Hispanic Retail 360 Summit Kicks Off

LOS ANGELES -- Top retailers, suppliers and Latino marketing experts converged in Los Angeles today as the Hispanic Retail 360 Summit got underway. The annual event provides an in-depth look at how Hispanic retailing has moved from a niche segment into the mainstream.

This year, that close-up look began with a cultural immersion tour. Approximately 150 participants had the chance to experience shopping through the eyes of the Hispanic consumer with visits to local stores and neighborhoods. The guided bus tour, sponsored by Goya Foods, was led by Hispanic market professionals from the XL Alliance.

"Look to your left or your right. You will see what mainstream is," Armando Martin, managing partner of XL Alliance, said as the tour entered the Huntington Park neighborhood of Los Angeles.

The opening day activities then moved inside as Guy Garcia, president of new mainstream initiatives at EthniFacts used fresh data and insights to illustrate evolving ethnic identities, cultural sustainability and why Latinos are pointing the way for the American future. This was followed by a presentation from Armando Martín and Lili Gil Valletta of XL Edge examining how cross-channel cultural relevancy pays.

The Hispanic Retail 360 Summit, which runs through Friday at the JW Marriott at Los Angeles Live, will continue tomorrow with the event's keynote speaker J.R. Martinez. Martinez is an actor, spokesman, retired soldier and winner of season 13 of "Dancing with the Stars."

The week's agenda also includes breakout sessions such as: Hispanic Digital Out-of-Home Media: A Case Study; Hispanipoll: How Technology is Changing the Hispanic Consumer Shopping Behavior; The Hispanic Food Shopper: New Insights for Growth; and Operational Challenges of Retailing to Hispanics at the Store Level.