PARK MESA HEIGHTS, CA - Vallarta Supermarkets, one of California's leading Latino-owned grocery chains, is thrilled to announce the grand opening of its newest store in the Park Mesa Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Marking 40 years of delivering high-quality products and exceptional customer service, the opening of this location furthers Vallarta's commitment to serving diverse communities across Southern California. Located at 3300 W Slauson Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90043, the store will officially open with a Grand Opening Ceremony on April 23, 2025, at 7:15 AM, welcoming the community to celebrate this milestone together.

Vallarta Supermarkets is thrilled to take over the 46,333ft² space, formerly occupied by Ralphs and left vacant for some time, and bring 165 new jobs to Park Mesa Heights. Throughout the store, customers will find themes and imagery paying homage to the neighborhood's landmarks and iconic culture, as well as a select few products catering to the preferences of the local community, only sold at this location. Among these new products are offerings from brands such as Grace Foods, Blue Runner Foods, and fellow SoCal favorite, Dulan's Soul Food Kitchen, all of which share a similar history of culture-forward foods and family values.

In addition to the fresh, quality produce and everyday goods that the chain is known for, the new store will feature many beloved departments:

• Fresh Produce: The freshest produce from local U.S. growers and premium farms worldwide, offering a wide selection of certified organic and ethically farmed options at the best prices. From every necessity, seasonal Latino favorites, exotic fruits from around the world, along with all of the latest and newest items on the market today, we have it all.
• Carniceria: The heart of its stores, known as the Home of the Original Carne Asada™, customers can find premium cuts like Ranchera—a thinly sliced flank steak available unseasoned or marinated in Vallarta's signature spice blend. It has everything needed to bring family and friends together around the grill.
• Guacamole Station: Made to order using 100% Hass avocados and the freshest ingredients, guests can personalize their guacamole with the newly added Pico de Gallo, tailored precisely to their taste. Whether customers prefer a classic blend or a bold twist, every serving is prepared fresh for the ultimate flavor experience.
• Sushi: Premium, handcrafted sushi rolls made daily with the finest ingredients at our sushi station. With multiple options to choose from, it's perfect for a quick lunch, dinner, or snack.
• Juice Bar: Bringing vibrant, fresh flavors to customers with its signature aguas frescas, served straight from traditional vitroleros. Available in a variety of flavors—including horchata, strawberry, and jamaica—these refreshing drinks all have an authentic taste. Customers can also enjoy fresh-pressed fruit and vegetable juices, boost their wellness with shots of wheatgrass, turmeric, or ginger root.
• La Fruteria: Choosing from the freshest fruits and ingredients, customers can order juicy fruit bowls topped with Tajin, Chamoy, lime juice, and salt.
• Cremería: Brings the essence of a traditional Latin American deli to life, offering a curated selection of the freshest cremas and an array of authentic cheeses. Customers can find favorites like queso fresco, queso frijolero, cotija, queso Oaxaca, and more—perfect for enhancing any dish with rich, authentic flavors.
  Panaderia: Made fresh daily, Vallarta offers a variety of Latin American baked goods as well as hand-decorated cakes and signature sweets.
• Tortilleria: Customers can buy authentic corn and flour tortillas, made fresh in-house with the highest quality corn, soaked & boiled for 24 hours, ground with volcanic rock and then cooked to perfection.
• La Cocina: La Cocina offers the convenience of a ready-made delicious meal for any time of day. Choose from a variety of traditional favorites from Mexico and Central America for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Get a "comforting taste of home" for a quick meal or snack before or after you shop.
• Dulcería: Vallarta's candy section carries a wide array of authentic dulces from Mexico and Central America and has everything needed to make any occasion a celebration – piñatas, lotteria, piggy banks and traditional décor.
• Florería: For any holiday or occasion, customers can browse a wide selection of perfect arrangements from local growers ensuring quality, long-lasting flowers. For more permanent options, the florería also offers a huge variety of potted plants.

"This new Park Mesa Heights store is special to Vallarta as it expands on our commitment to the Los Angeles community that has been with us since the first store opened 40 years ago," said Lizette Gomez, Vallarta's Director of Marketing, in a recent press release. "This expansion reflects our incredible growth while staying true to our roots of bringing fresh, high-quality products and authentic flavors that we love to new communities. We're excited to see the community's response to Vallarta Supermarkets on Slauson."

In support of their commitment to the community and appreciation for the residents, Vallarta Supermarkets will also be donating $7,500 to local charities and schools in the Park Mesa Heights area and giving away reusable grocery bags filled with fresh, high-quality groceries to the first 300 customers.

