2021 Superior Grocers 40th Anniversary, Mimi Song HOF

Inseparable – Mimi Song and Superior Grocers

Founder hailed as chain turns 40

Superior Grocers is one of the largest independently owned chains of grocery stores in Southern California. From its first store in 1981 in Covina, the company has grown to 47 locations.

Superior takes pride in having prospered in neighborhoods where others failed because of its commitment to – and investment in – the communities it serves.

In addition to the company’s 40th anniversary, its charismatic CEO Mimi Song is being inducted this year into the Food Industry Hall of Fame.

Executives and industry insiders say it is a well-deserved honor for Song, who as a young woman immigrated to Los Angeles from South Korea and is universally admired for her attitude, energy, work ethic and emphasis on teamwork.

“Mimi is a great lady. She has a great heart…she demands excellence, but she's fair. She is committed in such a way because she is by choice,” said Blake Larson, Superior’s CFO. “…I look at her passion…she dedicates everything to the company – from her time to financial resources – and she doesn't hold back.”

Those attributes are reflected in the company’s core values, which President Rich Wardwell said have helped keep Superior successful –integrity, service, passion and excellence.

“These are [her] core values…we as a team came together and made sure that we brought back all those – messaged them and live by them,” Wardwell said.

Sue Klug, a former grocery executive, described her longtime friend Song as “one in a million.”

“Mimi has worked incredibly hard over the years,” she said. “Having had experience throughout most functional areas in her company, there’s not much that Mimi hasn’t seen and hasn’t done.”

Retired Superior CFO Joe Cooney said the lives of Song and her sister and company co-founder Marie are a “great immigrant story.”

“They came with basically nothing,” he said. “They weren't sophisticated retailers coming to America to ply their trade. They knew nothing about [the grocery industry]. They learned it through hard work. It's very impressive.”

We think you’ll agree. Join us in this special section as The Shelby Report celebrates the storied career of Song and the 40th anniversary of the company she fashioned.

These executives also have earned the respect of their industry peers for their dedication and the example they set, not only for those in their own companies but people across the industry’s many facets.

Their families and communities also typically are beneficiaries of these executives’ time and attention, making them even more worthy of recognition.

Shelby Publishing established the Food Industry Hall of Fame to recognize men and women across the U.S. food industry who have provided leadership and fostered innovation over their careers.

Hall of Fame Inductee 40th Anniversary

Song has fashioned successful career in grocery industry

Superior’s CEO immigrated from South Korea with early designs on a different path

Mimi Song, founder and CEO of Superior Grocers, has been selected for the Food Industry Hall of Fame. In recent interviews with Bob Reeves, EVP of Shelby Publishing, which were compiled by Shelby’s Mary Margaret Stewart, Song recalled her rise to CEO of a successful grocery chain.

Mimi Song immigrated with her family to Southern California from South Korea in 1977 at age 20. On a wet winter morning shortly after her arrival, she had an epiphany of sorts while walking to her job as cashier at a Korean market.

“It was probably January or February, and I woke up and it was raining outside,” Song recalled. “And, of course, we didn’t have an umbrella. We brought a lot of things, but nobody really thought about the umbrella… so I have to walk about 30 minutes and… it was pretty chilly. When I arrived at the market, I was really soaking wet.

“I had no choice but to go to the bathroom, using the paper towels to dry my hair and things. And then when I looked at myself, I said, ‘Oh my gosh, I look like I’m a small, tiny mouse just coming out of the water,’ because I'm not a very big person. And I remember that day – I really do.”

This had not been Song’s vision of the American Dream.

“That's not the country I came here for,” she recalled. “I came here for the really nice life…after the shift, I had to walk back

again…the first time I ever learned…this is when you are poor.

“That’s when I learned about money. I said, I never want to walk in the rain. That’s

what really made me realize, I have to make money. Otherwise, I will live forever like that.”

‘Gained the respect and admiration of all’

Mimi, congratulations on being inducted into the Food Industry Hall of Fame. I can’t think of anyone who deserves it more than you.

I’ve known and worked with you for nearly 25 years. Throughout that time, you’ve guided Superior with a dedication and passion that has led to great growth and success.

Your background and life experience are not typical in our industry, and you probably had many who questioned whether you would succeed in a very competitive business.

But as Superior is celebrating its 40th anniversary, rest assured you have gained the respect and admiration of all, and now you are being duly recognized for it.

I am so happy for you. Hopefully, I soon can take you out for good Korean food to celebrate in person.

P.S. – By the way…you have exquisite taste in ties, and I treasure them.

Peter Larkin Former president and CEO of NGA

40th Anniversary Hall of Fame Inductee

This tiny little lady’ is force of nature

Smart. Bold. Fun. Loyal. And a little feisty, too. That’s Mimi Song. This tiny little lady truly is a force of nature. I admire her as a person, as a leader and as a friend.

Mimi has worked incredibly hard over the years. Having had experience throughout most functional areas in her company, there’s not much that Mimi hasn’t seen and hasn’t done. She’s got a well-tuned BS meter and isn’t afraid to call it like she sees it. You never have to wonder where you stand with Mimi; you just have to ask her. It’s pretty darn simple.

Mimi is all about team. Making sure that she’s got the right players on the field and that she’s giving them the right tools to get the job done. While she instinctively runs away from the spotlight when it is thrust upon her, she doesn’t hesitate to shine it on her team members. But make no mistake, she is tough and demanding. She expects the best out of the people around her and that’s why she often gets it.

Is Mimi smart? Yes. But she is beyond smart. She’s wise. She has an incredible knack of looking at the big picture with wisdom from the ages. While she possesses an incredible ability to focus on the details, she is also able to put things into a broader perspective.

Her wisdom has served her well in both her personal and professional life. And that wisdom has been a blessing to many of us that have been fortunate enough to be the benefactor of her thoughts and guidance.

What’s my one request of Mimi? I just want one glimpse inside her closet to admire her amazing wardrobe. Oh, and please don’t forget the shoes. I need to see every single pair of designer shoes she owns. That would be such a treat!

Congratulations to you, Mimi Song! You are one in a million.

Sue Klug Former president of Albertsons’ Southern California Division

In Korea, things had been different. Song’s father was a teacher and her mother was a housewife, raising Mimi and her two younger siblings, Marie and Danny. When they moved, they were permitted to take only $1,000 per person out of Korea. The money went quickly and, as the eldest, Song went to work.

