HGG Appoints David Hinojosa as CEO
Heritage Grocers Group Appoints David Hinojosa as Chief Executive Officer Following Comprehensive National Search
Heritage Grocers Group (“Heritage” or “HGG”) is pleased to announce the appointment of David Hinojosa as its new Chief Executive Officer, following a comprehensive search led by the Board of Directors. Hinojosa will lead Heritage into its next phase of growth, with a continued focus on operational excellence, fresh food leadership, and strengthening the company’s deep connection to the communities it serves. Under Hinojosa’s leadership, Heritage plans to accelerate strategic growth across its banners while continuing to invest in fresh foods, operational excellence, and community-driven retail experiences.
“Over the past several months, the Board set out to identify a leader who brings exceptional industry experience and genuinely reflects the values that define Heritage Grocers Group,” said David Hirz, Chairman of the Board of Heritage Grocers Group. David’s operational expertise, humble servant-leadership style, and deep experience in Hispanic and community-focused retail is deeply aligned with our commitment to authenticity, freshness and affordability.”
“It is an honor and a privilege to join Heritage Grocers Group,” Hinojosa said. “Heritage’s commitment to serving diverse communities, honoring culture, and delivering exceptional fresh food reflects the values that have guided my career. I look forward to building on the strong foundation already in place while working alongside our talented teams to drive growth, innovation, and meaningful value for the families and communities we proudly serve.”
Hinojosa is an accomplished retail executive with more than three decades of experience across the United States, Australia, and Asia. He began his retail career at age 17 as a part-time night stocker at Walmart while attending Whittier College. During his senior year, he was recruited by Texas-based H-E-B, where he went on to manage 10 stores and serve in both corporate and regional leadership roles over his 17-year tenure. His career then expanded internationally, first as Executive Vice President of Metcash in Sydney, Australia, and later as Chief Operating Officer of Makro in Bangkok, Thailand. After returning to the United States, he held executive leadership roles at ShopRite in the Northeast before joining Vallarta Supermarkets as Chief Operating Officer in 2023.
Hinojosa holds a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing and Finance from Whittier College. He completed Harvard Business School’s General Management Program and the Executive Food Management Program at Cornell University. He also serves on the boards of directors for the Western Association of Food Chains (WAFC) and the Food Industry Association (FMI).
Support for the American Heart Association
The Cardenas Markets Foundation Continues Its Support for the American Heart Association
Ontario, California (March 9, 2026) – The Cardenas Markets Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Heritage Grocers Group’s Cardenas Markets banner, proudly continues its support of the American Heart Association to advance heart health initiatives across the communities it serves.
“Our communities are at the heart of everything we do, and advancing heart health is one of the most impactful ways we can honor that commitment,” said Marisa Kutansky, Secretary of the Cardenas Markets Foundation and member of the American Heart Association Inland Empire Executive Leadership Team. “By standing alongside the American Heart Association, we’re helping to inspire hope, empower families, and build a healthier future for the communities we are privileged to serve.”
As part of this ongoing commitment, all Cardenas Markets locations hosted in-store round-up campaigns, collectively raising $25,000 to support the American Heart Association’s mission to improve cardiovascular health through education, research, and community-based programs. This year’s fundraising efforts will also help provide CPR training kits to local youth sports organizations, equipping coaches, volunteers, and young athletes with lifesaving skills.
On February 6, Cardenas Markets Team Members also participated in National Wear Red Day, helping raise awareness about women’s heart health.
Looking ahead, the Cardenas Markets Foundation will proudly support the upcoming Inland Empire Heart Walk, taking place April 25 at ONT Field. The event will bring together Team Members, families, customers, and community partners to encourage heart-healthy lifestyles and celebrate survivors.
To help build excitement for the Heart Walk, the Foundation is also participating in the Heart Walk Torch Journey 2026, a cherished American Heart Association tradition in which a ceremonial torch travels across cities leading up to event day symbolizing unity, resilience, and shared commitment to heart health.
The Cardenas Markets Foundation is proud to continue its longstanding partnership with the American Heart Association and remains committed to advancing heart health and strengthening the well-being of the communities it serves.
HGG Promotes Orma Haywood
Heritage Grocers Group Promotes Orma Haywood to Corporate Controller
Ontario, California (February 12, 2026) – Heritage Grocers Group (“Heritage” or “HGG”), one of the largest Hispanic and ethnic food retailers in the country, is pleased to announce the promotion of Orma Haywood to the position of Corporate Controller.
