Jumbo squid to pizza: Here’s what Northlanders can expect at new grocery store
From frog legs to Chinese yams, a popular Johnson County grocery store is headed to the Northland with a wide array of international items.
The Kansas City metro’s second World Fresh Market location is expected to open in the space at 4357 NE Chouteau Trafficway later this summer after Sun Fresh announced its closure in February.
Eddie Musallet, the owner of World Fresh Market in Overland Park and several El Mercado Fresco locations across the metro, hopes to open the new location by the end of July or beginning of August after completing renovations to both inside and outside the building.
Once it’s all completed, the store will offer a range of Asian, Middle Eastern, European, Hispanic and American products, along with bakery items and fresh produce.
On Thursday afternoon, the store’s location in Overland Park was full of people sorting through produce, browsing Mediterranean spices, leaning over display cases filled with fresh pastries, and picking out halal candies. Some stood in line for a couple of frozen pepperoni pizzas.
As soon as the sliding doors opened, shoppers were immediately met by papayas, large ginger roots, seedless watermelons and casco squash, native to Mexico.
In the produce section, large bins held tomatillos, poblano peppers, Indian eggplants, dragon fruit, kumquats, coconuts, fava beans and giant king oyster mushrooms.
A nearby cooler displayed homemade salsa, guacamole, pinto beans and Spanish rice, along with a variety of canned cheeses stored in brine and different kinds of milk and yogurts from varying countries.
Down the aisles, which were labeled by different ethnicities and regions of the world, including Mediterranean, Hispanic, Asian and Indian, a wide variety of international foods could be found.
Large cans of jalapeños and taco sauce, tins of jumbo squid, sacks filled with varying flour types, jars of grape leaves, curry paste, pickled ginger, Japanese mayo, lychee in syrup, Mediterranean chocolate candies and a wide variety of ramen noodle packets were among the items on the shelves.
The freezer aisles held burritos, samosas, spring rolls, vegetables, desserts and dumplings.
Shoppers can also find bundles of flowers, eggs, bread and more everyday grocery items.
Here are some other items Northlanders can expect to find among the aisles based on the Johnson County location, including a wide variety of global flavors.
Produce
Cherimoya, a heart-shaped fruit hailing from Central America; nagaimo, also known as Chinese yams; Indian bitter melon; Spanish limes; orange cactus tuna or prickly pears; opo squash; and rambutans, native to Southeast Asia
Meat Market
Filet mignon, wild orange roughy fillets, a whole baby lamb or goat, halal meat, Kansas City strip steak, chuck roast, whole chickens, mussels, clams, crab legs and frog legs
Other international items
Homemade salsa and guacamole; mango juice; made-to-order tacos and gyros; pan dulce; Turkish delight; quail egg mayonnaise; canned jackfruit; Asian noodles like soba, ramen and udon; gochujang hot pepper paste; kimchi; fresh baklava; kunafa; macaroons and feshafeesh
American groceries
Hot dogs, breakfast cereals, sandwich bread, eggs, chips, Pop-Tarts, frozen pizzas