“My father was already 50 years old when he came to this country. He didn’t speak English, and he couldn’t be a teacher here,” Song said. “He did all kinds of things in order to support the family – he did mostly labor work.”

Song’s dream was to become a fashion designer – something that, to this day, doesn’t surprise people. Colleagues and friends describe her as well-dressed, fashionable and classy.

“When I came here, I went to L.A. Technical College. There was a fashion class…I tried,” she said.

After some time, she learned that school was demanding, both in terms of money and time. She worked two part-time jobs while taking classes. Approached by James Oh to open a grocery store, she and her sister, Marie, decided to take a leap of faith.

In March 1981, the Songs and Oh started Frontier Food, which later became known as

Superior Grocers.

“I couldn’t go to school anymore because I either became a fashion designer or I wanted to be a grocer. And this is more important to me because I actually had to start living,” she said. “I needed income for my life…I had no experience in the grocery business. I had to learn, so I had to stop school.

“It was not some strategic plan or anything. I just wanted to have a chance… if I wanted to continue working a part-time job for somebody else, my life will be always the same. So I decided that I had nothing to lose.”

Frontier Food started as a general supermarket. The first location was in Covina, California, with a 70 percent Caucasian customer base. It was the only location available.

“When we opened up the store, Marie, me and Mr. Oh basically had to do everything. I had to do the training of the cashiers, write the ad, meet the salesperson. Marie was always finance – she did all the bookkeeping.”

And they worked as hard as needed to survive.

“I remember Marie had to go to the bank maybe three times a day…she would have to

Congratulations to Superior Grocers! 40 years is an incredible milestone. Additionally, congratulations to Mimi Song on being inducted to the Food Industry Hall of Fame. Clorox is proud to be a part of your rich history and we look forward to many more years of partnership.

Cheers!

40th Anniversary Hall of Fame Inductee

‘Very fair, honest and has a heart of gold’

I think it’s great you’re honoring Mimi. As the CEO of Superior, she is very fair, honest and has a heart of gold.

About six years ago, we had an issue with hiring truck drivers. I went to her and asked if we could put together a program to send store employees to trucking school and have the company pay for it. Well, the cost was $1,900 per person. But she said yes!

This was a win-win for the company and employees. We had porters and clerks who – after completing trucking school – were able to significantly increase their pay. Like I said, she has a heart of gold.

Ed Whalen Former VP of distribution for Superior

year in Covina, they faced trouble with the landlord.

“We had a lack of knowledge. We didn’t really know much about the lease conditions and terms,” Song recalled.

The trio moved their store concept from Covina to South Central Los Angeles, where Song had noticed several successful momand-pop stores. There was a large Hispanic

population, and she realized they could capitalize on a specialty grocery concept, marketing to that demographic – a concept which became today’s Superior Grocers.

They started to specialize their offering, adding tortillerías, panaderías and carnicerías. And they began to hire people within the community.

Please see page 26

‘Fearless competitor…with compassion’

As a language- and culturally-challenged young Korean woman, Mimi Song dared to enter one of the most male-dominated industries in the country. Given the opportunity, she grew a few independent supermarkets into one of the largest, most-respected Hispanic formats in the nation.

From page 22

go every few hours,” Song said. “She would collect all the money and go to deposit it. We survived for a few months, but actually, our business became pretty strong because we really started to focus on produce and meat. Volume-wise, we did over $300,000 a week at that location in 1981. It was really, really good.”

Early on, they worked seven days a week, 18 to 20 hours a day. And Song waffled on her decision to get into the grocery business. But Oh, who was the company’s’ chairman, convinced her to stay.

“He asked, ‘Why do you want to be a

fashion designer?’ And I said, ‘Because I like clothes…I want to wear a lot of beautiful clothes myself.’ So I didn't really have a good concept for how I was going to be a fashion designer. The only thing I was thinking was, I can dress myself in whatever I like to wear.

“He said, ‘If you became a fashion designer, that doesn't mean you're going to wear all the nice dresses because you’re always working – that's going to be your job.

If you want to wear the beautiful fashion, you need the money. So this job is great if you find success.’”

Decades later, she’s stuck with it, changing the business as needed. After about a

Mimi is a great listener, always willing to learn and implement new ideas to enhance her consumers’ shopping experience. Mimi’s Superior family is truly an extension of her immediate family.

As an active board member at Unified Grocers, Mimi always contributed with consideration to smaller store operators, even if the results of her vote did not favor her company financially.

Mimi is a fearless competitor who does so with compassion and integrity. I am honored to have had the opportunity to witness her accomplishments as a colleague and dear friend.

Mimi is so deserving of the prestigious Hall of Fame induction. I offer my sincere congratulations.

Philip S. Smith

EVP of procurement and chief marketing officer (retired) for Unified Grocers

40th Anniversary Hall of Fame Inductee

“I would go to small shops. I said to them, ‘How much money are you making? I’ll pay you ‘X’ more money. Would you want to come?’” she said.

“We hired a tortilla expert. I had no idea how to make the tortillas, so he was the one who actually helped me. There were many people who helped me run the tortilla department, the panadería, and then especially the meat department. They knew how to cut the thin meat.

“I had no idea about the pig feet, the chicken feet – those things that people really love to eat.”

And while a South Korean native who runs a Hispanic grocery company, learning the food business was new for her either way. She just capitalized on the need she saw in the South Central community.

“I never had previous grocery experience. I was just thinking how to serve and learn the Hispanic community and culture,” she said.

“But honestly, people are people. It doesn't matter if you’re white, African-American, Asian or Hispanic.”

And clearly, the vision worked. Today, Superior Grocers operates 47 stores and counting. But it all comes back to Song’s ambition. Why did she decide to take on grocery? To win.

“I want to be a winner…and I want to do the very best,” she said. “Not because I want recognition from other people, but because of just my own things. I said, I can do better.

“My mom was a great woman and great mom. She would never say, ‘You can’t.’ She would always say, ‘I know you can

She is an ‘outstanding model’ of American dream

I met Mimi when I joined Unified Grocers’ Board of Directors in 2007. We became good friends over the years, and I turned to her many times for support and advice. It became apparent very quickly how bright and determined she is, both as a Unified Board member and as chairman and CEO of Superior Grocers.

I have tremendous respect for what she has accomplished over the past 40 years, not only with the success of her company but her commitment to communities across Southern California.

