74 • November / December 2026• abasto.com • Continues on page 76 • FOOD INDUSTRY The Whole Year is Hispanic Heritage El Rio Grande Latin Market Makes Hispanic Culture a Year-Round Strategy BY HERNANDO RAMÍREZ-SANTOS F or El Rio Grande Latin Market, His- panic Heritage Month didn’t end on October 15. The locally owned su- permarket chain in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area has made Hispanic culture a driver of growth and promotions that its customers enjoy 12 months a year. That approach originates in the marke- ting department. Lizette Gómez, a recent arrival from California, leads the strategy for a company with nine stores and about 1,000 employees in Dallas, Fort Worth, Grand Prairie, Garland, and Mesquite. Abasto Media spoke with her about how the chain translates Hispanic culture into day-to-day business decisions. Identity Before Product Gómez anchored the Hispanic Heritage campaign—scheduled for September 15 through October 15—around a question that few supermarket flyers ask: What does it mean to you to be Hispanic? That question, however, doesn’t expire with the calendar. “Being Hispanic can be broad, right?” said Gómez. “You can be from anywhere. It’s not just Mexican; it’s everything.” To reflect that diversity, the executive recruited 15 influencers from across the Latin American diaspora. Instead of con- ventional sponsored posts, each creator shares personal culinary memories: tama- les with Grandma, ceviche at coastal festi- vals, pozole on winter Sundays. Gómez, who describes her roots as “coastal and tropical,” brings her own ex- perience to that creative direction. An In-Store Experience That same ambition extended to the aisles. Signage, floor decals, and special product highlights put Hispanic items front and center. The company is also de- veloping online offers to build on that mo- mentum. Gómez also planned a cultural cele- bration at one of the stores, featuring tastings, music, and a photo booth. She incorporated hand-painted ceramic ta- bleware—similar to what her grandmo- ther kept at home—for sale to the public. This detail reveals the goal: El Rio Grande Latin Market wants to sell an experience, not just products.