Vallarta Supermarkets is planning to venture beyond its home state of California for the first time. The Latino-owned grocer announced Thursday plans to arrive in Arizona early next year with a store in Glendale.
Scheduled to open in January, the store will span more than 49,000 square feet and bring 200 jobs to the city. Located at 5836 W. Camelback Road, the store will include an in-house Tortillería, a Panadería with cakes and pastries, and all of Vallarta’s “signature” departments, which offer a range of meal options like hand-rolled sushi, ready-to-eat meals, a juice bar and fresh ceviches.
“This is more than just a store opening, it’s the next chapter in Vallarta’s story,” Lizette Gomez, Vallarta’s director of marketing, said in a statement. “We’ve built our reputation on authenticity, quality, and community, and we’re proud to bring that to Arizona for the very first time.”
Vallarta said in the announcement that it “plans to continue expanding its footprint,” without providing more details.
Started in 1985, the supermarket chain has 63 stores throughout California. Vallarta has held grand openings for six stores so far this year, and reached its 60th store milestone with the opening of its location in Colton in June.
Vallarta said it rolled out a new store design for its second store in Modesto, which opened in August. The new location features open views into many of the departments, allowing customers “to witness the food-making process, from masa prepared in traditional nixtamal tanks to custom cakes and freshly made ceviche,” the chain said.
The company’s expansion of its physical footprint follows efforts to extend its reach to online customers. This summer, Vallarta linked with Uber on a delivery partnership. The grocery chain had already partnered with DoorDash and Instacart.
