GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- A local Hispanic bakery in Grand Rapids is going mainstream after partnering with Meijer to sell their authentic Mexican breads inside a couple of their stores on the Lakeshore.
"Right by the register. People walk in and they go, 'I almost forgot my bread,'" said Supermercado Mexico Chief Operations Officer Raul Alvarez.
It's the first thing you see when you walk in Supermercado Mexico: a display case with all their delicious baked goods.
Supermercado's authentic Mexican breads have popped up at two Meijer stores in Holland, at 746 E. 16th Street and 3320 West Shore Drive.
Alvarez said that Meijer actually saw Supermercado on FOX 17 and were hooked.
"They called me as I was on my way home from the studio to say. 'I just saw your segment, we want to do business with you,'" said Alvarez. "No lie. That's exactly what happened."
The bread doesn't contain your typical ingredients. These breads are filled with different ingredients like pineapple and goats milk, but they are not donuts.
With plans to expand to Meijer stores in Grand Rapids, Alvarez said that his bakers are cranking out about a thousand pieces of bread a day, or we should say a thousand pieces of break each night.
Their massive ovens are quite a sight, and Alvarez said that Supermercado Mexico is in the process of buying even more equipment to handle the increasing orders.
Special safety accreditation is required to sell to Meijer, and Supermercado staff have been learning every step of the way. It's been a long journey, said Alvareaz.
But it's a testament, he said, of the increased spotlight on the delicious traditional Mexican foods passed down in families for decades.
