Vallarta Supermarkets grocery store building and parked shopping carts at 2179 Monterey Road in South San Jose, seen on Oct. 26, 2026. (George Avalos/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE — Vallarta Supermarkets could hire as many as 200 workers at its new South San Jose store, which is set to open before the end of the year.
Marking the Mexican grocery chain’s first foray into the Bay Area, workers were busy preparing the interior of the Vallarta Supermarkets building at 2179 Monterey Road this week ahead of its opening.
The family-owned grocery store chain operates 66 stores – 65 in California and one in Arizona. It is currently hiring people to work at the new San Jose store, according to the company’s website.
“The company employs approximately 8,000 employees, with up to 200 new positions for the San Jose store,” according to a document on file at San Jose City Hall.
Vallarta Supermarkets leased 63,700 square feet in The Plant shopping center near the corner of Monterey Road and Curtner Avenue, taking over a former Toys ‘R Us store that closed several years ago.
The new store will be a full-service supermarket, according to a San Jose planning document, offering traditional foods and items native to Mexico.
“The proposed supermarket will include a large produce section, a full-service butcher counter, an on-site bakery and tortilleria, and a selection of sundries, cleansers and pre-packaged items,” city documents state.
The San Jose store is part of a significant expansion push by Vallarta Supermarkets.
“Vallarta Supermarkets intends to positively impact 100 communities by the year 2030,” according to city planning files. “That means opening new stores at a rate of three locations per year.”
The new supermarket’s location is expected to generate plenty of foot traffic at The Plant, according to the owners of the shopping and restaurant center.
“Its strategic placement between Target and Home Depot is expected to attract a significant flow of customers, further boosting the revitalization of The Plant,” Arc Capital and Milan Capital, the center’s owners, stated.
Now hiring sign posted at the Vallarta Supermarkets building at 2179 Monterey Road in south San Jose, seen on Oct. 26, 2026. (George Avalos/Bay Area News Group)
Vallarta Supermarkets building at 2179 Monterey Road in south San Jose, seen on Oct. 26, 2026. (George Avalos/Bay Area News Group)
Part of the interior of the Vallarta Supermarkets store building at 2179 Monterey Road in south San Jose, seen on Oct. 26, 2026. (George Avalos/Bay Area News Group)