The Latino population in the U.S. has grown rapidly in recent years and with it has come a corresponding rise in the number of grocery stores catering to this diverse consumer base, featuring products from their countries of origin along with signage in Spanish.
In Colorado, The Denver Post reports, eleven big box Latino grocery stores have opened since 2003. Many other states across the country have seen Latino grocery stores pop-up to serve growing populations of Spanish-speaking immigrants.
But, as with previous ethnic groups that came to the U.S., assimilation is at work and it poses a challenge for Latino grocery stores.
"The real growth in the Latino population is going to come from the second generation," David Morse, president and chief executive of New American Dimensions and a member of the RetailWire BrainTrust, told the Post.
"The first generation wants a culturally familiar shopping environment, and that's why this [Latino] grocery sector has been so popular," Mr. Morse said. "But the second generation can shop anywhere they want, so the comfort of a Hispanic grocery is no longer an issue."
Elisa Sandoval of Thornton, Colo. is an example of assimilation at work. She shops at both mainstream grocers as well as Latino stores.
"This is a comfortable place to shop," she told the Post while shopping in a Latino market. "My mom doesn't speak much English, so this is a good place for her. For me, it's not a big thing."
Discussion Questions: Will Latino grocery stores survive as their target shopper base becomes more assimilated into American society and culture? What will Latino grocery stores need to do to succeed as larger portions of the Latino population are born and raised in the U.S.?