As an immigrant to the United States in 1977, she is an outstanding model for successfully pursuing the American dream and all that it represents.

I can think of no one more deserving than Mimi to be inducted into the Food Industry’s Hall of Fame. It is among the many honors she has received that are so well deserved.

Congratulations Mimi!

Richard Goodspeed Former president of Vons Grocery Co.

Congratulations Mimi on your induction into the Food Industry Hall of Fame!

Mimi - your countless accomplishments are an inspiration to us all! This induction is well deserved recognition for a truly tremendous career. Congratulations on building something special to so many of us in here in California and for driving Superior to where they are today. Anheuser Busch has been proud to partner with you for these past 40 years, and we look forward to helping each other grow for the next 40 years to come! Your work not only selling groceries - but serving the communities we live in, providing thousands of jobs, and giving back through the Superior Foundation are only parts of the enormous amount you have accomplished. Congratulations and a sincere thank you from AB and the entire food industry.

A well deserved - Cheers to you Mimi!

40th Anniversary Hall of Fame Inductee

do it’…she always encouraged me.

“We had a lot of hard times. Today, it looks like a great success. But the last 40 years, there were many days that we felt like we didn't want to wake up the next day…my dad always told us…God only gives us challenges you can come overcome. And once you overcome, you'll be better, and God will give you another challenge.”

And Song is not one to shy away from a challenge.

“One thing I know, every day that I’m getting challenged…I need to overcome. I’m going to be better,” she said. “I think that’s why my teams think, ‘Nice lady.’ They think I’m strong and never give up.

“I want to make Superior a great success...I’d really like to be – and this company wants to be – a good employer. That’s our vision for Superior’s future.

“Marie and I always try to show our appreciation to the Superior team because we know – two immigrant girls who started

this business in their 20s and have been doing business 40 years – we couldn't do it without these people.”

Song said her sister doesn’t come across as a traditional grocery industry woman. “Marie always smiles, and she’s softer,” she said. “People, when the company was smaller, if they were afraid of me, they came to Marie...we have some balance together.”

Marie Song agreed. “I love listening, but I love to talk to people on a one-to-one basis,” she said. “You have to find their potential.

That’s important. And it makes them strong.”

In her free time, Mimi Song enjoys the arts. And doesn’t forget travel.

“I’ve been to almost every place in the world…I love to check out the grocery stores. I even went to the smallest store in the Arctic,” she said. “I haven't been much to Eastern Europe. That was my plan in 2020 –traveling more. And then coronavirus came.

“I also love to meet friends, spend time with family and explore new restaurants and museums.”

‘Sense of urgency’ in everything she does

I have known Mimi as both a retailer and as a board member. Even though the roles were quite different, she brought similar characteristics to both.

The first thing I noticed was Mimi’s competitiveness. She has a tenacity and sense of urgency in everything she does. I have walked stores with her as she simultaneously observed and asked my opinions for improvement ideas.

I also saw her add to board meetings by asking pointed, critical questions that were both strategic and tactical.

The second thing I learned is Mimi processes information, decides quickly and takes action. She is not afraid to try something and adjust as necessary.

I believe these two traits have led to the growth and success of her company.

Leon Bergmann CEO of Harvest Sherwood Food Distributors

Mimi and Marie Song

40th Anniversary Hall of Fame Inductee

Superior’s buying staff sings praises of its beloved CEO

The members of the buying team at Superior Grocers congratulate CEO Mimi Song on her induction into the Hall of Fame. The team includes (back row, from left): Jon Holder, senior director of produce; Martha Gabriel, meat buyer; Agustin Cabrera, VP of hot foods and bakery; Chris Denney, director of grocery; Oscar Olguin, produce buyer; Alfonso Cano, senior category manager produce; and Eddie Garcia, produce buyer. It also includes (front row, from left): Irma Trias, category manager grocery; Martin Reynoso, category manager grocery deli frozen; Mari Mani, VP of meat; Sally Hernandez, senior director of grocery; and Hilda Arreola, category manager non-foods.

40th Anniversary Hall of Fame Inductee

Management amazed by leader’s work attitude, energy

Admire humble approach, persistence and emphasis on teamwork throughout business

Mimi Song, a Korean immigrant, founded Hispanic specialty grocery store Superior Grocers with her sister, Marie, in the early 1980s. Strong-willed and determined to achieve the American Dream, Song found great success. This year, the company is celebrating 40 years in the business – with no plans to slow down. Members of Superior’s leadership team recently visited with Shelby Publishing EVP Bob Reeves, sharing their insight into what has made Song so successful.

Rich Wardwell, president

Wardwell’s career in the grocery industry began in 1982 as a courtesy clerk bagger at Raley’s Supermarket in Reno, Nevada. Some 30-plus years later, after a 25-year stint with Raley’s and a few other chains – Albertsons, Save Mart and Walmart – along the way, he got called on by Superior Grocers.

“I got a call from Mimi. And I was sitting there in the car. I was going to talk to her for like 15 minutes to half an hour, and I pulled over on the side of the road, coming back from Pittsburg, California, and ended up talking for an hour…the highway patrol came up and said, ‘Hey, what are you doing? Get moving,’” he recalled.

“It’s interesting how you click with somebody, how you’re having conversation, and one conversation leads to another conversation. The next thing I know, I’m down here, walking stores, looking at things, talking to her, discussing the future, hoping that she could see us working together.

“She has a work attitude that is contagious…and she has an energy level that’s pretty much unmatched.”

Wardwell came aboard as vice president of operations in 2015. And he remembers how curious he was to hear the story of how Superior Grocers had grown into what he witnessed upon arrival.

“It’s dynamic and amazing to talk to her and see how it came about and why she did what she did. She knew nothing of the grocery industry,” he said. “She would pull out the ads, and she would look at it, and she would understand it.

“She says, ‘When I used to come in, the vendors would sit across from me and I’d say, ‘I’m going to buy the whole thing.’ And they’re like, ‘You can’t buy the whole thing.’ And I go, ‘I want the whole truck.’ And they’re like, ‘Oh, heck no.’ But then they sell it to me. And it’s gone. And I need another truck. They’re like, ‘What are you doing over there?’

“She had no barriers. She didn’t know what could go wrong. She just was trying anything she could to be successful.

“Through sheer determination, and smart as a whip –scary smart is what I heard – she built that with her sister.

She built this business.”

But through all of her success, Wardwell said Song has stayed grounded, a trait that has helped shape the legacy of Superior.

