Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (CA-18) will attend President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Feb. 24 with guest Lupe Lopez, co-founder of Gilroy-based Arteaga’s Food Center.
“Today marks Trump’s 400th day in office, and it has been 400 days of disaster for the American economy,” Rep. Lofgren said. “Will he use the State of the Union tonight to try and put a positive spin on this mess he’s created? The American people are feeling the consequences of Republicans’ harmful policies.
“They feel it every time they go to the grocery store and are crushed by Trump’s illegal tariffs that raise the price of everyday goods. I am happy to have Lupe Lopez joining me, a local grocer who has seen firsthand the impacts of Trump’s reckless and unconstitutional tariffs.”
The typical American family spent $310 more for groceries during Trump’s first year in office compared to 2024, Lofgren’s office said in a press release. This includes $76 more for ground coffee, $71 more for raw ground beef and $52 more for eggs.
“As an independent grocer, I see my customers struggling every day to keep food on the table and to pay for housing and electricity,” Lopez said. “I hope Donald Trump will present a clear plan to bring real relief to our working families by lowering grocery costs, eliminating burdensome tariffs, addressing excessive credit card processing fees and reducing energy expenses.”
Lopez, in addition to being co-founder of Arteaga’s Food Center, serves as chair of the Government Relations Committee for the National Grocers Association (NGA). She was also chosen as the 2018 Woman of the Year by the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce.
Arteaga’s is a family-owned business with eight locations in Northern California, including three in California’s 18th Congressional District and one on First Street in Gilroy. It has been honored as Small Business of the Year by the California State Assembly.
