Bristol Borough's Selecto Supermarket, longtime food staple in Latino community, supports Give A Christmas
For the owners of Selecto Supermarkets in Bristol Borough, the market is more than a longtime staple for the Latino community; they also pride themselves on supporting those in need at every opportunity.
To that end, Edwin Herrera, manager of the Selecto Supermarket at 320 Pond St., said his market is again supporting the long-running Give A Christmas fundraiser.
During the holiday season, the Bucks County Courier Times and the Levittown-Bristol Kiwanis Club partner to collect and distribute monetary donations to assist struggling local families.
The 2022 holiday season marks the 65th year of the Give A Christmas fund. Over the years, Courier Times readers have contributed more than $5.2 million to help neighbors in need purchase a gift for a child or food for a holiday meal.
Last year, 7,773 donors contributed a total of $133,523. Those donations provided 3,263 vouchers to 2,075 families. This year the fund has a goal of $132,000, and has raised $12,427 through Nov. 22.
Selecto is one of a handful of retailers where families can use a gift card provided by Give A Christmas to ease expenses at the holidays. The program also gives out cards to Acme, Burlington stores, Barnes & Noble and Redner's Markets.
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"We are always happy to participate in the Kiwanis program, especially around the holidays, because we know at this time of year that people really need it," Herrera said. "It's always a good thing. I know people that come in here, some frequent shoppers, and they are always happy to have it, even if it is 'only' $25, it's still $25 they didn't have to spend."
This year, vouchers are primarily $35.
Levittown-Bristol Kiwanis spokeswoman Mary Herman confirmed Selecto's involvement, noting its owners have participated since 2020.
Herrera runs the day-to-day operation of the store, which is owned by his father, two uncles and a brother-in-law. This is his family's second Selecto Supermarket — it also operates a store in Trenton — and it previously operated a store in Passaic, New Jersey.
Selecto does its best to serve Bristol Borough's Latino community, which accounts for roughly 13% of the borough's population, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
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Selecto's importance to the community shined during the pandemic, as more families were home which lead to more home-cooked meals. Selecto's penchant for stocking diverse foods made it a draw throughout the borough and Lower Bucks.
According to the Urban Institute, about 27% of Latino and Black households in America reported experiencing food insecurity due to COVID. Nationwide, 10.9% of the population is food insecure, meaning that these populations are disproportionately impacted.
In Bucks County, Selecto is one of several markets that carry a diverse array of international food products.
"We are known for carrying different brands from different countries," Herrera said, noting that demand also jumped after a nearby Walmart closed. "We have Haitian brands, Jamaican brands and brands from Costa Rica and Central America. These are products that are hard to find anywhere else."
Shoppers hailed the market for its prices, selection and general accessibility.
"I usually stop in for red beans and rice to make stewed pork. It really is nice to have close by, although they don't have everything all the time," said shopper Chloe Trinidad. "It is clean and nice, and the people working here really get to know you."
Herrera said he and his family do the best they can in terms of stocking goods, having to balance what they can provide at an attractive price point, all in the face of prices rising throughout Selecto's supply chain. Still, Herrera said he and his family have made several improvements since taking over the location 20 years ago.
"We've been here since the beginning, and we had a huge uphill battle ... it took a long time for us to build back up the reputation (of this location)," Herrera said. "We hit a few rough patches along the way, but we kept moving forward.
"Five or six years ago, we replaced all the refrigeration in the store; all the freezers, the coolers, the meat cases and the deli cases," Herrera added. "It was a huge project that took us about two months to complete. It was very expensive, but it was to better serve everybody."
More change is afoot for Selecto, however, as the owners have decided to sell the market after 20 years of operation. Herrera said the only thing that will change is the name on the sign; all staff will remain and will continue to provide the service customers have come to expect.
"We've always tried to do our best and work with everybody and support everything we possibly can," he said. "We always support local fundraisers, events and churches in town."
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Bristol Borough Selecto Supermarket supports Give A Christmas
