SPARTAN OFFERS MEXICAN COOKWARE

JOEL ELSON

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- As the movement of salsa products edges out ketchup at a Spartan warehouse here, Spartan Stores has launched a Mexican cookware program to capitalize on the popularity of Hispanic foods.

The basic Mexican cookware assortment includes 20 stockkeeping units of cooking implements, sauces and oils. Most items are priced at $5.99 to $19.99, with a paella pan topping out the line at the $29.99 price point.

"We've seen a great amount of increase in those types of sales from our Mexican categories, and our general merchandise department is capitalizing on customers' needs by offering Mexican cookware and gadgets,"said a Spartan spokeswoman.

She added that salsa products at Spartan now outsell ketchup in its warehouse, which supplies more than 500 stores.

Most retailers are displaying the products at housewares in 2-to 4-foot sets.

With Hispanics comprising the fastest growth segment of the population and interest in Mexican cuisine on the increase, "there's a huge market out there for the cookware," she said.

One indication of this trend, she noted, are expanding Hispanic dry grocery sections at retailers, and the growing sales of the products at areas without a large Hispanic population.

Spartan chose ethnic cookware Americans seem to know the most about, including fajita pans, taco racks and tortilla presses, cookbooks and other serving ware.

"When our retailers started to carry Oriental cookware it was an opportunity to specialize in ethnic cookware and utensils. Now we're developing into the Mexican line of cookware and gadgets, which has a broader-based appeal," said the spokeswoman.

Spartan is testing the Mexican cookware at selected stores before it rolls the program out to other retailers.

"This is an ideal way for retailers to be competitive in a popular price point range, add some variety with a quality product and inject some excitement in housewares," said the spokeswoman.