Vallarta Supermarkets is now just a few taps away! Get your favorite grocery essentials and La Cocina hot, ready-to-eat meals delivered straight to your door through all major delivery services, including DoorDash, Uber Eats, Instacart, and more. From fresh produce to delicious carnitas tacos, enjoy the best of Vallarta anytime, anywhere.

For more information about Vallarta Supermarkets and the grand opening of its Park Mesa Heights, Calif., location, visit vallartasupermarkets.com or follow @vallarta.supermarkets on Instagram.

MONTREAL, QC, CANADA - A centennial event is one that cannot be missed, as shown by the booming attendance of fresh purveyors and buyers who turned out to celebrate 100 years of the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) April 8–11. While the final numbers are not yet in, I watched an international and local stream of professionals pour into the Palais des Congres Montreal with contagious energy for what awaited us all.  

The organization balanced celebration and advocacy, planning for challenges ahead while noting the successes up till now.

"We have always been resilient, but resiliency is no longer enough," Ron Lemaire, CPMA President, reflected in his address to attendees an hour before cutting the ribbon on what can safely be called the largest show floor the association has hosted. 

The annual tradeshow officially began with the Chair’s Welcome Reception to kick off introductions and reconnections the evening of April 8, setting a tone for packed in attendance before the first day of CPMA’s itinerary began.

At the Delegate Breakfast on April 9, Keynote Speaker Geoff Molson, Owner, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Groupe CH, discussed realistic impacts through his own experience of today’s relevant issues while impressing upon the audience not just the necessity but the optimism of endurance—a seed we would find growing in educational sessions and addresses to follow.

Business Sessions ran concurrently on topics of interest, such as strategically integrating AI for change in the workplace or discussions on trade and market trends.

In a discussion exploring the state of the North American produce market, Ron Lemaire and John Stackhouse of RBC discussed “never letting a crisis go to waste” in recognizing that the hardest times provide a chance for long-needed change. Curious? Those who could not make it can catch the leaders’ insights in an upcoming podcast episode from the association!

Following these insights, Ron Lemaire’s State of the Industry address continued to impress upon attendees the importance and opportunities beyond resilience, leaning into taking charge with active transition. It was a powerful prologue to a discussion between Tina Lee, T&T Supermarkets Chief Executive Officer, and Davis Yung, Co-Founder of Fresh Direct Produce.

I would need several pages to encompass Tina’s energy, wisdom, and perspective, but when it comes to produce she summed it up beautifully.

“If you go to T&T you know we are a produce-forward business. We have a very high regard in produce,” Tina shared with the crowd. Explaining that she tells her kids fruit is Mother Natures’s candy, Tina said produce deserves the attention and care of being front-of-store. “Our buyers are local curators of fruit. They are not shy to go for premium-grade, export-quality, extra-sweet, extra-large, high-brix count. Take all your best stuff and introduce it to T&T because they are rewarded for taking risks like that.”

It was with thoughts of vision and culture that Tina and Davis wrapped up the morning before the excited crowd took on the first day of the trade show floor, exploring a wide range of offerings to the Canadian market.

Amid the benefits from a booming collection of exhibitors, we could also find further access to information via the Learning Lounge, where topics ranged from sustainability and building public trust to marketing among rising costs and the buy-side perspective on constant change, plus much more.

Two days of exhibiting, with networking opportunities that connected mentees to mentors, women in the industry, and young professionals in between, made for easy-going conversations and a fun energy throughout the dynamic CPMA schedule. 

Awards

With much excellence to recognize, I would be remiss not to congratulate the below innovators and standouts on receiving the below titles:

• Best Snackable Product Award: Bolthouse Fresh Foods Carrot Shakers Multipack
• Best Organic Product Award: Mucci Farms Organic Sun Drops Sweet Grape Tomatoes
• Packaging Innovation Award: Mastronardi Produce® Backyard Farms Green Leaf Lettuce
• Best New Product Award: Highline Mushrooms Sizzlin’ Hot New Stuffed Mushrooms

For a recap of CPMA by the advanced numbers, click here to read even more details of the show's impact.

It is hard to believe that the big event is coming to a close, and yet we are being seen off with one more wonderful opportunity.

For those staying just a bit longer, patience will be rewarded with a final voice of wisdom. At today’s Women in Produce Summit, Keynote Speaker Marcy Grossman shares her journey, empowering women to step into their own leadership roles and be their own best ambassadors. I can't wait to see the inspiration this will send me home with—a perfect way to put a bow on the progress and growth of the CPMA and the industry it advocates for as it celebrates 100 years!