San Antonio and Austin are getting a taste of Cuban culture, with the expansion of the Cuban Grocery Co. across Bexar County, to cater to the needs of its thriving Cuban population. The latest venture landed on Babcock Road in San Antonio just last week, marking it the third store to open in recent months in the area. The stores serve up a heartening assortment of goods, from distinctive hams to coveted beverages and produce.
According to a San Antonio Report interview, the company's co-owners, Jose Alejandro Madrigal and Alain Fernandez, both Cuban natives who relocated to Texas from Cienfuegos, Cuba, eight years ago, embarked on this journey with no prior business experience. Madrigal, a former engineering professor, and Fernandez developed what they called an “instinct” to swiftly adapt and to satisfy a burgeoning demand within their community, inspired by the opportunities that their new home presented.
Their expansion strategy included the opening of a new restaurant, Q’Bolá – named after the Cuban slang for “What's up?” where one can enjoy traditional Cuban culinary delights. "We saw the need and went for it," Madrigal told San Antonio Report. With focus on authentic Cuban experience, the demand for their products and the food reflects the demographic shift Texas is witnessing. The Cuban population in the state has seen a 78.3% increase from 2000 to 2022, with a significant concentration in Bexar County where 72% of the foreign-born residents hail from Latin America.
While trade embargoes prevent direct importation from Cuba, the co-owners have worked around these limitations to furnish their shelves with familiar brands — not sourced from Cuba, but instead "the same" in essence, made by companies that recreate these goods in Florida. Fernandez expressed that being able to offer these products, and thereby a piece of the homeland, to the Cuban diaspora brings profound sentimental value, which he discussed in an interview with the San Antonio Report. Witnessing the customers' nostalgia, especially as exemplified by a 70-year-old woman filling her cart with beloved items like El Latino yogurt and Malta India, underlies the stores' heartfelt impact within the community.
The founders aim to evolve their business into a franchise that will include larger markets. They envision stores teeming not only with groceries but also hair products, and even goods associated with Cuban culture such as domino tables and moka pots for Cuban espresso.
