Heritage Grocers Group names Suzy Monford CEO

Hispanic grocer Heritage Grocers Group on Monday named industry veteran Suzy Monford CEO.

Monford most recently served as CEO of Food Sport International, a global retail consulting firm. Before that, she spent less than a year as CEO at Seattle’s PCC Community Markets and a little over a year with Kroger, first as group vice president of Fresh and then as group vice president of Ecommerce New Markets, according to her LinkedIn profile.

“I look forward to helping Heritage build on its strong foundation and am honored to lead the company into its next chapter of growth,” Monford said in a statement. “Heritage’s differentiated value proposition and operational excellence will enable the business to capitalize on macroeconomic tailwinds and grow at scale over the years to come.”

Ontario, Calif.-based Heritage Grocers Group operates Hispanic grocery stores in six states under the banners Cardenas Markets, El Rancho Supermercado, Tony’s Fresh Market, and Los Altos Ranch Market.

The company formed in 2022 following the acquisition of Cardenas Markets by Apollo Funds, the owner of Tony’s Fresh Market.

Doug Sanders served as CEO of Cardenas until the acquisition, when he was named CEO of Heritage Grocers Group. Sanders left Heritage due to “personal matters,” a Heritage spokeswoman told Supermarket News Tuesday.  

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“We are thrilled to welcome Suzy as Heritage’s chairman and CEO, and are confident that her unparalleled industry experience and track record of driving transformational growth will allow her to lead the company into its next phase of growth,” Apollo partners and Heritage board members Andy Jhawar and Joanna Reiss said in a statement. “Heritage is well-positioned in the Hispanic and ethnic grocery industry, serving as a one-stop shop for the fastest-growing demographics in the United States. Under Suzy’s leadership, we expect the company to further its mission to bring fresh and affordable groceries to the communities it serves while growing and enhancing its operations.”

Heritage’s portfolio includes 58 Cardenas Markets, 29 El Rancho Supermercado stores, 21 Tony’s Fresh Market locations and seven Los Altos Ranch Markets. The grocer operates in California, Texas, Nevada, Arizona, Kansas, and Illinois.