Central Floridians rave over first Presidente Supermarket in Orlando

Customer lines go out the door in first opening days

ORLANDO, Fla. – Sound the pots and pans, there’s a Presidente Supermarket in Orlando.

The family-owned supermarket opened its first Central Florida location at the corner of Pine Hills and Silver Star roads in Orlando about a week ago.

Customers packed Presidente Supermarket, excited for its inventory of Caribbean and Central American food and produce.

“We came here today at 9 and now it's 11. Last time, we came at 8 and got out at 12,” shopper Chavanne Destin said.

Tuesday, checkout lines flooded into the aisles. Outside, people waited anywhere from two to five hours just to get their chance to shop. First responders had to treat a person who fainted while waiting in the 90-degree heat. 

By 11 a.m., security had to limit the number of people allowed inside.

The grocery store is one of the only produce markets in the Pine Hills community. The Latin-based business is run by a Cuban American family cateringr to the working-class with affordable produce and one-of-a-kind products.

Shoppers said some of the allure of the supermarket is its location. The next closest Presidente Supermarket is 150 miles away in West Palm Beach. 

Presidente Supermarket is projected to add another 15 stores by 2020, including more locations throughout Central Florida.


About the Authors:

It has been an absolute pleasure for Clay LePard living and working in Orlando since he joined News 6 in July 2017. Previously, Clay worked at WNEP TV in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where he brought viewers along to witness everything from unprecedented access to the Tobyhanna Army Depot to an interview with convicted double-murderer Hugo Selenski.

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