58 • March | April 2026 • abasto.com BY RON MARGULIS N on-Hispanic shoppers are already curious about His- panic foods and the retailers who win more of their weekly basket make that curiosity feel easy, safe and fun to act on in-store and online. The goal is not to “Americanize” the experience, but to remove fric- tion while keeping the store’s cultu- ral soul intact in a market where the U.S. ethnic foods category alone is projected to more than double from about 33.7 billion dollars in 2025 to 68.9 billion dollars by 2035, accor- ding to Future Market Insights. Start in the Store: Experience and Wayfinding Non-Hispanic shoppers often arrive at any ethnic retailer on a mission for one or two items they already know. For Hispanic stress, it’s often for items like tortillas, salsa or a specific hot sauce. They usually will leave after gathering these few “safe” products, even though retail data shows these Winning the Mainstream Basket How Hispanic Grocers Can Capture More Spend from Non-Hispanic Shoppers same categories drive incremental basket growth across demographics. To grow share of spend, the store must invite them to wander the aisles by: Using bilingual but plain-language signage that clearly explains depart- ments, service counters and key ca- tegories with simple descriptors like “Fresh tortillas made daily” or “Quick weeknight meals,” reflecting Nielse- nIQ research that nearly half of U.S. adults say they would shop more at a retailer offering a wider selection of multicultural products. Placing easy “bridge” items at the entrance and power aisles, perhaps chips and salsa, aguas frescas, plan- tain snacks or frozen meals, so new visitors see familiar use occasions for Hispanic products, mirroring how mainstream retailers are expanding multicultural sets to match demand. Investing in front-of-house gree- ters who can answer “what do I make with this?” in English, clean, bright lighting and conventional shelf la- youts that feel familiar to non-Hispa- nic shoppers while still highlighting specialty service counters. One practical example is to create a “Tuesday Taco Night” endcap with shells, tortillas, seasoned meats, prepared pico de gallo, shredded lettuce and beverages positioned near the front so even a first-time visitor can build a full meal solu- tion in one stop. Merchandising that Demystifies Multicultural consumers are alre- ady influencing everything from chip flavors to fresh ingredients, and non-Hispanic households are em- bracing global flavors for “variety, authenticity and adventure” in every- day meals. Hispanic banners can lean into that curiosity with clearer mer- chandising stories. Integrate key Hispanic categories beyond a single “ethnic” aisle by cross-merchandising tortillas, salsas and cheeses with mainstream meat, dairy and snacks to show how they fit into everyday meals. • Continues on page 60 • FOOD INDUSTRY