would you like to see more readily available in stores? Here’s our list:
- Picafresas
- PEANUT BUTTER
- Dulce de leche
- Hatuey
- Materva and Iron Beer
- Guayaba paste (to eat with cream cheese, naturally)
- Yuca
You?
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Walmart sucks. If they were trying to target German immigrants would they set up a Biergarten mit Lederhosen und Dirndel?
Yes. And they would call it “Waltoberfest.”
Context. Houston, South Houston the population in many areas is almost 90% Latino, out of those 90% almost all of them make up as Mexican, with a few central americans sprinkled on top. The success of HEB’s Mi Tienda, and other “latino” theme marketplaces (if it is latino own does it make it latino theme?) had much to do for Walmart to open their own latino-ize store. The latino-centric options are typically all imports from Mexico, like Mexican Coke, Mexican cheeses and so on. So yes, we can get are sidrals and drink it too. Another great addition, all workers have to speak spanish, so when my abuelita can’t find her bunelos a peon will have to point it out to her, and carry her bags. YUP!
One product I want to see in more stores is Julio’s Chips. They are dangerously good and I have actually asked local grocery store managers to carry them.
Oh and, Wal-Mart sucks ass. I am not a fan so even if they want to cater to Latinos, I’m not going. Although I must say I have family members who will probably shop at that store in Houston. But they will still pronounce it “Wal-eh-Mar.”
Who else prefers their pb chunky?
chunky and i prefer natural w/ all that oil on top that you have to mix in. yum.
Julios Chips got me thinking about queso fresco - which lead naturally to that other vile Mexican plot against the health and wellbeing of the US of MuriKKKa
tainted cheese tuberculosis
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24954041/
mmmm queso fresco….con tortillas el milagro…
In San Jose we have Mi Pueblo grocery stores. We only shop there when we want carnitas and pan dulce. Also when I’m too lazy to make my own salsa.
Actually I once went in there with my white sister-in-law. I was holding my nefew who doesn’t look one bit latino. The cash register chick askd me if I worked for my sister-in-law. That was a sad day for me. my sisterin law was pretty embarassed too.
I saw this wal mart the other day on long point. It’s REALLY bright. But then again most of the H-E-Bs are already. It used to be a Wal Mart marketplace (wal mart’s grocery stores). It was pretty much dominated by latinos to begin with due to it’s location. I really don’t see the need to throw on the neon paint and exclude based on language. Finding workers in a grocery store who can’t speak Spanish doesn’t seem to be a problem anywhere in Houston.
The neon paint and spanish speaking workers are just a few tricks of the trade to try to court customers from other markets. One of the reasons why I thought Mi Tienda (Houston) and Mi Pueblo (King, San Jose) are successful is the indoor restaurant. I helped opened Mi Tienda (software contractor) and they a highly regarded chef from So Cal running the eatery. Is Walmart doing the same thing?
Did you know that Howard E. Butt’s son is a homosexual? So scandalous! Do you think there’s a “maricon” in the Walton family? I really hate homophobia. I’m going to start a PFLAG chapter in my hometown. Wanna join?
CHUNKY PB ON MARIA COOKIES! YEAH, BABY!
H.E.B. did this six years ago.
There is also another market that has catered to Houston’s Latino/Mexican population long before wal-mart and heb’s ventures — anybody ever shop at fiesta? its logo is a big perico.
in phoenix, there are tons of stores that already cater to the Latino community - there are many Ranch markets, phoenix super mercado, and Fry’s mercado (which is the large corporate one).
it is a delight to be able to buy tortas, salsas, tacos, pan dulce, and manzanitas… not to mention birria and barbacoa on the weekends
I’m never going to be swayed by mass nation-wide redneck Wal-Mart to leave my beloved HEB and especially Fiesta! http://www.fiestamart.com/
Love me some shopping at Fiesta.
I will never stop loving peanut butter.
I’ll love to find Zambos chips(platain chips) at any Latino Store and more variable food not only mexican, since not only mexicans are Latinos. What store would you recommend to get GOOD Latino Groceries?
Celebrate Latinos? Don’t think so. It is PURE business.
Let’s face it, Obama will usher in another (Entitlement) program called Universal Healthcare that will allow Latino corona Org!es which will see the Latino population EXPLODE in America and everyone else will PAY for the healthcare costs. What will happen next….SHOP…SHOP….SHOP.. CORONA…ORG!IES…REPEAT