Lee Lee has big plans for Valley

Lee Lee Oriental Supermarket, a 15-year-old international foods grocer that started in Chandler at the northeast corner of Warner and Dobson roads, has ambitious expansion plans.

The company is opening a store in Peoria today and in Tucson next year. And owner Meng Truong said he's considering locations in Gilbert, Tempe, east Mesa, Prescott and Flagstaff within five years.

According to the Census Bureau, the Valley's Asian population jumped 25 percent from about 26,500 in 2000 to about 33,070 in 2006. And Truong said Lee Lee, which sells products from about 30 countries, pulls customers from all over the state. It's a no-brainer to take the concept elsewhere, he said.

But with two openings coming up, Truong said his hands are too full to seriously consider opening additional locations for a while.

"We have a long way to go, so we're not in a hurry," he said. Lee Lee opened in an old Megafoods store.

Lorrie Griffith, editor of a Georgia-based grocery industry publication called The Shelby Report, said international foods are growing in popularity for a variety of reasons.

For one, people are becoming more health-conscious, particularly among customers with higher incomes than traditional supermarket customers.

They are attracted to the staples of many Asian cuisines like seafood and vegetables, she said.

They're also more likely to try new things than regular shoppers, she said.

"They have probably been exposed to more cultures whether through travel or being able to try different restaurants," she said.