Dive Brief:
- Oxxo USA has opened a Doña Tota QSR inside one of its c-stores in El Paso, Texas, the convenience retailer announced last week.
- The restaurant specializes in gorditas, a Mexican dish made from cooked corn masa dough that’s stuffed with meat, cheese and other fillings. Oxxo USA’s spokesperson confirmed that although parent company FEMSA has about a dozen Doña Totas in the U.S., its latest is the first to be located inside one of its convenience stores.
- This comes about a month after Oxxo USA debuted Ditsch pretzel sandwich QSR at one of its convenience stores, continuing the company’s ambitious growth and store development plans in the states.
Dive Insight:
FEMSA acquired a majority stake in Doña Tota back in 2013. At the time, the QSR chain had 204 locations in Mexico and 11 in the U.S., all of which were in Texas. Today, Doña Tota has over 230 locations across Mexico, and its latest El Paso store is the company’s 12th in the U.S., Oxxo USA’s spokesperson confirmed.
The spokesperson said that Oxxo USA plans to open more Doña Tota locations this year in El Paso.
Like the Ditsch pretzel QSR, Doña Tota is what Oxxo USA has previously referred to as a “clip-in,” also known as a “shop-in-shop concept.”
“Integrating Doña Tota into our stores allows us to offer a friendly, practical, and authentic experience, designed to be enjoyed in minutes so customers can get on with their day,” Carlos García Montemayor, marketing director at Oxxo USA, said in the announcement.
FEMSA has previously said that the food offered at Oxxo USA stores will vary based on the needs and preferences in its communities. All locations feature FEMSA’s Andatti coffee program, while only some will include Doña Tota and Ditsch.
