Vallarta Supermarkets Introduces Digital Advertisements in Grocery Aisles
Vallarta Supermarkets Partners with Quad/Graphics' In-Store Connect Retail Media Network
Mid-market grocery retailer Vallarta Supermarkets, based in Pacoima, California, has partnered with Quad/Graphics Inc.'s In-Store Connect retail media network. This partnership will introduce digital signage into 15 initial Vallarta stores starting this summer.
In-Store Connect, a retail media network, offers opportunities for brands to engage with the communities Vallarta serves in meaningful, measurable ways. The digital signage will be placed in high-traffic areas of the stores and will showcase consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands, local products, special promotions, and Vallarta's fresh, authentic foods.
Kevin Bridgewater, SVP of Retail Solutions at Sussex, Wis.-based Quad, stated that In-Store Connect is the retail media network of choice for mid-market grocers and CPG marketers. Quad employs approximately 11,000 people in 11 countries and serves approximately 2,100 clients, including industry-leading blue-chip companies that serve both businesses and consumers in multiple industry verticals.
Quad's innovation strategy starts with the question, "How can we better serve our neighbors?" The company aims to provide mid-market grocers like Vallarta Supermarkets with a platform that helps them adapt to evolving media landscapes while providing CPG brands with effective engagement channels.
The digital signage will feature messaging in both English and Spanish, reflecting Vallarta's commitment to serving its diverse customer base. Steve Netherton, Chief Information Officer and VP of Continuous Improvement at Vallarta Supermarkets, stated that In-Store Connect is an effective tool for communicating Vallarta's unique products and potential savings to shoppers.
Research by The Harris Poll and Quad shows that 88% of consumers find it easy to remember physical store experiences that go out of their way to engage customers. By leveraging loyalty programs and in-store digital ad placements, Vallarta Supermarkets can target loyal customers with high purchase intent, creating promotional offers for greater sales lift and personalizing marketing efforts across multiple shopper touchpoints.
Partnering with retail media networks like In-Store Connect allows mid-market grocers to capitalize on leveraging proprietary shopper data and tailored ad experiences to increase both revenue and shopper engagement amid a growing $50+ billion US retail media market. These strategies can unlock new high-margin advertising revenue, monetize digital and in-store assets, and provide valuable shopper data analytics to personalize offers effectively.
Unlike giant networks dominated by Amazon and Walmart, smaller or mid-sized RMNs serve niche, loyal customer bases unreachable by large-scale players, providing a strategic advantage through high-intent first-party data rather than scale. Key strategies for success include deploying privacy-compliant targeted ads using first-party shopper data, integrating promotions and offers with in-store digital media to drive conversion uplift, utilizing closed-loop measurement to track campaign effectiveness and optimize future campaigns, and focusing on unique shopper segments that larger RMNs may overlook to earn advertiser preference.
As of 2025, Vallarta Supermarkets is ranked No. 85 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. This partnership marks a significant step for Vallarta Supermarkets as it continues to innovate and serve its community.
The partnership between Vallarta Supermarkets and Quad/Graphics' In-Store Connect retail media network signifies a merge of finance, business, and technology, as the digital signage initiative aims to engage consumers with CPG brands, local products, and special promotions. Quad, a company specializing in multiple industry verticals, employs technology to serve its clients with retail media solutions that are tailored to specific business needs, such as mid-market grocery retailers like Vallarta Supermarkets.
