New grocery store chain opens in Wichita with a focus on inexpensive food

You may have noticed a new name at the two El Rio Bravo Supermarkets in Wichita, and you’re probably seeing some changes at the stores, too.

Mi Super Mercado Baratisimo has replaced the Rio Bravo stores at 21st and Amidon and Pawnee and Seneca. The owners of the new chain plan to open a third Wichita store on the east side early in the new year and are opening one in Oklahoma City before that.

“It’s a new chain that we want to grow,” said COO Guillermo Washington.

He and CEO Salah Nafal are based in Oklahoma City and both have extensive experience with Mexican markets.

Nafal and his family operated the El Rancho Supermercado chain of about 30 supermarkets in Texas before selling it a few years ago.

Washington worked for El Rancho as well and at one time oversaw 400 stores for Walmart in Mexico.

“We come from the industry.”

He said that means customers will see a lot of upgrades and industry standards.

“We’re going to standardize all of the processes so you can have the same quality every day,” Washington said.

For now, the new store signs simply say Mi Super Mercado, but Washington said the word Baratisimo will be added at both stores because it sends a message to customers that they can buy food extremely inexpensively. Baratisimo translates to very cheap in English.

“We are focused on reducing prices for the community, so the community can afford more items,” Washington said.

He said that “Rio Bravo had some very good things that they were doing so we kept them.”

However, there already have been a lot of changes, and more are coming.

For instance, there are new freezers and refrigerators, and all the meat counters are being replaced.

“We’re buying very fresh meat,” Washington said.

There are new tortilla machines for corn and flour tortillas at both stores.

There are pastries and bread that are freshly baked each morning and afternoon.

And there are some behind-the-scenes upgrades, such as new air conditioning for both stores.

The stores are open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily every day of the year.

“That’s important,” Washington said.

He said the goal with Mi Super Mercado Baratisimo is to improve the quality of life for Wichitans every day.

“We saw an opportunity in Wichita,” Washington said. “We like the locations of the store, and we like the community.”

He said the chain will be especially community oriented and have events and find other ways to support Wichitans.

Hakim Halum, a partner in Rio Bravo, said it made sense for his group to sell as it focuses on expanding around its home base in the Kansas City area.

Though the new Mi Super Mercado Baratisimo stores are open now, Washington said there will be grand openings for each soon.

He expects to acquire an east-side store in the next month or so, and then the store should open a few months after that.

Look for news on that site as soon as there’s a deal.

This story was originally published November 10, 2025 at 11:22 AM.