Hispanic Chain Launches New Freshco Banner in Florida

CHRISTINE BLANK

ORANGE CITY, Fla. — The Bravo Supermarkets chain has opened a new format here that it hopes will appeal to a broad consumer base with its emphasis on perishables and low prices.

Bravo, a Hispanic-focused format that has its roots in the New York area, debuted the Freshco International Supermarket concept here at the end of August, and already the chain's owners want to expand the banner.

“In the future, we would keep the Bravo stores that we have, but open Freshco stores. It is working pretty well so far,” said Cesar Ramirez, president of both the Bravo Supermarkets and Freshco chains, which now total seven locations combined.

Plans call for opening three more Freshco stores — in Orlando, Kissimmee, and Port St. Lucie, Fla. — by the end of the year, and at least two additional Freshco stores in Florida next year.

As its name implies, Freshco places a major emphasis on fresh departments, but also on products that cater to Hispanic customers, along with other international foods.

At SN's recent visit to the store, the focus on fresh and Hispanic foods was apparent, but the 25,000-square-foot store looks like a mainstream supermarket in many ways.

It has a 6,000-square-foot produce section, a deli — featuring traditional Hispanic dishes, such as rice and beans, alongside rotisserie chicken — a meat department, and other standard food and nonfood departments.

However, it also has thousands of Latin American SKUs, integrated in regular sets.

“I always think of opening a supermarket based around the general public,” Ramirez said.

The closest grocery competitor is a Publix Super Market store about a half-mile away. With its extensive fresh sections and competitive prices, Freshco fills the need for a concept that has pricing “in between Publix and Wal-Mart,” according to Ramirez.

“Our good prices and quality give us a competitive advantage over other supermarkets,” Ramirez said.

When customers walk into the store, they are greeted with the expansive produce section, which features a mural of fruits and vegetables high on the wall and drop fluorescent lighting. Produce — including sugarcane, mangoes and yucca — is stacked high on wooden bins. About 30% of the items are targeted to Hispanic shoppers. The produce section also includes an 8-foot refrigerated case with Hispanic-recipe cakes and pies, along with condiments such as sofrito, a spicy sauce used in many Puerto Rican dishes.

Next to produce, the “Fresh Deli Bakery” features American, Italian and Hispanic entrees and sides for an average of $4.99 to $6.99 per meal. Hot offerings include lasagna, plantains, polenta, chicken with rice, and rice and beans.

Bins near produce and the front of the store also include bulk bags of white rice, beans, paper products and other staples.

The operators of Freshco expect the Butcher Shop at the back of the store to be a big draw for Hispanic customers. It is a full-service meat department, offering custom-cut pork loins and other meats.

Freshco's 500-square-foot frozen section also receives major placement at the front of the store, near the cash registers. It features 30 doors of standard frozen dinners and vegetables, along with six doors of more Hispanic-focused items such as fruit pulp and sorullos (corn fritters). An expansive, open freezer case features yucca and other vegetables targeting Hispanic customers, mixed with traditional frozen vegetables and meats.

In the dry grocery aisles, Hispanic items are also integrated in sets with traditional products. In the beverages aisle, for example, sodas from Mexico, Brazil, the Dominican Republic and other countries are featured alongside American brands.

In the baking aisle, about 16 running feet is devoted to Hispanic cookware and cooking utensils, including Caldero rice pots.