Reporting directly to Matthew Holt, Chief Financial Officer for Heritage Grocers Group, Haywood will oversee accounting operations, financial reporting, and internal controls to ensure accuracy, compliance, and continued operational excellence for all Heritage banner companies which include Cardenas Markets, Tony’s Fresh Market, El Rancho Supermercado, and Los Altos Ranch Markets.
“Orma has demonstrated exceptional leadership, deep expertise, and a strong commitment to our business,” said Holt. “As Corporate Controller, she will continue to apply her strong financial acumen and leadership to support the company’s long-term success.”
Haywood most recently served as the Accounting Controller for Heritage Grocers Group. Prior to joining the Company, Orma held a series of progressive leadership roles, including Controller at US Continental Marketing, Inc.; Assistant Controller at Pacific Consolidated Industries; Accounting Manager at Contemporary Services Corporation; and Assistant Controller at Kairak, Inc. She began her career in public accounting with Fishman & Jones, CPAs and Steve Fishman, CPA, where she built a strong foundation in financial reporting, tax compliance, payroll, and regulatory filings.
She holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from California State University, Los Angeles. Haywood is a Certified Public Accountant (California) and has been recognized by Progressive Grocer as a Top Woman in Grocery (TWiG).
Pumpkins with a Purpose
Heritage Grocers Group Launches “Pumpkins with a Purpose” Campaign to Benefit Local Children’s Hospitals
Ontario, California (October 9, 2025) – Heritage Grocers Group (“Heritage” or “HGG”), one of the nation’s leading Hispanic food retailers, through its charitable arms the Cardenas Markets Foundation, Tony’s Charitable Foundation, and Manos y Corazones Unidos is proud to launch its first annual Pumpkins with a Purpose campaign, running from now through October 31, 2025. This heartfelt initiative is designed to raise vital funds for children and families receiving care at local children’s hospitals across the communities we serve.
“At the heart of everything we do is a deep commitment to our communities,” said Adam Salgado, President & Executive Director, HGG Foundation. “Pumpkins with a Purpose is more than a campaign. It is a celebration of compassion, generosity, and the power of coming together to support children and families during some of their most challenging times.”
Customers shopping at participating store locations will have two meaningful ways to contribute: Round-Up Donations At checkout, customers are invited to round up their purchase totals to the nearest dollar.
Scannable Pumpkin Cards Customers may also choose to purchase a Pumpkin with a Purpose by donating $1, $3, or $5 at checkout.
Proceeds from these efforts will benefit:
- Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital (Southern California)
- Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health (Northern California)
- University Medical Center (UMC) Foundation (Las Vegas)
- Phoenix Children’s Hospital (Phoenix)
- Children’s Medical Center Dallas – Children’s Health (Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex)
- Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center (Houston)
- IWS Family Health (Chicago)
HGG Partners with Upshop
Heritage Grocers Group Elevates Fresh Prepared Foods Strategy with Predictive Analytics to Serve Diverse Communities at Scale
ONTARIO, CALIF. — August 12, 2025 — Heritage Grocers Group (HGG), a leading Hispanic and ethnic food retailer, today announced a strategic transformation in how it plans and produces fresh prepared foods. By shifting from experience-based methods to a cutting-edge, data-driven production planning system, HGG aims to enhance product availability, optimize labor, and better serve the rich diversity of the communities it calls home.
“Leveraging predictive analytics, this system will enhance market demand fulfillment and boost sales through optimized product availability and superior customer experience,” said Prabash Coswatte, Chief Operating Officer for Heritage Grocers Group.
Headquartered in Ontario, California, HGG operates across six states—California, Texas, Nevada, Arizona, Kansas, and Illinois—under four beloved banners: Cardenas Markets, El Rancho Supermercado, Tony’s Fresh Market, and Los Altos Ranch Market. Across these regions, HGG is recognized not only for its extensive fresh offerings, but also for delivering authentic food experiences that resonate with multicultural shoppers.
The decision to revamp its production strategy is backed by a compelling insight: multicultural families are driving America’s fresh prepared food revolution. According to the International Dairy Deli Bakery Association (IDDBA), 76% of Hispanic, 70% of Asian American, and 69% of African American shoppers purchase prepared foods at grocery stores—compared to just 59% of white/Caucasian shoppers. This trend is fueled by a desire for quick, high-quality meals that reflect cultural traditions and suit the needs of larger family units.
