Vallarta plans Arizona growth

Vallarta Supermarkets will open its second Arizona location early next year in South Phoenix, an area designated as a food desert. The store will occupy a vacant building near a light rail stop at Central Avenue and Baseline Road, part of an adaptive reuse project announced by the city.

The California-based chain opened its first Arizona store in Glendale earlier this year. It now plans to add 10 to 15 more locations in the Phoenix area over the next decade, according to the company.

Phoenix recently approved a 2030 Food Action Plan to improve access to fresh and healthy food.

“We are excited to bring our first Phoenix location to South Phoenix and join this community,” said Cesar Gonzalez, the company’s chief operating officer. “The site serves an area long recognized as lacking grocery options, which influenced our decision.”

The store will include several in-house food services. A food court called La Cocina will offer ready-to-eat Latino dishes. A full-service seafood department will feature a ceviche bar, while a traditional meat counter will provide custom cuts and pre-marinated meats. Shoppers will also find a tortilleria and cremeria with house-made tortillas, an authentic Latin deli, and a fresh-cut fruit creamery. A juice bar, La Isla, will serve made-to-order drinks, wellness shots, and aguas frescas. An in-store bakery and coffee bar will complete the offerings.

This expansion arrives as Phoenix’s grocery market becomes more competitive. Kroger’s Fry’s Food & Drug banner holds nearly 30% of the local market. Hispanic-focused chains like El Super and Los Altos Ranch Market each hold about 1% share. Sprouts, headquartered in Phoenix, operates 36 stores in the area and accounts for roughly 3.5% of grocery sales. Aldi and WinCo have also entered the market recently with expansion plans.

The Phoenix metro region, now the nation’s 10th largest, added about 1% to its population last year, reaching 5.23 million residents.

Vallarta operates 64 stores in California and one in Arizona. The company did not disclose details about future locations but expects to finalize plans for additional sites soon.

The South Phoenix store will be the first in the city. The adaptive reuse project for the vacant building is expected to begin later this year, with construction timelines dependent on permitting.

Phoenix’s Food Action Plan addresses food access issues by supporting new retail developments, urban farming, and partnerships with food banks.

Vallarta’s entry into the market shows growing interest in Hispanic-focused grocery formats. The chain’s emphasis on in-store food services, like its tortilleria and juice bar, distinguishes it from larger competitors that often use standardized layouts.

Its expansion aligns with plans to grow in Arizona.