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Vice Mayor Welcomes Grocery Store Opening in South Phoenix Addressing Food Desert
Vice Mayor Kesha Hodge Washington is excited to celebrate Vallarta Supermarkets’ plan to open its first Phoenix location in South Phoenix. The project is an adaptive reuse, transforming a currently vacant space into a full-service, culturally rich grocery store. The placement of this grocery store will help address a food desert in the South Mountain Village.
“Access to fresh, healthy food is a fundamental part of a thriving community, and for too long, this part of our community has gone without it,” said Vice Mayor Hodge Washington. “The opening of Vallarta Supermarkets near Central and Baseline is a major step toward reducing food insecurity for thousands of families.”
Vallarta Supermarket is expected to open in early 2027.
The Latino and family-owned supermarket will be located close to the light rail stop at Central Ave. and Baseline Rd., which has become the second-busiest light rail station in Phoenix, and the third-busiest light rail station in the entire system since opening in June 2025.
“When elected, I promised to use my position to advocate for investments in South Phoenix, and today we are confronting a food desert head on, with a tangible solution that actually works with daily life,” Vice Mayor Hodge Washington said. “Being able to stop for fresh groceries on your way home without needing a car makes a real difference for families.”
On Tuesday, the Phoenix City Council approved the 2030 Food Action Plan, which will continue to support access to fresh and healthy food.
According to the plan, food deserts are not a naturally occurring phenomenon. These areas are a result of the social inequities, often exacerbated by historical disinvestment and systemic racism.” To address these disparities, the Plan’s implementation strategies “seek to prioritize communities and geographic areas of Phoenix that experience disproportionate challenges related to accessing food and participating in the local food system.”
“I'm grateful to Vice Mayor Hodge Washington for her work to improve access to food in our community,” said Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. "This supermarket is exciting news, and will bring fresh and healthy food to new neighborhoods in alignment with the City's Food Action Plan."
“We at Vallarta Supermarkets are thrilled to bring our first Phoenix location to South Phoenix and become part of such a vibrant and deserving community," said Cesar Gonzalez, Chief Operating Officer of Vallarta Supermarkets. "The fact that this site serves an area long recognized as a food desert was not lost on us during our site selection process. We are excited to partner with the City of Phoenix and local residents to deliver a grocery experience unlike any other, one that expands access to fresh, healthy food while creating meaningful jobs and opportunities for the community.”
Vallarta Supermarkets will offer an elevated and community-focused shopping experience featuring:
- An in-store food court featuring ready to eat Latino dishes known as La Cocina.
- A full service seafood department, featuring a ceviche bar (La Pescaderia).
- A traditional meat counter with custom cuts and pre-marinated meats (Carniceria).
- House made tortillas prepared daily, and an authentic Latin deli and fresh cut fruit creamery (Tortilleria y Cremeria).
- A made to order juice bar, featuring wellness shots and traditional aguas frescas (La Isla Juice Bar).
- An in-store bakery and coffee bar
Founded in 1985 and headquartered in Santa Clarita, California, Vallarta Supermarkets is one of the largest Latino and family-owned supermarket chains in the United States. With 64 stores in California and one currently operating in Glendale, the company has identified Arizona as a key growth market and plans to open 10–15 locations across the Phoenix metro area over the next decade.
