According to the Asociación Nacional de Tiendas de Autoservicio (ANTAD), there are 26 supermarket chains with more than 3,323 stores offering food products throughout the country.

In addition, there are 13 department store chains (2,507 stores) and 52 specialty store chains (40,813 units).

Supermarket

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) indicates that more than 57% of Mexico‘s retail market is covered by traditional commerce (family stores, public and open-air markets), which mainly distributes local products.

In 2021 (latest available data), the retail sector accounted for more than 3.2% of Mexico’s total Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Overall, Mexico is the largest exporter in Latin America. Mexico’s trade structure is defined by a large intra-industry trade, as its main exports belong to the same industries as its main imports: machinery, electrical equipment, automobiles, mechanical inputs, minerals, oil and gas.

With 14 Free Trade Agreements covering more than 50 countries, including Mexico is one of the most open economies in the world.

Food

Mexico is the 16th largest economy in the world, the second largest economy in Latin America and one of the most important international markets for U.S. agricultural and food exports.

Despite rising inflation on both sides of the border, Mexico and the United States continued to enjoy the world’s largest bilateral food and agricultural trade relationship in 2022, with total two-way agricultural trade reaching $71.89 billion.

U.S. agri-food exports to Mexico in 2022 reached $28.45 billion, an increase of 11.8% over 2021, led by grains and feeds, oilseeds, livestock and meat, horticulture, and dairy products.

The U.S. market accounted for 80% of Mexico’s agri-food exports in 2022, while 70% of its agricultural imports came from the United States.

The average peso/dollar exchange rate in 2022 was 20.11 MEX/$1.00 USD.

Mexico’s food processing industry is the third largest in the Americas, behind the United States and Brazil, and among the top 15 worldwide.

Finally, food processing is one of Mexico’s leading industries, contributing $39.4 billion to Mexico’s GDP in 2020.