FRITO-LAY DIPS INTO HISPANIC MARKET

SARAH MULHOLLAND

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Hispanic consumers at Jax Markets here are responding to marketers' attempts to capture this rapidly growing demographic, according to Bill MacAloney, chairman and chief executive officer of the four-store chain.

"Our business is 95% Hispanic," MacAloney said. "It is important to be able to offer them products to identify with."

One popular recent introduction has been Frito-Lay's line of snacks developed with the Hispanic customer in mind, now in 17 urban U.S. markets. MacAloney has had the line in his stores for several months, and it has been moving well.

The products are merchandised together in a display provided by the manufacturer, he said. MacAloney uses the display as a lane-blocker to boost impulse purchases. In addition, the products are found in-line with the rest of the snacks.

"We integrate all of our products. Nothing stands alone," he said.

The line was created in cooperation with Frito-Lay's Mexico-based sister company, Sabritas, according to Lynn Markley, a spokeswoman for Frito-Lay, Plano, Texas. Of the 24 stockkeeping units, five are new introductions, she said. The remaining products have been previously available in select U.S. locations and throughout Mexico and Latin America. The key is in the packaging, which has Sabritas' familiar smiley-face icon on the entire line.