John Tsiones Built a $100 Million Hispanic Grocery Program From Zero at Dearborn

🎙️ From Getting Fired at 16 to Running Purchasing for the Midwest’s Leading Hispanic Supermarket ChainJohn Tsiones, Director of Purchasing at Cermak Fresh Market, spent 30 years building one of the most specialized careers in Hispanic grocery — from growing a zero-dollar Hispanic program to nearly $100 million at Dearborn wholesale, to 11 years at Fiesta Market, to transforming a 15-store chain of independent-minded locations into a unified regional powerhouse with double-digit growth. His story is one of relentless curiosity, gut-driven buying, and a refusal to get comfortable.✨ Key Insights You’ll Learn:Built Hispanic grocery program from $0 to nearly $100M at Dearborn wholesale11 years at Fiesta Market overseeing all grocery categories plus radio marketingJoined Cermak with a written 3-month, 6-month, and 1-year presentation in handCentralized pricing across 15 stores previously operating as independentsTPR shelf talkers drove immediate, measurable sales lift at CermakDouble-digit growth achieved in year one of his tenureVendor open-buy policy every Tuesday and Wednesday — anyone can walk inDoorDash and UberEats agreements added to close distribution gapsParty for Life nonprofit raised nearly $1M total for St. Jude, $100K+ per galaTwo personal losses — father at 17, mother after 10-year cancer battle — shaped his work-through-it ethos🌟 John’s Key Mentors:Costa (Owner, Fiesta Market): Taught that vendors have to win too — everyone makes money or nobody doesAdolfo Vega (Owner, Labo Dega): Modeled aggressive, eyes-open leadership and relentless anti-complacencyHis Mother: Instilled the work ethic and toughness that carried him through every hardshipMaribel (Buyer, Cermak): Trusted partner who runs the open-buy program alongside himBob (Owner, Cermak): Gave him full authority to execute the vision and backed him through it👉 Don’t miss this candid conversation about what it takes to build something category-defining, why being all in beats being cheapest every time, and how a 30-year career in Hispanic grocery is, in John’s words, just getting started.🔗 Connect with John Tsiones:Website: cermakfreshmarket.comParty for Life: chicagopartyforlife.com📎 Transcript Available: John Tsiones Built a $100 Million Hispanic Grocery Program From Zero at Dearborn📺 Watch on YouTube: Inspired Stories Podcast🌐 Our Website: The Inspired Stories Podcast📎 Special Thanks to Anthony Codispoti & AddBack Benefits Agency: Providing innovative employee benefits solutions that improve employee well-being while optimizing your bottom line. Website: addbackbenefits.com