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Tastes From Home
Juddy Jung, left, and her friend Shearom Chung shop at Lotte Plaza, a market operated by Rhee Bros., in Ellicott City, Md.
(Marvin Joseph -- The Washington Post)
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But there are differences among the chains. Grand Mart's merchandise at its 13 stores -- seven of which are in the Washington area -- is up to 50 percent Hispanic. The mix recognizes the area's changing demographics. Several Asian supermarkets are in neighborhoods that have seen significant influx of Hispanic immigrants in recent years.
At Grand Mart, signs in the aisles are in Spanish, and most of produce is bought by Hispanic customers. About 30 percent of its products are aimed at Koreans, and the rest toward other Asian ethnic groups. Seung Lee, a member of the chain's investment team, said he considers Shoppers Food Warehouse Corp. their biggest competitor.
"I believe there's more chance of fitting in the Hispanic market rather than focusing on just Asian-only," he said. "Number-wise, they are the biggest minority. There's a lot of growth potential."
The main rival of Rhee Bros. is H Mart, operating 17 stores along the East Coast and in Illinois. Han said she craves their California sushi roll but otherwise favors Lotte Plaza because it's closer to her house. But she has noticed that H Mart draws more varied ethnicities.
"It's quite an international scene," she said. But "the type of things they buy is not what I buy. Our food is different."
Rhee Bros. is changing, too, offering more Hispanic foods. In Ellicott City, Sancochito pork skins were stocked across the aisle from Vietnamese spring roll wrappers known as banh trang .
The company is also targeting second-generation immigrants ages 30 to 40 who love to eat national dishes but may not know how to prepare them. The store scheduled to open in Germantown, for example, will be well stocked in ready-made meals of seasoned tofu and soybean paste soup.
"These days, people live the fast life," said Tek Y. Lee, manager of the Ellicott City location. "They have no time to cook."
Despite its growth, the company retains its family feel. Its modest headquarters are outfitted in wood paneling and staffed almost entirely by Koreans. Rhee said he can't imagine a day when the business would not operated by a member of his family.
"In here, I take care of all my brothers," he said. "Family trusts each other more. That's a strong relationship."
