October 26th 2024.
Aurora, one of Colorado's most diverse cities, recently welcomed a new grocery store catering to the growing Hispanic population in the community. The store, called Ahorra Mucho, is a partnership between national discount chain Save A Lot and Leevers Supermarkets. This one-of-a-kind store, located in the La Plaza Colorado at 15200 E Colfax Ave, spans over 24,000 square feet and was formerly a Kmart.
The concept for Ahorra Mucho has been in the works for several years, with the aim to tap into the fast-growing Hispanic populations in Colorado and across the U.S. The grocery chains refer to Ahorra Mucho, which means "save a lot" in Spanish, as an "innovation center" where they can test and sell products and food commonly found in Mexico and Central America.
According to Art Perez, the district manager for Leevers Supermarkets, this new store is the next step in their efforts to cater to the Hispanic community. They have already tailored their signage and products to meet the needs of this population, and Ahorra Mucho is another way to further understand and fulfill their shoppers' needs. Perez also mentioned that Aurora was the perfect location to launch this concept, given its vibrant Hispanic community. In fact, 30.1% of the city's 404,219 residents identify as Hispanic or Latino, compared to 23.9% in the rest of metro Denver.
As Bill Mayo, the chief operating officer of Save A Lot, pointed out, the demand for Hispanic food is on the rise in neighborhoods across the country, in line with the growth of the Hispanic population. This makes Aurora an ideal market for Ahorra Mucho.
Jorge Gonzalez, the director of Ahorra Mucho and a long-time employee of Leevers, explained that Aurora has a large number of first-generation Hispanics who often miss the food and family from their home countries. He hopes that Ahorra Mucho can help fill that void by providing a variety of ingredients and products important to families from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Colombia, and Venezuela.
To ensure that they stock the right products, the store manager, Robert Valero, mentioned that they did their homework and consulted with the community to understand their needs and preferences. However, as Gonzalez pointed out, they are still learning every day and are open to suggestions from shoppers. They try their best to stock all the necessary products, but it may not always be possible to get everything. In such cases, they try to order the requested items for the next time the customer visits.
One of the highlights of Ahorra Mucho is its panaderia, where they bake cakes, pastries, and bread on-site starting at 4 a.m. The store also has a meat section that offers the typical fare as well as cuts and items favored in Hispanic dishes. All the meat is cut by butchers at Ahorra Mucho, and customers can directly talk to the employees.
The store's 40 employees are all from the local community, and the company is proud to be 100% employee-owned. They work for Leevers, which has stores in five states and a corporate office in Castle Rock. Save A Lot, on the other hand, is the source for many staples found in a typical grocery store, while several local vendors and companies supply produce, meat, cheese, and other items commonly found in Hispanic cuisine.
One shopper, Liz Hernandez, expressed her delight at finding various types of cheese at Ahorra Mucho that are not available at bigger groceries in her hometown of Salida. She suggested that the store should open in Salida as well as it would be a big hit. To this, Gonzalez replied that while larger grocery stores may carry some of the items that appeal to their shoppers, they cannot provide the same one-stop experience that Ahorra Mucho aims to offer.
While Valero did not compare prices with other stores, he mentioned that customers appreciate the prices at Ahorra Mucho. As Gonzalez pointed out, the Hispanic population is growing, and it is essential to cater to their food preferences and traditions. Grocery stores, both big and small, are always competing for the same money, and Ahorra Mucho is no different. However, as Gonzalez explained, the new population represents new money, and catering to their needs could bring in more customers.
Gonzalez, who is originally from Chihuahua, Mexico, has been working for Leevers for 19 years, starting as a night stocker. He considers his job at Ahorra Mucho as a dream come true and mentioned that they are always on the lookout for the next location to open a new store. As he puts it, "We're always looking." Stay updated on the latest business news by signing up for our Economy Now newsletter.
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