For this month’s Market Profile, The Shelby Report of the Southeast visited with Donny Rouse, the third-generation CEO of Rouses Markets, to talk about the company’s newest location in Lafayette and its strategic expansion in its home state of Louisiana, where it has 53 stores.
What can you tell us about your newest store in Lafayette Parish and how it fits into your growth strategy?
Our latest store at 1810 Camellia Blvd. in Lafayette Parish opened in early 2024, making it our fourth in Lafayette, the fastest-growing parish in Louisiana last year.
It is a great example of how we are expanding in areas where we see strong potential and customer demand.
The location is adjacent to the Village of River Ranch, which is one of Lafayette’s largest communities. It has a strong mix of residential neighborhoods, schools and businesses nearby.
How does this new store complement or differentiate itself from your other Lafayette locations?
It joins our East Milton Avenue store in Youngsville – our first venture into Lafayette Parish, which opened in early 2009 – as well as our Bertrand Drive and Johnston Street stores in Lafayette, both of which opened in the 2010s.
Each store serves a unique part of the community, and this new location on Camellia Boulevard strengthens our presence in the heart of the city, an area that continues to see rapid residential growth. It allows us to better serve both long-time customers and new families moving into the area.
What are the key reasons behind designing such a large-format store for this market?
At 55,000 square feet, the store’s expanded format allows us to offer an even wider selection of fresh foods, prepared meals and local products. The store serves as the anchor for a 15-acre retail center.
For a high-growth market like Lafayette, especially in an area as vibrant as River Ranch, this format gives us the flexibility to meet a wide range of customer needs now and in the future.
What are the signature features and departments of this new store?
This Lafayette location features the largest beer, wine and spirits selection in the parish and has a Rouses Barrel House, which makes it a true destination for bourbon lovers across the region.
The store is very focused on fresh foods. Customers can enjoy a wide range of freshly prepared options, including sushi and poke bowls and made-to-order Mongolian-style rice bowls, teriyaki and more from the open-air hot food kitchen.
We are also especially proud of the full-service butcher shop, where steaks, roasts and chops are sliced in-house daily – as in all Rouses stores. All our Lafayette stores have a custom, humidity- and temperature-controlled dry-aged beef locker, which ages USDA Choice Angus Beef for at least 25 days for a steakhouse-quality experience at home.
Our name is synonymous with Gulf seafood, and we have boiled seafood right in the store – something you won’t find at most grocery stores. Customers can pick up freshly boiled shrimp, crabs and crawfish in season, hot and ready to go.
How do these specific features cater to the unique tastes and demands of the Lafayette customer?
Lafayette is a community that truly knows and appreciates good food – it is the heart of Cajun country. My dad always says, “We are as passionate about food as you are,” and you can feel that the minute you walk into the store. Customers are telling us they love all the fresh and prepared foods – it is like having a grocery store and a new restaurant in one.
And our Barrel House has already become a destination – bourbon hunters are stopping in every day, looking for allocations and local favorites.
How has Rouses created a distinctive shopping experience in this store?
I went to college in Lafayette, so I know the area well – and I know how much this community values good food. There is also an unmistakable Acadiana pride. That’s exactly what we have tried to capture in this store.
It starts with the energy of the space – a big, open layout with thoughtful nods to the city and region throughout, including the Acadiana flag.
You can grab a quick lunch or linger over coffee in the café – the store is purposely designed to feel like part of the neighborhood. We carry so many incredible products made right here in Acadiana, and local is always first with us.
With the emphasis on fresh, ready-to-eat options and dining spaces, are you seeing any changes in how customers shop?
Absolutely. We are seeing a shift in how customers use grocery stores, and Lafayette is a perfect example of that. People still love to cook, especially in Acadiana, where everyone knows how to make a good gumbo or jambalaya. But they are also looking for convenient options that still taste like home.
We are offering more ready-to-eat, ready-to-heat and ready-to-cook meals throughout all of our stores, so we can meet customers where they are.
Asian food is currently booming in the U.S., but we have been ahead of that trend for a long time. We were one of the first grocery stores in Louisiana to have professional sushi chefs, dating back to 2003. Since then, we have expanded our program well beyond the usual rolls.
You will find plenty with local and Cajun twists, and we have hot rice and noodle bowls, made fresh to order. And our eggrolls are … one of our most popular catering items.
How important is “local” to Rouses’ brand identity in Louisiana?
Local is in our DNA. We have supported local farmers, fishermen, brands and small businesses since my grandfather opened our first store in 1960. At this Lafayette store, you will see that commitment in every department – from Acadiana-made seasonings and sauces to Best Stop Specialty Meats, which has its own space in the store. They make a great boudin.
Our seafood is Gulf-sourced and our produce buyers work directly with Louisiana farmers to bring in the freshest fruits and vegetables.
We also carry a wide selection of local beer, wine and spirits – and our Barrel House features some of the best bottles being made right there in the region. We call it “Loyal to Local,” and it is a promise to keep supporting the communities we serve.
Rouses recently opened a store in Baton Rouge to help address food desert concerns. Why was it important to help residents in that parish?
We had thousands of customer requests for a store in north Baton Rouge. And opening a store there (in January 2024) was important to us. For years, residents in that area had to travel substantial distances just to get to a full-service grocery store. We knew there was a real need – not just for access to fresh, affordable food, but for investment in the community.
This was a true collaborative effort, made possible by working closely with community members and local stakeholders. The response from customers has been incredible. People have told us how much it means to finally have a full-service grocery store in their neighborhood, and that is exactly why we wanted to be there.
What else can you tell us about Rouses’ commitment to the local communities it operates in?
We love being part of the communities we serve – and that means more than just selling groceries. We sponsor local events and festivals, support school and rec sports teams and work with organizations that are really making a difference in the area.
We also help raise funds and donate to local charities, including the food bank and we’re always looking for meaningful ways to give back.
[RELATED: New Biloxi Store Is Fifth For Rouses Markets In Mississippi]