The buying power of the Hispanic community will exceed $2.5 trillion within the next two years. While many brands and retailers are just starting to tap into this market, Advantage Solutions has been at the forefront of this shift.
Origins
For the past decade plus, the Hispanic Retail team has built relationships and gained valuable insights by bridging the language barrier with retailers and customers. Started in June 2014, the team also works with brands to bring new products to shelf that aren’t traditional to Hispanic populations. Their ability to introduce these new products and educate retailers grew out of an earlier success. Ten years before today’s Hispanic Retail team began, Andy Keenan, now EVP of retail merchandising at Advantage, started a similar team in New York to serve Hispanic independents in the Northeast.
Speaking the same Language
Jesse Melendez, a second-generation American and a founding member of the Hispanic Retail Team, knows that language is one of the first steps to building an authentic connection.
“When we first started out, the stores we were visiting were high-index Hispanic,” recalls Melendez, manager of retail operations. “So, when you walked in a store, you were speaking to a manager whose first language is Spanish. If you’re not speaking the language, there’s a loss in translation there.”
Serving Hispanic Communities
The 40 bilingual members of the Hispanic Retail Team come from around the country. With members in Chicago, Miami, New York, Phoenix, Southern California and more, the team is able to use local relationships and workforce connectivity to flex and deliver for brands and retailers—sharing insights, providing strategic solutions, and executing in-store tasks with agility. As the needs of the community evolve, they pivot with them, helping them to reshape the retail environment to better serve the community.
While Hispanic shoppers comprise the majority of the team’s market, they are far from it’s only demographic. Taking a truly multicultural approach, their work also impacts members of the African American, Cambodian, Filipino, Haitian, Jamacian, Korean, Middle Eastern, Thai and Vietnamese communities among others.
Market Differentiation
“Advantage is uniquely positioned to support brands, retailers and customers,” explains Joe Pozzuoli, senior director of retail execution. “As this population grows, there’s so much untapped potential. This team is well-positioned in these markets and structured for success within this demographic. They draw on their own experiences and insights. That’s one of the main reasons we’ve been able to build a long track record of delivering for our clients. Our average return on investment is nine to one with the team.”
Juan Parra, director of retail execution for Hispanic grocery, agrees. He noted that everyone on the team has a deep knowledge of the community and the industry. “Our team understands what’s happening at shelf because we’ve put in the hours,” says Parra. “We’ve been in the aisles and worked at the wholesalers who supply these stores. Our people have called on the buyers at headquarters who make the decisions and helped shape what’s offered in a store or across an entire banner.”
Growing with the Hispanic Community
As the Hispanic population in the United States continues to grow, there will be even more opportunities for the Hispanic Retail Team to strategically partner with brands and retailers to authentically connect with shoppers.
“One of the most important things that we’re doing is closing the gap between the Hispanic community and brands who want to serve them” Melendez says. “We’ve already seen a lot success through our partnership. There’s a need for this in the industry and no matter where you go, we’re a part of every community.”
Learn more about how Advantage Solutions maximizes impact at the shelf level through product placement, category management and innovative display solutions.
