Sponsored By

More Fresco y Más stores upcoming from Southeastern Grocers

Hispanic grocery chain to expand footprint in central and western Florida

Russell Redman

September 17, 2021

4 Min Read
Fresco_y_Mas_store_sign-closeup.jpg
Plans call for Fresco y Más supermarkets to open in Deltona and Tampa, Fla., in November.Southeastern Grocers

Southeastern Grocers is expanding its Fresco y Más supermarket banner with a pair of new stores.

Plans call for the Hispanic grocery chain to open stores in Deltona and Tampa, Fla., in early November, Southeastern Grocers said yesterday. The two new stores would give Fresco y Más 29 locations overall. Most of its supermarkets are in South Florida, but the chain also has several units in Orlando in central Florida and Tampa on the Gulf side. The Deltona store brings the banner north of Orlando.

The new Deltona and Tampa Fresco y Más stores will introduce new, authentic flavors and offerings, according to the Jacksonville, Fla.-based retailer. Highlights include a full-service Latin butcher shop (carnicería) with an expanded selection of custom-cut meats, plus a new bakery (panadería) with a café where shoppers can indulge in a slice of tres leches cake or a croquette as well as drink a cup of fresh-brewed Cuban coffee in the new café.

Fresco y Más has been a growth vehicle for Jacksonville, Fla.-based Southeastern Grocers, which earlier this year planned an initial public offering but ended up shelving the IPO.  After just five years, Fresco y Más has grown to 27 stores, including the opening of its first locations outside South Florida in 2018. The most recently opened store, which debuted last October in Lehigh Acres, Fla., expanded the banner to southwestern Florida.

Related:Southeastern Grocers debuts liquor store concept

“Since the creation and implementation of our Fresco y Más banner in 2016, we have established a strong local following within our [27] stores by providing an authentic shopping experience targeted at the rapidly growing Hispanic demographic,” Southeastern Grocers said in its IPO prospectus.

The company noted that 76% of its store base — led by Winn-Dixie (about 87% of stores) and including Harveys Supermarket, as well as Fresco y Más — is located in Florida, the third-most populous state with an expanding population.

“According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 26% of Florida's population is Hispanic and growing at a rate significantly above the broader population,” Southeastern Grocers stated in the filing. “We believe our Fresco y Más banner, which was developed organically to address the market opportunity presented by this demographic shift, as well as our Winn-Dixie and Harveys banners, are well-positioned to deliver a unique and compelling offering to this growing and underserved segment of the population.”

Fresco_y_Mas_store_associate-Hispanic_Heritage_Month_2021.jpg

Southeastern Grocers announced the new Fresco y Más locations as it recognizes National Hispanic Heritage Month.

Southeastern Grocers said the announcement of the new Fresco y Más stores in Deltona and Tampa coincides with its celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from mid-September to mid-October.

Related:Southeastern Grocers touts value proposition of store brands

“At Southeastern Grocers, we are committed to engaging, cultivating and enriching the lives of individuals and families in our community through the celebration of diverse cultures,” President and CEO Anthony Hucker said in a statement. “Over the past five years, we have had the wonderful opportunity to introduce fresh, authentic Hispanic flavors into new communities and we are thrilled to continue our Fresco y Más expansion in the state of Florida, while celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month both inside and outside of our stores.”

As part of the celebration, Southeastern Grocers plans to host its first Hispanic Heritage Cooking Competition for a Cause on Oct. 15. The competition will air live on Facebook at 6 p.m. and feature four nonprofit organizations that will compete for a grand prize of $5,000 to help further their work in local communities. Customers are invited to help select the organizations ahead of the event when online voting opens on the Fresco y Más and Winn-Dixie Facebook pages on Sept. 24, the retailer said. The competition will feature MasterChef finalist John Pardo as a judge and be held at the Mariano Moreno Culinary Institute in Miami.

Also through Oct. 15, Southeastern Grocers said it will observe Hispanic Heritage Month via celebrations planned by the retailer’s Pa’lante group Hispanic associate resource team. Company associates will have the opportunity to participate in virtual cooking lessons to learn how to make authentic paella and arroz imperial. They also will join executive leaders for an afternoon “cafecito” to gain insights on Hispanic shopping trends and be able to participate in online Zumba and Salsa lessons.

Overall, Southeastern Grocers operates approximately 420 supermarkets in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia and Mississippi, as well as 231 in-store pharmacies, a specialty pharmacy and 140 liquor stores.

Read more about:

Target

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

Stay up-to-date on the latest food retail news and trends
Subscribe to free eNewsletters from Supermarket News

You May Also Like