There are large retail outlets in Mexico – stores like Soriana and Gigante. They often stock their rows with Mexican products and cheap Chinese imports. But despite their success, the largest retailer in Mexico in terms of sales is the American-based Walmart/Sams Club.

In fact, over the past few years, the Arkansas-based company has increasingly seen it’s domestic share of revenue shrinking, and it’s foreign revenue accounting for a greater percentage of its receipts.

One exception throughout the American Southwest is Hispanic consumers. So in an effort to reach out to this growing market, Walmart/Sams is experimenting with a Latino themed store called “Más Club.”

(Photo by Cecilia Martínez-Ávila.)

The superstore opened in Houston, Texas on August 6^th and has a Sam’s Club look and sensibility.  But most of the products stocked for bulk sale are, in fact, Mexican imports.  Frozen veggies hail from Mexican company “Del Valle” instead of American-based “Green Giant,” for example. The butchery has associates ready to cut the custom marinade meats to order. The bakery features large, hand-made tres leches cakes.

Next to the bakery, Más Club cranks out some 30-40,000 fresh tortillas daily. Often, the tortillas go straight from the machine to awaiting customers. And the café features Sam’s Club staples like hot dogs and pizza slices. But you can also get tacos, tamales, barbacoa, or a plate of roasted chicken with rice and beans. There are the standard sodas, but also aguas frescas.

Analysts say rebranding a known commodity for a niche market can be risky. But if the Más Club experiment works, more stores could pop up across the American Southwest.

Listen to the story from NPR’s Weekend All Things Considered that aired August 22, 20009 by clicking HERE.