“She’s been humble enough to teach me,” Wardwell said. “She’s been kind enough to let me make mistakes. And she’s been pointed enough to make sure she steered me in the right direction.”

Joe Cooney, retired CFO

Cooney started as the controller with Superior in 2006. When he left in 2018, he was the CFO. But his work with the Songs isn’t finished.

“Well, I’m actually working with Mimi and Marie Song. I deal with their real estate entities, but I work part time, so I guess semi-retired,” he said.

When Cooney joined the company, Superior Grocers operated 24 locations. Today, there are nearly 50 stores.

“Mimi’s always been very set on growth. One difference that I would say that Mimi has, especially like a public company, is she’s very reluctant to close a store. She’s very

Congratulations on your 40 Year Anniversary and your induction into the Food Industry Hall of Fame. Wishing you continued success in the future!

Congratulations Superior Grocers on your 40th Anniversary and to Mimi Song, Food Industry Hall of Fame Inductee

40th Anniversary Hall of Fame Inductee

determined to get them to profitability, and she’ll work at it,” Cooney said.

“If you’re a competitor, and you want to open up next door or across the street, you’re in for a tough fight because she just does not give up. And as a finance person, I don’t know how many times over the years I’ve said, ‘I don’t know, Mimi. This store, I think we should get out of it.’ And then give it a few more years, and sooner or later, it just turns a corner and becomes a part of the community.

“They’ve got stories after stories of stores, where it’s like, ‘Oh, man, that store was terrible when it opened.’ And now…they do great business.

“I think in all her history – at least since I’ve been with her – they’ve only closed one store, and that’s because the lease ran out and didn’t get renewed…she’s tenacious, and she’s a competitor.”

Another aspect that Cooney emphasized about the success of Superior is how much Song and her sister, Marie, have earned it.

“They work very hard. And there’s lots of stories about working till 11 p.m., getting up at 5 a.m. and sleeping in the store…they went through a lot of hard times, and it’s a great immigrant story,” he said.

“They came with basically nothing. They weren’t sophisticated retailers coming to America to ply their trade. They knew nothing about it. They learned it through hard work. It’s very impressive.”

Blake Larson, CFO

Larson first learned about Superior Grocers in 1996,

when it was “just getting going,” he said. At the time, he was working for Superior’s wholesaler, Unified Grocers.

“For that 20-plus years of experience with Unified Grocers, I had an opportunity to see the growth and hear Mimi’s story,” he said.

“I thought it was such a great story for her to come in here and do what she has done and to support the communities that she supports.”

Fast-forward to 2018, and Larson heard of an opportunity to come to Superior Grocers to follow Joe Cooney.

“I thought it would be a great opportunity to be part of an organization that I have heard so much about and seen that growth and development…I was blessed with the opportunity to come here and work with Rich and Mimi,” Larson said.

“Mimi is a great lady. She has a great heart…she demands excellence, but she’s fair. She is committed in such a way because she is by choice.

“When I look at the company now that I’m here for a couple of years, and I look at her passion…she dedicates everything to the company – from her time to financial resources – and she doesn’t hold back.

“It’s an impressive thing to be able to see that and witness it from the inside after having observed it from the outside for so many years. To be here is a great opportunity for me to learn from her and to grow my career and to be part of this success of Superior Grocers.”

Dale Nakata, VP of marketing

Nakata has been in the grocery business since 1985. And after decades in the industry, he made a cold call to Superior Grocers, inquiring about a position.

“The thing was, back then when you came into Superior, it didn’t matter what kind of experience you had,” he said. “I mean, I was 18 years into the business. I’d been a store manager for three years, and they said, ‘No, you come here as an assistant manager, working two to midnight.’

“The first round that I had come in and spoke to Superior, I actually turned it down. I said, ‘Hey, I have small kids. This just doesn’t really work with my lifestyle.’ And about a year later, I called them back, and they said, ‘Yeah, we remember you.’ So I came back, and that’s when I came in 2003. I’ve been here over 17 years.”

Nakata started as a category manager. And for the first three or so years with Superior, he worked in the stores.

“The first time I met Mimi, she says, ‘Well, why do you want to come here?’ And I said, ‘Well, first of all, I obviously would like to work as a store manager…but I really want to look beyond that. I’m very interested in the backstage – the buying aspect of the business, not even necessarily staying on that operational side.’ And she said OK.

“One thing about Superior that I’ve always had an appreciation for and been very humbled by is that I’ve had a lot of opportunities to do a lot of different things.

40th Anniversary Hall of Fame Inductee

Enrique Montes, VP of HR

“I’ve gone through grocery, and I’ve bought every category in grocery. I moved over to the deli-dairy side and was able to run the deli-dairy for a few years and found my way back to grocery. And then ultimately, where I sit now is on the marketing side, as we engage more in helping our brand.”

And Nakata attributes his growth at Superior – in ways he couldn’t early in his career – to Song.

“I’ve learned so much from her…it’s been 17 years, and you have your highs and lows, and the one thing I will say is that, when we weather those storms and seasons of challenges, Mimi’s never stood back and watched us. When we were going through those storms, she would get in the ship with us and navigate us through those storms, and we’ve always come out on top.

“And that’s one thing that I really admire – the fact that it wasn’t, ‘you guys, you guys, you guys.’ It was ‘us.’ It is always ‘us.’ And that’s something, as part of her legacy, she was all about her team. I mean, she really values her employees. And hence, that’s why I’ve been here for 17 and a half years.

“There are so many lessons that can be learned from Mimi. And the one thing that I think about almost daily is – be humble. Keep an open mind. Because you go through those peaks and valleys. And I’ve learned that when you’re doing really well, you can’t sit back on that and let your head get big and rest on your laurels.

“At the same time, when you’re down, you can’t let that be a distraction. You can’t let all the criticism, you can’t let all the mistakes, hold you down. Both sides of it – that’s something that I really learned, and it all comes back to being humble.”

Montes first joined Superior right out of college in 1997. And he knew right away that the company felt like the right fit, based on his impression of Song.

“One of the things that I vividly remember from that time period is the dedication and really the love Mimi had for the company and for the employees. I have always seen her dedication to the employees.

“Back in those years, the company was very successful and doing really good. That enabled the company, Mimi, to give out annual bonuses – Christmas bonuses to employees. And I vividly recall, at that point, we probably had anywhere between 15 to 20 stores. Mimi visited every store during the holidays to personally congratulate and thank employees and hand out these bonuses.”

