From chicharrónes to ramen, ethnic grocers take root in an increasingly diverse Central Oregon

A new grocery store catering to Latino and Hispanic clientele opened in Madras last month. It’s part of a growing trend of more ethnic grocery stores opening in Central Oregon.

Shoppers are just getting to know El Torito. Bree Hackett was there recently with her mom around lunchtime. The store hasn’t been open very long, but she had already visited a few times.

“They have great deli food, like their hot deli food is so good,” she gushed, saying the chicharrónes con carne are “top notch.”

El Torito is in the old Erickson’s Thriftway building. Erickson’s anchored the grocery scene in Central Oregon for 90 years, but last year the regional chain closed its Madras location.

El Torito is part of a new crop of ethnic grocery stores serving an increasingly diverse regional population.

Two other ethnic grocery stores have also opened in Central Oregon over the last two years, namely Tomi Mart and Bendite Market, both in Bend. That’s despite many rural grocery stores across the country closing.

When rural grocery stores close, it can be hard on communities and decrease access to healthy foods.

El Torito is part of a large statewide chain with eight locations. The Madras location is now the largest.

Robert Madrigal stopped in to go shopping recently. He said he would like a bit more variety, but the store’s selection is still a marked improvement from what shopping was like when he first moved to Madras in 1979.

“Back in those days, there was no Mexican items that you could buy at all,” he said, “just by having this store here, it shows that yes, there is plenty of business with the Hispanic people.”

In the town of about 7,500, Latino and Hispanic people make up 36% of the population, according to census data. That’s more than double the statewide percentage.

Related: As Oregon Grows, So Does Its Demand For Ethnic Grocery Stores

Overall, Oregon’s diversity is growing.

Central Oregon, which includes Jefferson, Crook and Deschutes counties, is also becoming more diverse. The region has seen recent population growth across Latino, Black, multiracial and Asian American communities.

From 2010 to 2020, the Asian American community in Deschutes County, which includes Bend, grew the most of any singular demographic in the county.

Last June, a new Asian foods market opened in Bend — Tomi Mart.

Co-owner Natasha Dempsey said before the store opened, she had to drive over the Cascade Mountains to get what she needed from larger metro areas. People would crowdsource orders using social media, Dempsey said.

“That’s the way most folks did it before and did runs for each other, ‘Hey, I’m going to Portland, who needs this?’” she said.

Jennee Edwards moved to Bend from Portland last year. Like Dempsey, she’s Korean American and a Tomi Mart regular. It’s where she gets foods that are hard to find elsewhere in town.

The shop’s atmosphere, she said, “is reminiscent of being in Asia a little bit, which is really nice. And so it has a peaceful but kind of happy feeling.”

Floral lanterns and blue, yellow and white parasols hung from the ceiling and a line of cute plushies looked over a wall of snacks. Opposite was a wall with different types of instant ramen on display for people to grab and try out.

Erika Morgan works at the store. She said the spicy flavors are a hit, mostly with younger people who come in for a quick meal. For her, she said, “I am partial to anything tonkotsu, so pork broth, yes!”

In Tomi Mart’s first year, Dempsey said business has been amazing, but getting supply into their small store is challenging because of shipping logistics and costs.

Every week people ask about carrying certain products, so she’s constantly working with her co-owner, Jesi Scott, to figure out: “How do we get that?”

Bend is about 85 miles away from Interstate 5, the state’s main commerce corridor.

“Many products that we get are distributed out of larger metropolitan cities like Seattle and Portland and even Northern California. And a lot of truck drivers do not want to come off I-5,” Dempsey said.

Shipping can get expensive, but Tomi Mart tries to keep prices affordable, she said, especially for everyday foods like fish sauce, rice and vegetables.

Over at El Torito in Madras, store manager Jennifer Maynard said they’re mindful of costs as well.

“We’re trying to keep our prices down for the people in the community, because it is a smaller community and we want to make sure that we’re beneficial to them.”

A lot of the inventory in both stores originates abroad. The second Trump administration’s focus on tariffs for imported goods is already driving up prices at other ethnic grocery stores, as Northwest Public Broadcasting reported.

The owners of Tomi Mart said they’d take a wait and see approach with tariffs and their business.

“There’s so many inconsistencies and uncertainties with tariffs,” Dempsey said, “that we’ll address costs changes as they’re being presented to us from our vendors and suppliers.”

Central Oregon’s ethnic grocery stores aren’t as big or well stocked as those in larger cities, said El Torito customer Madrigal. He still travels across the Cascades for some shopping trips.

But as diversity grows, so do options. El Torito is planning to open its next store in Medford, according to Maynard.