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99 Ranch Market’s new Cravings format indulges customers

Food hall adds twist to warehouse-style international supermarket

Russell Redman

October 30, 2018

4 Min Read
Supermarket News logo in a gray background | Supermarket News

Asian supermarket chain 99 Ranch Market has launched a new format that combines a warehouse-style grocery store with a multivendor dining hall.

Called Cravings by 99 Ranch Market, the 56,000-square-foot store in Chino, Calif., serves up a diverse assortment of local and global foods in individual and bulk sizes and caters to both households and foodservice businesses, all in a spacious environment accented by modern décor.

“Cravings is larger than the typical 99 Ranch Market store, which ranges from 30,000 square feet to 40,000 square feet,” said Laney Chung, a spokeswoman for Buena Park, Calif.-based 99 Ranch.

Cravings_by_99_Ranch_frozen_4.pngThe frozen section includes a range of frozen dumplings with various fillings as well as a selection of quick meal options and frozen treats.

The meat department carries a broad selection of precut, packaged items, including marinated meat and kabobs for barbecue and thin-sliced meat for hot pot or shabu-shabu. On the seafood side, the store offers packaged fresh fish — including sushi prepared fresh daily — as well as frozen items.

“Cravings doesn’t have the traditional seafood and meat service counters because we really want to provide quick and convenient options for our customers,” Chung said.

In the dairy department, customers can find everything from eggs and cheese to local and Chinese yogurt and juice. The produce area offers Asian vegetables that shoppers can’t find in traditional supermarkets, such as bok choy, yellow dragon fruits and bitter melon, according to Chung.

“Most of the vegetable items here are prepacked, so customers can grab and go and it’s ready for eating or cooking,” she said.

The frozen section includes a range of frozen dumplings with various fillings as well as a selection of quick meal options and a “huge variety” of ice cream and frozen treats, Chung noted. Popular local and Asian snacks are also offered in the grocery department.

“The unique part is that customers can find some popular sauces and snacks in a jumbo pack such as Lao Gan Ma chili sauces — which we heard is American professional wrestler John Cena’s favorite sauce —  and giant Pocky and giant Taiwanese pea crackers, similar to Hot Cheetos in the U.S.,” she said.

With nine vendors, the food hall presents a melange of Asian, Mexican, Southern California and American tastes. Oi Asian Fusion focuses on home-cooked meals like rice bowls and simplified Filipino food, modernized and fused with other Asian cuisine, whereas Red Envelope pushes the envelope with modern Asian fusion cuisines such as lobster pho, uni fried rice and katsu bowl, according to 99 Ranch. Madbun, meanwhile, takes the traditional Chinese bao bun to another level with special flavors like matcha.

Cravings_by_99_Ranch_groceries_1.png99 Ranch Market serves up a diverse assortment of local and global foods in individual and bulk sizes.

Dos Chinos blends Latin and Asian food to create unique Mexican-Asian flavors, while Wingman Kitchen combines incorporates American and Asian influences into poultry, offering customers such fare as wings with rice, chicken with fries or chicken served in a cone. Shomi Noods dishes out ramen with a Southern California take.

As far as desserts and snacks, the dining hall houses Cauldron Ice Cream, which serves up liquid nitrogen with sweet, creamy ice cream and OG puffle cones, as well as newcomers Pinky Promise, a modern Taiwanese bakery that makes pastries and cakes, and Tenori, which specializes in Japanese musubi, a Japanese rice snack.

“Cravings really curated these vendors and wanted to attract all the major Asian nationalities,” Chung said. “These vendors offer modern fusion foods that are full of unique and delicious flavors.”

The dining and social area, with seating for 250 to 300 people, is designed for customers to unwind, connect and enjoy the culinary experience. To that end, Cravings also has its own bar, Piju, which serves international flavors of beer and wine.

“Since 99 Ranch Market’s establishment in 1984, the first-generation Asian immigrants have always been its core customer base. We are proud to cater to the more traditional community and satisfy their needs for the past 35 years,” Chung said. “As generations evolve, 99 Ranch Market is inspired to create a retail store that is very accessible for the new generations, whether with families or without.”

Cravings_by_99_Ranch_Piju_bar_0.pngCravings also has its own bar, Piju, which serves international flavors of beer and wine.

Given the strong customer response to Cravings’ debut, 99 Ranch is mulling more locations in the future, she added. Overall, 99 Ranch has 51 stores in California, Washington, Nevada, Texas, Oregon, Maryland and New Jersey.

“We are definitely looking forward to creating more Cravings in the future,” Chung said. “It's a work in progress, but we cannot wait to show everyone what we will be able to offer to our shoppers.”

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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