And years later, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Mimi and her executive team at Superior decided to send a message to all of the employees.

“I can’t expect, me as being head of HR, telling employees, ‘Don’t worry. Everything’s going to be OK,’ but yet I’m bunkered down, and I’m like locked up at home…I was doing my usual store visits…And they were pleasantly surprised.

“I’m like, ‘But why wouldn’t I be here? I’m no different. My life is no different than yours. We need to make sure that we follow the guidelines. Let’s do this together.’

“I remember vividly having lunch with another district manager and the store director that was there. Obviously, we were social distancing ourselves at different tables. And I see

this lady come upstairs, and we thought it was a customer, to be honest. We all turned around and I said, ‘Ma’am, can we help you?’ and then, ‘Yes, do you know who I am?’ We were like, ‘No, we don’t. Can we help you?’

“She has a big hat, she’s wearing her mask, and then a face shield, and then once she took off the hat, it really gave it away. We’re like, ‘Mimi?’

“And my first reaction was, ‘Mimi, what are you doing here? I’m here to represent you.’ And she goes, ‘Enrique, no one is more important than anybody else. Everybody’s life is important. And I’m here to let all of my employees know. I know you know that, but I want to make sure all of the employees know.’”

Montes said he looks back on that moment and realizes, “It’s just one recent impact of Mimi because she truly does care.”

Congratulations to Mimi Song, Food Industry Hall of Fame Inductee and Superior Grocers 40th Anniversary

Kevin Beakes and Joshua Belden Managing Directors for the Gallagher Grocers Practice

WEHOF_Arthur J Gallagher & Co_022021.indd 1

40th Anniversary Hall of Fame Inductee

and I did.

Mari Mani, VP of meat

Mani is one of Superior’s longest-serving employees, beginning her career some 27 years ago. But, she said, “I started working here by mistake.”

“I came from Mexico when I was 17 years old. Most of my family was here, so it was only my sister and myself over there in Mexico. My mom wanted to unite all of us. I went to one year of high school. During the summer, I was planning to go back to Mexico…my mom asked me if I could help one of her friends go fill out an application,

“I remember the bottom said, ‘Did you fill it out, or did somebody else do it for you?’ I put my name, and I put my home phone number…and so, I went back home. And then they called me to go to Superior Grocers.

“I went to the store…when I got there, the only thing that they told me was, ‘This is your uniform. Tomorrow you come and ask for so and so. This person is going to train you.’ And I didn’t ask questions.”

The rest is history. Turns out Superior was short-staffed at the time and needed some more employees. Mani never left.

“Later on, I met Mimi…and Mimi was a young lady that came to United States with a dream, and she accomplished one of her main goals – to own her own business,” Mani recalled.

“I was only 19. I wanted to become a teacher. But that

inspired me, too, coming from [another country] like I did, and all of the stuff that she has accomplished.

“And she hires people within the community. She helps the community. She does so many great things. And I think her business is out of her passion and not to be rich…and she tells that to us.”

Sam Kang, director of IT

This is what Kang calls his “second stint” with Superior. He joined the company in 1996, worked for two years after college, and then returned again in 2011.

And before his first stint, he was looking for IT jobs.

“The grocery industry was furthest from my mind, but I had to seize the opportunity. And then I realized, ‘Wow, I mean technology is just everywhere in the grocery industry.’ I have been in the grocery industry ever since,” he said.

Kang moved to KV Mart, one of Superior’s competitors in 1998 and stayed with them for 13 years. He was ready to come back to how Song ran her business.

“She was one of the primary reasons I came back,” he said. “She is willing to take chances on people. I was recently promoted to the head of IT. It’s a position that I had been seeking for a number of years, but there’s reputations.

“I’m truly appreciative…she was willing to see through maybe some of my shortcomings and has given me a chance.”

40th Anniversary Hall of Fame Inductee

After four decades, Superior shines as example of the American Dream

Immigrant-led company ‘ready to go forward faster’

With 47 stores and plans for many more, Superior Grocers is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2021.

And what’s kept the company successful is its core values – integrity, service, passion and excellence. President Rich Wardwell said those four tenets hang in all of the stores and offices, reminding everyone every day what’s important.

“These are [Mimi Song’s] core values with the group’s input. We as a team came together and made sure that we brought back all those – messaged them and live by them,” Wardwell said.

The company started in the spring of 1981 on the backs of Mimi Song, her sister, Marie Song, and James Oh. After working close to 24/7 to get their footing, they began to grow the business. Until 1995, there were four Superior locations. By 2001, there were 18.

Enrique Montes, VP of HR, says that one piece of Superior’s continued success is the company’s go-to-market strategy.

“We were in areas where other companies didn’t want to be at. They felt that we couldn’t be successful there,” he said. “Mimi proved to the competitors that went away from those areas that their customers are like anybody else. And they need to be serviced. As long as you do it right, you will be successful, too. And I think that really was the key.”

Flexibility, commitment have been key to success

According to former CFO Joe Cooney, one of the secrets to Superior’s success lies in its flexibility.

“On the operation side, they just keep tinkering. It’ll be a little remodel here, and then it’ll be a ‘maybe if we expand produce’ or ‘maybe we need to add hot foods or remove hot foods’ – just make adjustments so that it just fits the demographics as best as it can,” Cooney said.

“Not every location is in exactly the same type of area. Even though we do tend to be in the predominantly Hispanic market, there’s some mixed areas. Even within Hispanic communities, you have differences from community to community.”

Added Wardwell, “We grew from a club store on the center store side of grocery, and we’ve elevated into freshmade tortillas and fresh-made cakes. Then our produce –we’ve moved into organics, we’ve moved into packaging, we’ve moved into dried chilies, we’ve moved into just a wider assortment in produce.

“Our meat department has evolved…we’re looking at the cuts, we have choice beef in the markets, we have our own marinade, we have our own Superior ranch and brought

pre-packaged meat, pre-done. We’ve elevated.”

On top of offerings, Superior dove into e-commerce about two years ago. It took off in 2020.

“I watch [online shopping] every week, and I get a report…in our stores, you see the peaks and valleys…it was climbing every week, and we were getting more and more activity,” Wardwell said. “And then, when the [COVID-19] pandemic hit, it just like went off the chart. And it’s never come back down.”

As grocers nationwide have seen, social media’s importance has grown exponentially over the years. That’s another piece of the puzzle where Superior has remained flexible.

