Newest Fresco y Mas Opens With West Indies Flavor

Southeastern Grocers has flipped another of its traditional Winn-Dixie store to its Hispanic Fresco y Mas banner, although this will be the first with a distinct Caribbean flair.

The store in Lauderhill, Fla., reopens Dec. 5 and is the 26th Fresco y Mas location since Winn-Dixie introduced the format two years ago—most of them in South Florida neighborhoods where demographics and the competitive landscape has shifted considerably since Winn-Dixie established a presence there. Established as a popular destination for retirees and snowbirds, Lauderhill today is said to have one of the densest concentrations of West Indian residents in the country, with about a quarter of Lauderhill’s 70,000 residents from the Caribbean and 15% of that total from Jamaica, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lauderhill store opened in 1991. Its nearby competitors include another Hispanic-focused concept, Bravo supermarket, as well as a Walmart Supercenter, Aldi and Save-A-Lot. It’s traditional supermarket competitor, Publix, operates multiple units surrounding the neighborhood.

“Listening to our customers, communities and associates plays a critical role in the evolution of our Fresco y Mas banner. Our newest store in Lauderhill is a direct reflection of our customers’ feedback and incorporates the unique needs of this wonderful community,” Southeastern CEO Anthony Hucker said in a release.

Related:Southeastern Grocers Readies for 3 New Fresco y Mas Openings

The store features the same vibrant yellow design and bilingual signage of previous Fresco stores with merchandise reflecting particular desires of Caribbean customers. Southern said customers would immediately notice an expanded variety, including fresh seafood; specialty meat cuts such as goat and oxtail; island produce such as jackfruit and root vegetables; a wide selection of Caribbean seasonings, spices, snacks and beverages; and a hot-food section offering popular Caribbean foods.

"We recognized a great need in the Lauderhill community for a grocery store that provides more than the traditional Hispanic offerings,” Hucker added. “Our newest Fresco y Mas store is handcrafted with a wide selection of products tailored specifically to the Caribbean customer as a unique offering for our Lauderhill community. We are excited to give our customers a shopping experience they can count on by providing exceptional service and authentic products with the highest quality and lowest prices.”