Point-of-sale analysis - EREWHON (USA)

In recent years, food retail in the United States has evolved towards formats that go far beyond the traditional supermarket. This transformation redefines not only how people consume, but also how opportunities for international products are built. The visit to the Erewhon Market store in Beverly Hills is a textbook example.

Drawing on our experience in international trade and in supporting companies in strategic markets — including participation in and activation of leading trade fairs such as Expo West — spaces like Erewhon make it very clear where the North American consumer is heading and what the keys to reaching them are.

Erewhon is not just a supermarket. Above all, it is an expression of a lifestyle. A hybrid space where food retail, food service and brand identity merge to meet the needs of an urban consumer with high purchasing power who wants convenience without giving up quality or wellbeing.

This model highlights a structural shift: consumers no longer buy just ingredients, but solutions. The growing weight of ready meals and ready-to-eat products turns the store into a space for solving mealtimes on the spot. At the same time, health becomes retail's central language, not only in the products but throughout the shopping experience.

In this context, the store acts as an advocate. It does not merely sell: it selects, organises and legitimises a particular way of eating. And this is where a window of opportunity opens for Catalan and Spanish companies.

The presence of products such as Patatas Torres and Vichy Catalan in an environment as demanding as Erewhon is no accident. It demonstrates that products with identity, perceived quality and a story of origin can find their place in North American premium retail. In this kind of store the range is not mass-market but curated: fewer references, but with greater symbolic value and capacity to stand out.

This model is a particularly good fit for the Catalan agri-food offering. Products with tradition, recognised quality and strong ties to their territory have a clear ability to connect with consumers who value authenticity, health and experience.

Moreover, the trend towards “accessible luxury” in everyday consumption — where everyday categories are reinterpreted in premium codes — reinforces this opportunity still further. What was once a functional product is today also a lifestyle statement.

From an international promotion standpoint, spaces like Erewhon and events like Expo West are not only showcases but laboratories. They make it possible to understand trends, validate products and, above all, work out how to position oneself in a market as competitive as the North American one.

The conclusion is clear: the market is there, but not for everyone. It is a space for brands that know how to tell their story, that understand the value of narrative and that are able to adapt to a demanding consumer. In this scenario, Catalonia has a great deal to offer.