“Whether it’s television, radio, digital marketing – we’ve

Happy 40th Anniversary

Congratulations Mimi Song, Food Industry Hall of Fame Inductee

40th Anniversary Hall of Fame Inductee

really grown leaps and bounds in social media,” said Dale Nakata, VP of marketing.

“We basically started from nothing…about a year ago, we brought on somebody to manage the social media. I recently promoted him to digital marketing manager because it’s really expanded through our website and other vehicles. It really surprised me, the impact of it.

“Grocery marketing has changed a lot. A lot of that isn’t

driven by so much the competitors, a lot of it is driven by having the challenges of the supply chains that we’ve had since COVID started. You can’t put out something that you can’t deliver. We’ve really changed the way we’ve gone to market in that respect.”

One thing that has remained constant, though, is Mimi Song’s commitment to holding her company up.

“Mimi’s willing to stick with things being privately owned,” Cooney said. “She has the wherewithal and the

decision making – the ability to say, ‘No, I’m not going to give up on it.’ And you can’t do that if you’ve got Wall Street wanting to return every quarter.”

Opportunity abounds, ‘it’s up to you to take it’

Montes joined Superior in 1997, right out of college. When he interviewed, though, the fact that it was close to his home wasn’t the only appeal.

“One of the things that attracted me to Superior was the demographics of the employee base that we had, that I could personally relate to…it’s always about your performance, not your ethnic background,” Montes said.

“It’s just about if you’re working hard, you get opportunities here at Superior. And that’s still the case to this day.”

Montes, who grew up in South Central Los Angeles, said his time at Superior has helped him build who he is today.

“I work with a different, diverse employee base that we have, I clearly relate to them. I can clearly understand some of their concerns and their issues because I’ve been through some of the same concerns and the issues,” he said.

Montes has been with the company for 20-plus years now. And he said that Superior “really does give opportunities to everyone.”

“When I came into this company, it was three people in HR and eight stores. And here I am, 23 years later,” he said. “I’m the VP of HR. Yes, I do say that it’s been hard work on my end and dedication and good work ethic, but also the company has given the opportunity to grow from within. I’m just an example.”

40th Anniversary Hall of Fame Inductee

VP of Meat Mari Mani is another example. Never did Mani think she was going to grow as much as she has at Superior. She immigrated from Mexico with her family in high school.

“I like to get messy and to do things. The grocery business is hard work, but it’s not so hard when you come from another country,” Mani said. “In Mexico, it was much harder.”

Mani’s journey began by getting hired without submitting an application (see related story on page 40). Today, she’s in charge of the company’s meat department. She said she was driven to stick with Superior after witnessing the supportive environment.

Added Montes, “Even at the store level, one of the biggest things that I always promote is…the opportunity is for everyone. It’s up to you to take it…not for any other reason besides the fact that you come here, you do your job, and you get an opportunity to get promoted.

“I’ve been here for all this time, but it’s been like a different company. At one point, it was 10 stores…and then we moved to 20 stores…it’s always been a challenge, even now. I mean, we’re always looking at how we can do things better.

“It’s been the same company, but in different stages. It’s been so exciting. To me, I think that’s what I enjoy – learning in that process throughout.”

Chain ‘grew just by being in the right space’

Wardwell started with Superior in 2015. He was brought on as VP of operations with a fresh set of eyes and ideas, reinvigorating the drive forward to make Superior No. 1.

“I don’t know if I changed the direction of the company. I wouldn’t take that credit,” Wardwell said. “I was fortunate enough to sit next to Mimi and talk to her. And I asked her a lot of questions.

“I asked her early on, ‘What makes you most proud of Superior?’ She said, ‘I love when people come in and tell me we have the cleanest stores. I love when people come in and tell me we have great value. And I love when people tell me I have great employees.’

“It’s pretty simple, but I think we had lost that messaging to the employees. So bringing the store directors in and reiterating that and putting our core values out there – holding people to a standard that sometimes strays if you’re not more

focused on it every day – and just preach that. You want your ownership to be proud of their stores.”

Wardwell said he’s still learning every day, striving to make a positive impact on the business.

“I’m still learning. I spent more time in [our competitors’ stores] that first year, two years, three years – heck, I still do – than I did in Superior because I want to understand what everybody was doing, not just what we were doing.”

When Wardwell came on board, Superior executives made a direct decision to stop growth. But it was a calculated move.

“We made a collective decision to stop and make sure we have our infrastructure right for the next spurt – make sure we have our team in place, and make sure we have all the logistics and all those components.

“We didn’t open a store again until [2019]…we remodeled stores, but we didn’t open. Now, we have a small market format, which is called The Market. We opened that on Sept. 5, 2017.

“It went quite well. It’s been successful…we expanded it to the La Mirada area. We transferred one from a Superior to The Market, and we’re seeing growth in that one as well.

“We have plans to open up more through site studies. We hopefully have acquisitions on the horizon. Any opportunity that we get, we’re working with a lot of different agencies to make sure that we have our foot in the door in a lot of different communities…we’re ready to go forward faster.

“We’re poised for growth. We want to grow. There’s no growth plan to stop, but we’d like to be at 100 and then 200 and then 300. There’s just a hope to be the No. 1.”

At City of Hope we turn innovative ideas into powerful new treatments that give people the chance to live longer, better and more full lives. With breakthroughs in cancer drugs, bone marrow and stem cell transplants, diabetes treatments and more, we are working at the leading edge of medical science. Thanks to Superior Grocers for your love and support. Congratulations to Mimi Song, Food Industry Hall of Fame Inductee and to Superior Grocers on your 40th Anniversary! City of Hope wishes to celebrate your good fortune and health.

PepsiCo congratulates Mimi Song, Chairman and CEO of Superior Grocers Inducted into the Food Industry Hall of Fame

40th Anniversary Hall of Fame Inductee

Sam Kang, director of IT, confirmed that Superior is set up to grow, ready to double in size with strong finances and “foresight, dedication and drive. Mimi has all of that, plus more.”

“What I would absolutely give Mimi credit for is, it is really hard to kind of change your skin, so to speak…to go from a mom-and-pop organization to a corporate-structured organization. The cultural change is the biggest challenge.

“We have processes in place, we have the right people in places…it grew just by being in the right space.”

One of the people Superior recently brought on is Blake Larson. He started as CFO when Cooney retired in 2018, bringing 20-plus years of experience at Superior Grocer’s wholesaler, Unified Grocers.

