Rivera Food Service Inc — Attraction in El Monte

Rivera Food Service is a wholesale supermarket specializing in Asian produce and restaurant food supplies. Think of it as the Costco for Asian food. If you need to buy in bulk, this is the place to go. We frequent Rivera for our party supplies and special occasions.

Today, we visited to purchase a large jar of sweet black vinegar to prepare vinegar ginger pig feet in anticipation of my daughter's baby. We found a 2-gallon package of vinegar, perfect for our needs. Rivera carries almost everything an Asian restaurant might require: bulk-sized sauces, cases of frozen buns, wontons, dumplings, meat products, and more. The large fridge by the entrance is stocked with fresh produce, or at least it appears fresh.

However, navigating the store can be a bit challenging. The product organization isn't immediately clear, and the staff stocking the items weren't very helpful when asked for assistance—they simply shrugged. Additionally, communication can be an issue if you don't speak Spanish.

Price-wise, it varies. Some items are a great deal compared to other Asian markets like Ranch 99, HK, or 168, while others are comparable but available in larger quantities. One notable inconvenience is that they don't accept credit card payments for purchases under $100, so be sure to bring cash if your bill is below that amount.

Despite a few minor issues, Rivera Food Service is a fantastic place for bulk Asian food supplies. Whether you're preparing for a party or stocking up for your restaurant, it's...

They really need better knowledgeable reps. We got the last case of item #1 grass jelly. Our salesperson told us to get item #2 which is the same as the other item #1 that was out of stock. So we bought item #2 in a sealed case trusting him. The label in the box said what it was but when we finally open the case of 12 cans, it was the item (grass jelly), but in liquid form. The sealed case box didn’t have any labels saying liquid form. It said “Grass Jelly”. Would be nice if the salesperson who works there gave us the item that we asked for and knew his products. If out of stock, then just tell us. How can you not know your shop? Instead it was liquid form and wasn’t usable at all at our function which we open the hour right before we needed it to be served. Image...

This is a dangerous place to shop, period. Cars get broken-in, I never saw any full-time security on duty. They always mislabel prices, or no price tag at all. It's dark inside and always messy. Since the wholesale across the street (Sun Sun) opened a few months ago, I never went back to this place again. It's much cleaner and...