Fresco Y Mas Refines Its Growth Formula

Southeastern Grocers opened a Fresco Y Mas store near Tampa on Nov. 3 and has a second location set to open near Orlando on Nov. 17 that highlight the expansion potential of a format created specifically to serve Florida’s heavily Hispanic population.

The 43,000-square-foot Fresco Y Mas store that opened in the Riverview area east of Tampa on Nov. 3 is inside space Southeastern Grocers previously operated under its Harveys Supermarket banner. The upcoming opening in the town of Deltona, just north of Orlando, is also 43,000 square feet and occupies a space in which Southeastern Grocers operated a Winn-Dixie store.

An emphasis on fresh products, prepared foods and key perimeter departments such as meat and bakery form a powerful combination at the newest Fresco Y Mas store, the company’s third location in the Tampa market and 27^th overall in Florida.

“With a growing desire for Hispanic products in the Tampa market, we believe now is the right time to diversify our offerings at this location,” said Anthony Hucker, Southeastern Grocers president and CEO. “By listening to customer feedback and evaluating key consumer insights, we have personalized the new Palm River Road Fresco y Más to directly reflect the unique tastes and needs of the local community while also providing the traditional Hispanic offerings for which Fresco y Más is known.”

What Fresco Y Mas wants to be known for is an extensive assortment of attractively priced produce, much of it tropical in nature, that goes well beyond what is found in a typical Winn-Dixie, Publix or Walmart store. Accordingly, the current Fresco Y Mas prototype features a refreshed “Frutas y Verduras” (produce department) merchandised in a farmer’s market setting. Other elements of the merchandising strategy include:

• A new “Cocina” (kitchen) offering daily specials of freshly prepared family favorites made from scratch and daily specials, like arroz congri and pallet.
• A new, full-service Latin “Carnicería” (butcher shop) offering an expanded selection of custom-cut meats.
• A renovated “Panadería” (bakery) department offering an expanded selection of Hispanic pastries and local baked goods, including flan, croquette and custom tres leches cakes, made fresh daily.
• A refreshed “Wall of Value” section featuring enhanced weekly specials on popular items customers purchase most.
• An improved “Dollar Zone” within the store, that features hundreds of everyday essentials that are tailored to the community, from grocery and cleaning to health and beauty.
• An all-new café with an expanded seating area serving authentic Hispanic breakfast, pastries, drinks and hot and cold sandwiches.

Although the new locations in Riverview and Deltona occupy former Harveys and Winn-Dixie locations, the strategy isn’t to drive Fresco Y Mas growth through conversions, according to Eddie Garcia, EVP of store growth at Southeastern Grocers.

“We are constantly look at opportunities for growth. It about finding new boxes,” Garcia said.

Jacksonville, Fla.-based Southeastern Grocers is one of the largest conventional supermarket companies in the United States, with grocery stores, liquor stores and in-store pharmacies serving communities throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi. The company is No. 43 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2021 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.