From Craving to Square Footage: Strawberries Are Reshaping Mall Retail in Mexico

Have you noticed that strawberries have taken over Mexico’s malls lately? Drenched in chamoy, cream, chocolate, served in frappés or dried. It’s no coincidence. It’s the latest trend—just like frozen yogurt, boba tea, or rainbow-colored pastries once were. But strawberries are merely the most visible symptom of something deeper: the rise of indulgences that promise guilt-free pleasure. Or, at least, less guilt.

Today, strawberry-based brands like The Berry Company, Strawberry Island, and La Fresqué are filling display cases in malls like Mítikah (Mexico City), Andares (Guadalajara), and Antea (Querétaro). But they’re not alone. In the past year, more than 50 new brands—from teas to confections and health-themed snacks—have arrived at the country’s busiest malls. And their impact is already being measured in square footage.

According to SiiLA, between Q2 2024 and Q2 2025, the gross leasable area occupied by strawberry and snack outlets—such as popcorn, corn cups, or dried fruits—grew by more than 45% each. Confectionery rose 18%; ice cream and yogurt nearly 10%; and boba drinks, pastries, and bakery concepts hovered around 6% annual growth.

It’s not just about flavor—it’s about narrative. Every cup, jar, and biodegradable container sells more than just food: it sells wellness, authenticity, or a lifestyle.

In this new wave, green, artisanal, and relatively low-sugar (or less processed) offerings haven’t just sustained but expanded a “fit” economy that’s been rising for over a decade. What’s now being offered behind mall counters is reshaping consumption, moving tonnage, and pushing markets into double-digit growth.

According to SAGARPA, strawberry consumption in Mexico is expected to grow at a 1.2% compound annual rate through 2030. Not an explosive figure, but steady—and it signals a significant shift in eating habits.

Meanwhile, IDE forecasts that between 2025 and 2034, the global boba tea market—primarily driven by North America—will grow 7.5% annually. In Mexico, trend-driven categories such as cookies, yogurt, pastries, and candy are expected to grow between 5% and 7.6% per year, led by cheesecakes, muffins, drinks, and sugar-free chocolates. In parallel, IDE estimates that the smoothie market will grow 7.5% per year in Latin America, while PMR forecasts a 6.4% annual growth rate for French-style macarons

These projections confirm that contemporary cravings are powerful economic engines. For retail, they signal rising demand from micro and small businesses seeking to establish a presence, with fair churn rates in early years (given that half of companies in Mexico fold after year one) and better odds of stability by year three.

In the end, every craving is a metaphor: it satisfies not only a taste, but a search for comfort, for identity, for novelty. To understand what sells is to understand what’s desired. And in a country where even whims are priced by the square foot, tracking cravings is also tracking the pulse of the market.

To know more, visit SiiLA REsource or contact us at contacto@siila.com.mx.