When Craig Gaylord opened Fiesta Foods in Pasco years ago, he knew he wanted to reach out to the Hispanic community even though he wasn't sure exactly how.
"It was a leap of faith," he said.
Even bankers and suppliers didn't recognize the opportunities in marketing to Spanish-speaking consumers, said Gaylord, who's not Hispanic. "We had to invest pretty much what we had."
That strategy of tailoring his grocery business to serve Hispanic customers has brought Gaylord rich dividends, helping him to expand into Sunnyside and Yakima. And he plans to open a fourth Fiesta Foods store in Hermiston this summer.
Success is about understanding what Hispanics want and providing quality products at a good price, he said. It's also about being visible in their community and supporting local events, said Gaylord, who also is involved with the Hispanic Academic Achievers Program that provides scholarships to Hispanic students. READ FULL STORY
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