For Immediate Release: October 9, 2007 Contact: Eddie Owens, United Supermarkets (806-791-8107)
United Supermarkets Unveils "Amigos United™" Banner,
Renews Commitment to Hispanic Guests
LUBBOCK, TX - United Supermarkets, LLC, announced today a renewed
commitment to the growing Hispanic population in its trade areas through the unveiling
of a new banner and store format to be known as "Amigos United™."
The change will manifest itself immediately with the conversion of Plainview's
Super Mercado store to the Amigos United™ banner, which will become official during a ribbon-cutting
ceremony at 10 a.m. Friday, October 19.
The company also announced that two existing United Supermarkets stores - at
112 N. University in Lubbock and at 3300 I-40 East in Amarillo - will be converted to
the Amigos United™ format in 2008.
"This is a historic moment in the life of our 91-year-old company," said United
Supermarkets CEO Dan J. Sanders. "It is the culmination of two years of work to refine
this new format, and we are grateful to the countless team members who helped make it
possible. The addition of the Amigos United banner gives our company three distinctive store
formats."
Plainview's Super Mercado store, located at 2403 N. Columbia, has served as a
laboratory for refining the Amigos United format during the past 24 months. New and expanded
additions to the Amigos United banner will be a taqueria, tortilleria, panderia, carniceria and an
assortment of specialty products, fruits and vegetables.
"For the past two years our store in Plainview has served as a lab to help us create
a format that serves our growing Hispanic community, as well as West Texans with a
palate for Mexican food. Amigos United will offer a festive shopping experience for the entire
family, with the United service our guests have come to expect," said Juan Enchinton,
United's business manager of innovation."Amigos United represents United's renewed commitment to meeting the needs of all our
guests, and the company's dedication to serving a community through unique product
offerings," said Randy Crimmins, United's vice president of marketing. "We believe this
store format will serve our Hispanic guests well."
The move by United Supermarkets to refine its three brands began last summer
with the reorganization of the company's 46 existing stores into three distinct divisions:
Traditional, Specialty and International. The Amigos United stores are among the 16 stores in
the International Division; the remaining 13 International Division stores will remain
under the United Supermarkets banner, but will be remerchandised to better serve their
local guests.
"While the primary focus of International Division will be on our Hispanic guests,
we will also look at other populations that we can better serve," said Sidney Hopper,
executive vice president/COO of the International Division. "We will continue to offer
the same level of service and exceptional product quality our guests have come to expect
from United, but with a renewed emphasis on the shopping experience that will make
them feel even more welcome."
In addition to Amigos United, the company's other two banners are United Supermarkets
and Market Street. Two new Market Street locations are currently under construction in
Allen and Frisco, near Dallas.