One of the few bright spots in this severe recession is the performance of Wal-Mart. Everyone seems to be trading down, looking for lower prices and better value, and smart marketers like Wal-Mart (and McDonalds) have capitalized on this trend. Importantly they also recognize that one particular segment that appreciates good value more than any are U.S. Hispanic consumers.

Based on careful market research, Wal-Mart has decided to open its first Hispanic-focused supermarket in Phoenix and Houston in a pilot test, named Supermercado de Walmart. In addition, Sam’s Club will open a new warehouse store in Houston this year, called Mas Club.

These new retail stores will be in Hispanic neighborhoods, feature a special lay-out and product assortment geared to Latin consumers, and even include Cafés serving Latino pastries and coffee.

Other retail chains that are actively pursuing the Hispanic consumer include Publix in Florida (e.g. three “Publix Sabor” markets), HEB in Texas (“Mi Tienda” store), Best Buy and Home Depot.

As the U.S. consumer market continues to fragment, more and more proactive companies are diligently researching the attitudes and usage habits of high growth segments like the Hispanic market, and customizing their product line to build an emotional brand relationship with these value-conscious consumers.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 31st, 2009 at 12:54 pm and is filed under Blog Articles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.