“Fresh prepared isn’t just about convenience anymore—it’s about cultural connection,” said Coswatte. “From carnitas and caldo to pan dulce and pozole, our customers are asking for ready-made meals that feel like home. This new system ensures we meet that demand, store by store, hour by hour.”
Mike Sanders, CEO of Upshop, the technology partner behind this transformation, added, “We believe the future of retail excellence lies in the power of AI and a single, unified operations platform. By streamlining forecasting, labor, and production into one intelligent system, we’re helping retailers like Heritage Grocers Group move from good to great—maximizing efficiency, minimizing waste, and most importantly, delivering a better experience for every shopper, every day.”
What the New System Delivers:
• Elevated Sales: By improving freshness and minimizing stockouts, HGG ensures customers can find what they need—when they need it.
• Smarter Demand & Team Planning: Forecasting tools align staffing with actual demand, particularly in service meat and deli departments.
• Efficiency Gains: Batch processing for cutting and wrapping reduces prep time and allows employees to focus on customer-facing roles.
• Better Service: Fewer wait times and more consistent product availability enhance the in-store experience.
• Workforce Optimization: Scheduling is tailored to each store’s unique production rhythm, improving labor utilization and employee satisfaction.
With multicultural consumers also driving mainstream adoption of global flavors, according to Nielsen, this initiative not only modernizes operations—it secures HGG’s leadership position at the heart of America’s evolving food landscape.
This is more than a systems upgrade. It’s a reaffirmation of HGG’s belief that culture and technology can—and must—coexist in the aisles where families shop, celebrate, and connect.
About Upshop Upshop is the leading provider of AI-powered retail operations software, helping grocers and convenience stores sell more and waste less through a unified platform that synchronizes forecasting, ordering, production, and inventory across the store. From Fresh to Center Store, DSD to eCommerce, Upshop empowers better decisions, faster actions, and more connected teams—improving labor efficiency, reducing shrink, and driving profitability.
With over 450 retailers and 50,000+ stores globally relying on Upshop to manage mission-critical operations, the impact is evident: In fact, one national grocer utilizing eCommerce order management and fulfillment functionality reported over $14 million in annual savings, in addition to increased basket sizes when using conversational commerce.
To learn more about the Total Store Operations Experience, visit https://upshop.com/, and watch customer testimonials at Upshop Total Store Operations Experience – YouTube.
HGG Announces Return of Loteria Sweepstakes
Loteria Scratcher Sweepstakes Now Expanded Across All Banner Companies
Ontario, Calif. (June 19, 2024) – Heritage Grocers Group (“Heritage” or “HGG”), one of the leading Hispanic food retailers in the country, announced today the return of its annual Loteria Scratcher Sweepstakes program, now through August 19. With the ‘Loteria Scratcher Sweepstakes,’ program customers of all HGG banner stores – Cardenas Markets, El Rancho Supermercado, Tony’s Fresh Market and Los Altos Ranch Market – can play for a chance to win their share of a combined $1.5 million in prizes.
Colloquially also known as “Mexican Bingo,” Loteria is an iconic game and cultural symbol that celebrates rich cultures and connects people of all ages – an effort that heavily resonates with HGG’s mission. This year is Cardenas Markets’ fourth year running the program, and the first year that Loteria Scratcher Sweepstakes is available at all 115 HGG banner company stores.
“At Heritage, we pride ourselves on creating a place where community thrives, where people can come together and feed their families with affordable, fresh and authentic products that are representative of their culture and identity,” said Adam Salgado, Chief Marketing Officer of HGG. “In line with this effort, we are thrilled to welcome back and expand our ‘Loteria Scratcher Sweepstakes,’ program so all our dedicated customers have a chance to win. Playing is easy, and it’s a very fun way for people to come together, to connect with community and for us to give back to our loyal customers.”
Through the purchase of participating products indicated with green tags throughout the store, customers will receive (1) ‘Lotería Scratcher Card’ with an instant win prize or a code for a Free Digital Scratcher*.
