Sam’s Club plans store specializing in products for Hispanic shoppers

NEW YORK Wal-Mart announced to its investors on Tuesday that it will revamp the Sam’s Club concept slightly to appeal to Hispanic customers and open a “Mas Club” store that carries a variety of products imported from Mexico, such as candy, meats, produce, seafood and other items.

The announcement was made on the second day of Wal-Mart’s investors’ meeting in Bentonville, Ark.

Sam’s Club president and chief executive, Doug McMillon, said that rethinking store concepts and reaching out to customers was crucial because while Sam’s Club sales numbers were growing, but membership is not.

The first Mas Club is slated to open in early 2009 in Houston. A separate, new membership program with be initiated for Mas Club, independent of Sam’s Club, the company said.

Sam’s Club is also testing smaller format “neighborhood” stores in some markets, the company said.