“What I saw and experienced when I was their wholesaler is just the passion for serving communities that weren’t really well served by other retail operations…to provide a service and to provide work opportunities for nearly 5,000 people and to support their families,” he explained. “To be able to sell the food products at the value for what they’re getting – good price for your money, the value offering.”

With two years under his belt, Larson said he’s excited for the growth to come at Superior.

“The I first thing I do when I get up in the morning is check our sales,” he said. “We have a daily sales report that comes

in. So looking at that to get a pulse of how the day went the day before. Then, when I get here in the morning, I’m preparing my day…I want to make sure that we’re pushing for those major initiatives and responsibilities.

“[Wardwell] and I have a strategy meeting every other week. We meet to talk about the vision of the company, what we’re currently doing, what else we need to do. And in that meeting, we include other people as well, to make sure we’re getting a focused vision on how to move the company forward.”

Happy 40th Anniversary to Superior Grocers and Congratulations to Mimi Song Food Industry Hall of Fame Inductee

40th Anniversary Hall of Fame Inductee

Grocer’s foundation focuses on art education for children

Also supports various causes in community, offers scholarship opportunities to employees

Something near and dear to the hearts of Mimi and Marie Song is the Superior Foundation, which was founded 20 years ago as the nonprofit arm of Superior Grocers.

Over the past two decades, the foundation has donated more than $3 million to schools and non-profits in support of youth and education in Southern California.

“The vendors that they’re working with have really brought the support together,” said Brenda Sarti, executive assistant for Superior Grocers. “And Mimi and Marie’s intentions are to help the community with education efforts – that’s the primary focus of the foundation.”

Mimi Song added, “I know how important education is. That’s why I’m involved in children’s education.”

With this focus, Sarti said there are three components of the foundation’s work – to bring music and art programs into schools; health and wellness programs; and scholarships for better access to college.

“One other thing I learned in this country is most of the public schools, especially in a city – they don’t have enough art classes,” Mimi Song said. “They don’t.”

“That’s why we collaborate with the Music Center and LACMA to do something and keep them in art class. Seems

to me, art is really important. There’s a lot of personality that art can provide. Besides IQ, EQ is very important.”

And Sarti added that budget cuts to the arts have been all too commonplace in schools, affecting children’s exposure to different subjects.

“The Music Center and LACMA…design specific, customized programs for Superior Foundation, so that they can go in and bring artists into each classroom and do a focus program with each school.”

Another piece of the foundation’s work goes directly to Superior employees who would like to pursue a higher education. The way VP of HR Enrique Montes looks at it, giving is one of Mimi Song’s virtues.

“[She] always wants to do more,” he added. “We do have a scholarship. We provide scholarships for our employees.

And when I ask for more scholarships, as long as people are applying and people are qualifying for it, she’s always said, ‘Yes, go ahead, and we’ll provide more.’”

Brenda Sarti

40th Anniversary Hall of Fame Inductee

The Superior Foundation is primarily funded by the grocer’s annual golf tournament, which hasn’t been held in a few years.

“Unfortunately, we had it slated to start again [in 2020] and we weren’t able to do that [due to COVID-19 pandemic], but we’re hoping to have it again [this] year,” Sarti said.

“As far as scholarships, we do have some funding sometimes coming in – Coca-Cola is one of our sponsors. But as far as the programs that go directly into schools, Superior Foundation is primarily in support of that through the golf tournament.”

While missing out on the opportunity to raise funding has been a challenge, Sarti said, “Mimi is very smart.”

“We don’t spend everything every year that we raise,” she continued. “We do have reserves that we allocated during times like this, so we have been able to continue supporting these programs.

“Now, due to the pandemic of course, there are no schools. Some of these programs were taken online, and the Music Center is still continuing to work with kids. Obviously, artists can’t walk into the classroom and they can’t do events, but they’re still trying to bring some of the arts into homes.

“We continue to explore other avenues and ways to support the community…hopefully next year, we’re able to continue our fundraising and bring back the programs even stronger in person.”

And these programs from Superior Foundation are needed in the communities in which the company operates.

“A lot of our stores are in lowerincome communities. We know that the schools in the area probably need the

most support,” Sarti said. “We do work with some nonprofits as well that help identify the schools that need work.

“We also support big programs, like City of Hope and Muscular Dystrophy Association. We work with Olive Crest as well.”

Looking to what 2021 holds, Sarti said the foundation plans to keep building.

“We’re going to have to continue strengthening our partnerships and see what the needs are,” she said. “We’re going to base it on the needs of the community. We go to these nonprofits and these experts to tell us what they need from us, so we’ll be open about them [this] year.”

40th Anniversary Hall of Fame Inductee

Seeing is believing – ‘What makes this store a success’

In mid-December, Superior Grocers CEO Mimi Song gave Bob Reeves, EVP of Shelby Publishing, a tour of two of her company’s stores in the greater Los Angeles area. Song founded the company in 1981.

Photographers documented the outing, which began at Store 201 in L.A. and continued to Store 145 in El Monte. Come along as we join them and learn about what has helped make Superior Grocers so successful.

Tai Tseng is director of Superior Grocers Store 145, which he said is “top five” in the company. “This is kind of a little bit more challenging compared to the other stores because this is mostly Asian customers. [They] are mainly looking for different rice –jasmine rice and brown rice, and they like noodles a lot. And then they have different types of chili sauce – all the different types of spicy sauces.”

of 115,000. “We

great…we are the only one

That’s what makes this store a success.”

Superior Grocers Store 145 opened in 2015. As Tseng related: “We are in the heart of El Monte,” a city that has a diverse population

try to be an international format in this area. That’s why we make sales really

that carries everything – a variety of Asian, Central American, caucasian and Latino [products].

The Superior tour continues on page 56

40th Anniversary Hall of Fame Inductee

“Latinos are still our major customers,” said Tai Tseng, director of Superior Grocers Store 145. “Offering quality meats and new trends in pre-packaged meat items are ways to cater to Superior’s diverse clientele.”

Congratulations Superior Grocers on your 40th Anniversary

A special congratulations to Mimi Song for her induction into the Food Industry Hall of Fame. Mimi’s story of immigrating to the United States in 1977 and only four short years later founding Superior Grocers; leading the company in its growth to present day with 45 stores, is nothing short of extraordinary.

