Southland to Put Mexican Food in San Diego Stores

Southland Corp., hoping to bolster its business with Mexican-American customers, has begun offering more than 40 types of authentic Mexican food products at about 80 of its 7-Eleven convenience stores in San Diego County.

The imported food products are clustered in a specially marked part of the store called “Rincon Mexicano,” or “Mexican Corner.” The sections were added in neighborhoods with larger Mexican-American populations but might later be added in other neighborhoods, said Paul Schmitt, a 7-Eleven Stores executive in San Diego. Southland has not determined whether the new section will be added outside San Diego, Schmitt said.

Given Mexican food’s popularity among Mexican-Americans and Anglos alike, Rincon Mexicano is “simple, logical and understandable,” said Carlos E. Garcia, president of a North Hollywood-based Latino market research firm.

Los Angeles supermarkets for years have dedicated space to authentic Mexican food and condiments, but “this is the first time it’s reached a large convenience store chain,” Garcia said.

“It makes a great deal of sense, because, unless my perception is incorrect, Hispanics tend to be fairly heavy convenience store users,” said Ray Durazo,a partner with Moya, Villanueva & Durazo, a Los Angeles-based marketing firm. “It’s along the lines of Von’s Tianguis, which is aimed specifically at the Hispanic buyer.”