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Group's
study seeks
By MAURA POSSLEY
A Latin American chicken restaurant giant will be moving into Wal-Mart
locations nationwide, an agreement that capitalizes on the rapidly
expanding Hispanic market here and across the country.
The venture begins next year with the company leasing out space
to allow for 500 Pollo Campero restaurants inside their stores
by 2012.
"
Wal-Mart has been growing a lot in the whole market and they have
a very strong consumer base made of Hispanics," said Rodolfo
Jimenez, Pollo Campero executive vice-president of business development.
Founded in 1971 in Guatemala, the restaurant is known for its grilled
and lightly breaded chicken with American and authentic side dishes
and drinks.
"
Anybody who likes chicken really likes our concept," Jimenez
said. "It's not only for the Latinos."
The chain has opened 226 locations worldwide and 36 freestanding
restaurants in the United States where the Latino population is
historically dense, including California, Texas, Washington, D.C.,
New York and Illinois. The restaurant's first eatery in Florida
is set to open in Boynton Beach this week.
Whether Manatee or Sarasota County Wal-Marts will soon see a Pollo
Campero had not yet been determined. But the company eventually
plans to have 50 locations in the state.
"
Florida is a very good market from Tallahassee down to Miami," Jimenez
said.
Eleven percent of the Tampa Bay area's market - including Manatee
and Sarasota counties - was made up of Hispanics in 2004, according
to data from Global Insight, provided by the Sarasota-based Nuevo
Advertising. Those consumers represent 7 percent of consumer spending
for that same region.
And the population continues to grow.
The Latino population in 2006 was nearly 39,000 in Manatee County
and more than 24,000 in Sarasota County.
Local Hispanic business leaders say Wal-Mart's move mirrors those
of other corporations.
"
This is why America has to realize that the Latino market is powerful," said
Jim Delgado, a member of the local Gulf Coast Latin Chamber of
Commerce.
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