La Loma Supermercado brings authentic flavors — and cultural pride — to Battle Creek

BATTLE CREEK, MI — At La Loma Supermercado in Battle Creek, the food is as authentic as the owners’ commitment to providing foods native to Mexico and Latin American countries such as Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela.

Here’s a Q&A with Rosario Uribe, who co-owns La Loma with her husband, Jose Luis Uribe.

When did the store open?

We opened on January 7, 2025, 1791 W. Columbia Ave., Suite C.

What made you decide to open the store?

This was an idea that my husband had years ago that he wanted to do. Years went by, and we knew there was still a need for something like this in the community. People that we knew were driving one hour or more to stores like ours in Grand Rapids and Chicago to get Mexican products and meats. We made the decision to open a store in Battle Creek so that people could have something like this in the community. It helps to be from the community and understand people’s needs.

What was the total cost to build out the 9,200-square-foot space that houses La Loma?

This was a $3 million project. The space we moved into had been vacant for 10 years after the General Dollar store that was there closed. It was a white box, which means it was basically four walls and a roof. The work we did included a commercial kitchen, meat market, and coolers.

Is this your only business?

No. In 2019, we founded a construction company called La Loma Construction, which did the Supermercado construction.

What is a Supermercado?

A “supermercado” is the Spanish and Portuguese word for supermarket, a large self-service store that sells a wide variety of food and household products. This includes groceries, drinks, cleaning supplies, and sometimes clothing, appliances, and household goods. 

La Loma’s primary focus is on food, including produce and marinated meats; beef head tripe; shrimp; and pastor, which is pork combined with different sauces, like salsa verde. We have about 20 different options for the meats.

The store also offers Mexican bread baked fresh daily, something not previously available in the Battle Creek area.

Do you also offer take-out and dine-in options?

We have a taqueria that seats 30 people. We have tacos that focus on authentic taste and flavor. They were recently named Battle Creek’s No. 1 tacos. Customers can order tacos and can also select from a hot bar, which offers more of a homestyle meal with taco, rice, and bean plates. Another unique thing we have is marinated pork cooked on a spit. We have a window where customers can see that.

Where do you get the products that La Loma carries?

Our suppliers are out of Michigan and here locally and Chicago.

What’s unique to your store?

Our bakery is one of our most popular areas, and we offer marinated meats and our Mexican beers that you can’t find anywhere else. Our restaurant was a hit from the beginning.

Why is it important to have a store like La Loma in Battle Creek?

We would have loved to see something like this when my husband and I first came to Battle Creek. People no longer have to drive to other places to get the food they want. It brings my husband and I a lot of satisfaction to see a lot of our non-Hispanic customers interested in our meat market and marinated meats, and learning more about our foods. A lot of our customers have called our store a cultural hub.

Where are your customers coming from?

While we do get people from Battle Creek, we’re also getting people from Jackson, Albion, Coldwater, Kalamazoo, and Sturgis. Some of them come in just to get our tacos. It’s really a one-stop shop for them.

What sets La Loma apart from other Mexican grocery stores?

Our customers feel a lot of nostalgia because a lot of our products come directly from Mexico. It’s really cool for people to see friends they haven’t seen for years when they are in here. One of our big focuses is obviously quality products and customer service. We have bilingual employees, so anyone who comes in through our doors will have someone who can speak in Spanish or English with them.

We have created different jobs for people here. A lot of them are high school or college students who have opportunities to get into the workplace and use their skills.

How does La Loma add to the vibrancy of Battle Creek?

We’re bringing a new concept and learning opportunity to the community. When people come in to see our products, a lot of them want to know what they can cook with it. A lot of schools around the area like to bring their students in to order food in Spanish. We have had days when we’ve had three different classes come in.

For students at nearby schools, La Loma has become a favorite lunch destination.

They love our products, and then their parents come in to see our store and shop.

This story is part of Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative’s coverage of equitable community development. SWMJC is a group of 12 regional organizations dedicated to strengthening local journalism. Visit swmichjournalism.com to learn more.