Sam's Club for Latinos?

Big retailers in the United States have been trying for more than 20 years to figure out how to attract Latino shoppers—particularly recent immigrants. So far, they haven't succeeded much.

The Wall Street Journal reports today on Wal-Mart's (WMT) latest attempt: a version of the company's members-only Sam's Club warehouse stores called The Más Club.

The Journal asks: Do Latino immigrants want to buy the foods they know from their home countries "in American-style bulk sizes"?

Maybe not, say the "grocery experts" the Journal talked to. Many Latinos are used to buying from local bodegas, where they know and trust their shopkeep. And if they do shop at bigger stores, they either go where everyone else goes (perhaps, like everyone else, spending some time in the "ethnic foods" aisle) or they opt for midsized, Latino-themed chains like Fiesta Mart in Texas.

But Wal-Mart has a hedge: The Más Club includes a wholesale service for small merchants. This way, it captures both consumers who are willing to pay member fees to buy in bulk as well as many of those who are loyal to their local bodegas.