Aligning visions, philosophies and core values has created the strongest of partnerships. We at Gallo Wine Company are honored to have walked this partnership path with you from the beginning and look forward to the next 40 years. Cheers from our family to yours.

“Every month, we try to have a new item, and that’s one of the items that she’s preparing. It’s a sour cream pudding cake,” Cabrera explained. “It’s just for the holidays, and that’s the way we try to entice people. When they come here next quarter, it won’t be here, but we have something new for them. Always reinventing ourselves with different items.”

The Superior tour continues on page 58

Congratulations on your 40th Anniversary and to Mimi Song, Food Industry Hall of Fame Inductee

Store 145’s bakery is “where the magic happens. To us…this is how we do it,” said Agustin Cabrera, who is VP over that department and hot foods for Superior Grocers.

40th Anniversary Hall of Fame Inductee

Superior Grocers introduced its now famous spicy fried chicken in 2019. As Cabrera noted: it quickly became “one of our No. 1 items…it’s actually injected with spices and chili.”

Superior Grocers CEO Mimi Song is joined here by Richard Wardwell, company president, at Store 145. “We’re very fortunate in this location,” Wardwell said. “It was the first one that I was able to work in as a new person coming to the company. The store is so interesting. When you’re walking the aisles, you can see that there’s a full and abundant selection. But when you stop and you look at this, we’ve gone to a bigger bulk side of it.”

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Superior Grocers adjusted the way customers get their baked items. “Every store I go to, people say, ‘Thank you for doing this…we feel safer,’” said Agustin Cabrera, the company’s VP of hot foods and bakery.

He added that, “Our recipe is a proprietary recipe…we want to make sure that we not only provide the best quality, but it is unique and a specific item to Superior.”

The Superior tour continues on page 60

40th Anniversary Hall of Fame Inductee

Superior Grocers President Richard Wardwell, shown here with Mimi and Marie Song, said the company’s stores feature a reduced SKU count. “We’re not 60,000 to 70,000 SKUs. At our particular stores, we spend a lot of time on space to sell, so that our stores can fill it. We can rotate through it, and it stays in stock a lot better,” he explained.

Wardwell recalled gaining insight from Mimi Song. “When she and I first met, and she was walking stores, I was trying to get the concept. We had 5,000 to 6,000 more items in the center store. She kept telling me, ‘This isn't my hope, my dream.’ And so…in our first project working together – we went through and eliminated all of the bottom performers.”

40th Anniversary Hall of Fame Inductee

The Market – ‘We went to a neighborhood appeal here’

In mid-December, Superior Grocers CEO Mimi Song gave Bob Reeves, EVP of Shelby Publishing, a tour of two of her company’s stores in the greater Los Angeles area. Song founded the company in 1981.

Photographers documented the outing, which began at Store 201 in L.A. and continued to Store 145 in El Monte. Come along as we join them and learn about what has helped make Superior Grocers so successful.

The Market is a new format for Superior Grocers, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2021. A smaller store, at about 24,000 square feet, its interior is airy, clean and fresh. The Los Angeles location opened about 18 months ago. As Richard Wardwell, president, put it: “We see a lot of opportunity within high density areas to bring a smaller format store. We couldn’t do a big box in some of these areas.”

When they walk in the door, shoppers are met by a dazzling floral display, as well as the ever-colorful produce department. The Market features different produce and bakery items compared to a traditional Superior Grocers store.

Congratulations to Mimi Song for being a pioneer in the Grocery Store community. It is people like Ms. Song that enables people to shop her market and get great quality at a fair market price.

Thank you and to all of your staff for letting Advantage be part of your team.

Truly yours, Don Beck

The Market tour continues on page 64

40th Anniversary Hall of Fame Inductee

According to Senior Director of Produce Jon Holder, The Market may have a smaller format but still boasts a decent-sized produce department. This was accomplished, in part, by using round tables instead of cubes or 3-by-6 units. President Rich Wardwell echoed that, “In a small store, you'll see that even the refrigerated cases are grounded on the very end because you don't want to have the abrupt spot…we did the tables, we did the coolers, refrigerators.”

Describing the layout of the company’s stores, Agustin Cabrera, VP of hot foods and bakery, said: “In I think 90 percent of the locations, you’re going see that the bakery is first at Superior, because we want…to welcome the customers with the freshness, the order, the look and the selection of the bakery. Within the first 100 feet, we have our bakery departments positioned to scream fresh – this is what we have, this is what we offer.”

“The bakery department here is very unique. We have different neighborhoods, so we have Central American items, Mexican items and regular typical items, like muffins, danishes, doughnuts,” Cabrera said. “Our bakers are very proud of how our bakery cases look in every location, but especially in this one. We have very unique items for a Central American customer and an AfricanAmerican customer.”

“We have our tortillería, we have our panaderia, we have our service deli, we have our carnicería – we have everything in here with a core group of items,” Wardwell said. “And the community has accepted it. We've taken a little bit different SKU mix, but it's a really nice little market that gives you a nice neighborhood feel.

The Market tour continues on page 66

40th Anniversary Hall of Fame Inductee

Rich Wardwell, president of Superior Grocers, said customers find really convenient shopping at The Market. “Your produce, your meat, your hot foods, your bakery – you can get pretty much what you need right here, and then go to the register through that door. It just makes it convenient. Convenience, neighborhood, Central American demographic – we tried to get all of those products, and we tried to shove a lot into a small box. It has a good feel to it.”

According to Mari Mani, Superior’s VP of meat, seafood also is a popular item at The Market, which carries snapper, tilapia, catfish and whole salmon, among other selections. “Octopus also does very well. We select our octopus [from Indonesia],” she said. “…We are very picky when it comes to quality. I know we don’t retail so high because we want to keep our customers as a partner. We want to give them good quality with a value.”

Mani said pullets are another item that does well at The Market. “Central Americans, as well as Asian people, love the pullets because they have everything and they make soups with it…it comes with the legs, the head…the whole chicken without the feathers.”

Jon Holder, Superior’s senior director of produce, said of The Market: “In this store, we looked at the community, and it’s just a vast array of different nationalities. It’s heavy in Central American. We really had to do some homework in looking at some items that we don’t carry in the vast majority of our stores. And it’s been received really well by the consumer base.” Among the more popular items are cherimoya, soursop and flowers.

All of the grab-and-go items in the bakery at The Market are individually wrapped, which officials say make them safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. The bakery also carries Central American breads.