History
Founded in 1989 by Hispanic entrepreneurs, the NSA is a trade association that represents the interest of independent supermarket owners in New York and other urban cities throughout the East coast, Mid-Atlantic region and Florida. Beginning in the mid seventies, these entrepreneurs had the courage of opening supermarkets in areas abandoned by the large chains, as they were economically depressed and mostly minority neighborhoods. These men and women had the vision and the commitment to fill a vacuum in those communities, at a time when the term “food desert” had not even been coined. Currently, many NSA members continue to serve those areas by offering healthy foods and full service supermarkets.
The association has grown dramatically in the last two decades and currently provides its members hands on representation in both the private and public sectors and advocates issues that impact the entire supermarket industry. Current membership represents approximately 600 supermarkets. Most members are of Hispanic descent, and their stores are predominantly located in minority neighborhoods.
Mission
The NSA provides outreach services to corporations that want to capture the booming Hispanic market by providing counseling on marketing strategies to reach Hispanic retailers and consumers, including market and cultural intelligence.