Who We Are

We are a family owned and operated neighborhood supermarket STOP AND COMPARE formed in 1996 with the purpose to serve the Latino and ethnic population of the Boston metropolitan area and other New England communities. We are currently operating stores in the cities of Chelsea and Lynn, Massachusetts. We are proud to offer high quality and diverse products at affordable prices to our customers.

Our Mission

Connecting culture and community through authentic offerings and fresh quality products is our mission. Whether shoppers are seeking authentic ingredients for recipes that go back generations and remind them of home or experiencing our flavors and culture for the first time, we are committed to delivering our customers a stellar in-store experience that connects them to real flavors and real people. 

Company History

We are a family business in its second generation owned and operated by the Calvo and Iannotti families. Al and Betty Calvo, both immigrants from Cuba started out in the early 1980s in the fresh ethnic wholesale business first in South Boston as BCD Tropical and then later in Chelsea MA as New England Ethnic Products. The family then opened a retail operation in Chelsea in 1996. The Chelsea location which became a popular shopping place for the Latino community in the area became known as “Compare” a word whose meaning and spelling are the same in the English and Spanish languages. 

In 2005, the Calvos’ daughter, Vivian Iannotti and husband Marc entered the family business and opened an additional location in Lynn MA as the family noticed many Latinos were moving further North from Boston. The Lynn location has grown steadily since its inception now solidifying the company’s brand in the North Shore. The Iannottis are now running the day to day operations but continue to rely on the advice of the founding generation to guide their strategic decisions. 

The Calvos and Iannottis credit their amazing team of employees with the company’s success. Today they have over 80 employees working amongst the 2 locations. This group of hard working, humble yet empowered  people from over 10 different Spanish speaking countries work tirelessly not only to serve our customers but also support each other. This family environment is what fosters the sense of community and cultural warmth that keeps people coming back.