CVS Quietly Builds a National Latino Grocery Chain

CVS is growing its Hispanic-focused CVS Pharmacy y mas chain, with a special emphasis on grocery.

The company is opening 12 more CVS Pharmacy y más stores, this time in New York and New Jersey, the first stores of this kind in the Tri-State area.

The stores are designed to provide a one-stop shop for consumers looking for food, beauty and other merchandise, with more than 1,500 grocery products from Hispanic brands such as Iberia Foods, Yaucono, Fabuloso, Tio Nacho, Pilon and Café La Llave.

“Our CVS Pharmacy y más stores have been hugely beneficial to providing a more inclusive environment and value-based personalized selection for our Hispanic customers,” said Mayra Boitel, VP, chief merchant of alternative formats at CVS Health. “Customers can access familiar brands they already know and love, speak with a bilingual staff who can clearly answer any questions about their medication regimen, and easily navigate throughout the store to find what they need quickly. We understand our Hispanic customers are looking for more personalized shopping experiences and we’re eager to deliver in these markets and make them feel at home while they pick up their essentials.”

Since 2015, CVS Pharmacy has opened more than 200 CVS Pharmacy y más locations in more than 90 cities across California, Florida, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas and Puerto Rico.

This year, the company continues to expand the y más store format in New York and New Jersey, where concentrated Hispanic populations can benefit from a personalized retail environment that better meets their unique needs, the company said.

Meanwhile, some traditional supermarket chains, such as Southeastern Grocers, are looking to leverage the opportunity in catering to the consumer of Hispanic-focused products, especially as the Latino population in the U.S. continues to skyrocket. 

CVS Pharmacy, the retail division of CVS Health, is America's leading retail pharmacy with nearly 10,000 locations, including over 1,700 pharmacies inside of Target and Schnucks grocery stores.