Mexico's Largest C-Store Chain Looks to Improve Foodservice Offer

MONTERREY, Mexico -- North America's largest convenience store operator is setting its sights on expanding its foodservice offerings. To that end, Cadena Comercial OXXO has hired strategic branding and retail design consultant CBX to help meet that goal.

OXXO, which is headquartered here, currently operates 8,426 c-stores across Mexico and Latin America. It is wholly owned by FEMSA, a beverage company best known as brewers of Sol, Carta Blanca, Tecate and Indio beer. The stores' foodservice menu currently features hot goods, sodas and bakery items.

In addition to working together to expand the menu, OXXO and CBX will be putting their heads together on various operational matters related to the food program. "Mexico's middle class continues to grow and OXXO wants to position itself for future growth and profit," said Ralph Sloan, senior partner, retail at CBX.

Its foodservice program is not the only thing OXXO is expanding; it is also growing its footprint. The convenience store chain is on track to field more than 12,000 stores by 2014. In 2010 alone, OXXO opened the doors on approximately 1,080 new stores -- averaging 2.9 new stores a day.