Digital scratchers can be accessed by visiting respective banner websites https://www.cardenasmarkets.com/loteria/, https://elranchoinc.com/loteria, and https://www.tonysfreshmarket.com/loteria, and registering the unique code found on each scratcher for a chance to win prizes such as gift cards, electronics, or home electronic items. Participants may even have the opportunity to play in a Lotería Scratcher Sweepstakes semi-final game for a chance to win free Groceries for a Year, $10,000 or the grand prize of up to $50,000. Sweepstakes participants have a 1 in 5 chance to win great instant-win prizes for products that can be redeemed during their next shopping trip.
*No purchase necessary; purchase does not increase your odds of winning.
Backpack Giveaways at All Store Locations!
Ontario, California (August 3, 2023) – Cardenas Markets, one of the largest Hispanic grocery chains in the country, is excited to help local students prepare for the new school year by providing them with free backpacks.
On Saturday, August 5, 2023, beginning at 8:00 a.m., all Cardenas Markets and Los Altos Ranch Markets store locations will distribute backpacks to children (ages 5-13) and accompanied by an adult, while supplies last.
“Our backpack giveaway is designed to help local students start the new school year prepared and ready to learn while also helping local families reduce back-to-school expenses,” said Adam Salgado, Chief Marketing Officer for Cardenas Markets. “We are a pillar of support in every community where we operate, and our customers can always count on us to be there for them.”
Celebrating Día Del Niño
Ontario, California (April 27, 2023) – Día del Niño is a traditional celebration that takes place annually in Mexico on Apr. 30, and focuses on the importance of loving, accepting, and appreciating children.
In honor and celebration of Día del Niño, the Cardenas Markets Foundation is providing funds totaling $20,000 dollars to organizations that advance and support children’s well-being initiatives.
These organizations include Children’s Fund (San Bernardino, CA), Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital (Loma Linda, CA), Building Bridges Foster Family Agency (Ontario, CA), UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Foundation (Oakland, CA), Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital (Palo Alto, CA), Be a Mentor (Hayward, CA), Phoenix Children’s Hospital (Phoenix, AZ), Defender of Children (Phoenix, AZ), University Medical Center Foundation (Las Vegas, NV) and Street Teens (Las Vegas, NV).
“Día del Niño or Children’s Day is about recognizing and celebrating children,” said Adam Salgado, Cardenas Markets Foundation President, and Chief Marketing Officer for Cardenas Markets. “For the Cardenas Markets Foundation, it’s also about taking action to advocate for children’s livelihood and sense of well-being in every community where we operate, and we are honored to partner with these organizations to assist in furthering their respective missions,” Salgado added.
In addition to supporting local organizations that promote children’s well-being, on Apr. 30 every Cardenas Markets store location will also celebrate by offering chocolate chip cookies to children, while supplies last.
Click here for more information about the Cardenas Markets Foundation.
Eric Stover Promoted to CEO of Cardenas Markets
Ontario, California (March 22, 2023) – Heritage Grocers Group is pleased to announce the promotion of Eric Stover to the position of Division Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cardenas Markets.
In this position Stover will continue to report directly to Doug Sanders, Chairman & CEO for Heritage Grocers Group (HGG), the parent company of Cardenas Markets.
“Eric’s promotion to Division CEO supports the company’s strategy and overall growth plan. Serving as Chief Merchandising Officer for Cardenas since 2020, he led multiple, successful initiatives focused on meeting and expanding our customer’s evolving food preferences while optimizing their shopping experiences, both in-store and online,” Sanders said. “Eric is a strong leader with extensive experience and vision, and I am confident that he will do an excellent job leading the exceptional team at Cardenas Markets,” Sanders added.
As Stover assumes the role of CEO for Cardenas Markets, Sanders will allocate more of his time to executing the company’s expansion strategy across the entire HGG portfolio of companies.
Stover joined Cardenas Markets in March of 2020 bringing more than 35 years of food industry experience to his most recent position of Chief Merchandising Officer. Prior to joining Cardenas Markets, Stover held leadership roles in merchandising and operations for several food retailers including Wild Oats, Henry’s Farmers Market, and Sprouts Farmers Market. He also held senior roles with wholesale and distribution companies including United Natural Foods (UNFI) and KeHE Distributors.
Stover studied Business Administration and Psychology at the University of Texas at Arlington. He also serves on the board of directors for the Western Association of Food Chains (WAFC) and sits on the Food Industry Round Table for Olive Crest.