Lourdes Genao 
University of New Hampshire
Major: Business Administration
Mentor: Xiaoqin Dong, MBA, Whittemore School of Business & Economics
Latino Buying Habits in the United States Food Industry
In 2000, the Latino population became the largest minority in the United States (Clark, 35). Prior to this the buying power of Latinos/Hispanics in the United States was overlooked by many supermarket chains (Turcsik, 51). As the population increases the topic of Latino/Hispanic buying habits becomes top priority, intriguing many supermarket chains.
This research project will survey the unique wants and needs of the diverse Latino/Hispanic population in the US grocery retailing industry in comparison to other ethnic groups, including the practices of bodegas (corner stores) and supermarket chains that are successful in meeting the demands of this segment of the market. Information will be gathered through secondary data such as scholarly and professional research that targets Latino/Hispanic customers and primary data in the form of questionnaires to potential customers and interviews to bodega owners and supermarket store managers, which would reveal facts about the customers and their preferences.
