NON-CHAIN FOOD STORES

 Mexico has many small independent neighborhood food stores. These stores, frequently

 called "Mom and Pop's," are family run and can be very small. If they have refrigeration, it

 is often a small, home refrigerator. Since many people shop every day and many people do not

 have cars, the share of the total food sold through these Mom and Pop's is substantial. Some

 smaller stores get their perishables directly from the Central Market and others are served by

 distributors. Processed meats for example are delivered daily by route drivers of the

 manufacturer. Wholesale produce delivery is also available. Improper treatment of perishable

 items by these stores can shorten the shelf life of their inventory. Since the produce system is

 run with the idea of immediate consumption, the expected shelf life of some of the items is short

 when they arrive; Produce normally would not be cooled mechanically in these stores.



 THE HINTERLANDS

 As noted previously, the perishables marketing system routes most of the produce and

much of other perishables through Mexico City. This lengthens the path to rural areas and other

cities. Supermarkets outside Mexico City generally buy their produce in Mexico City and

deliver it themselves to their stores elsewhere. Independent stores are served by a produce

distributer which delivers to the stores a few times each week. Meat would be delivered also,

usually by the meat processor or by meat brokers (distributors). The largest meat processors

have a regional distribution centers.