Heritage Grocers Group Appoints Chief Administrative Officer
Heritage Grocers Group (HGG), the largest Hispanic and ethnic food retailer in the United States, has named Leticia G. Espinoza to the position of chief administrative officer (CAO). Reporting directly to HGG Chairman and CEO Suzy Monford, Espinoza, who was previously chief legal and human resources officer, will oversee real estate, loss prevention, corporate affairs, communications, legal, risk management and human resources across all Heritage banner companies.
“Leticia’s appointment is a reflection of her exceptional leadership, deep expertise, and dedication to our people and mission,” noted Monford. “Her impact as chief legal and human resources officer has been instrumental in strengthening our organization, and this expanded role is a well-earned recognition of her contributions. I am confident she will continue to foster a culture of integrity and innovation across all our banners.”
Her accomplishments in the grocery industry have been recognized by Progressive Grocer, which chose her as a Top Woman in Grocery (TWIG) in the Senior-Level Executives category in both 2022 and 2025. She is also the recipient of the Professional Achievement Award from the Mexican American Bar Foundation.
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Espinoza joined the Cardenas Markets banner in 2019 as general counsel and corporate secretary, bringing to that position extensive in-house legal experience from her time at Bodega Latina Corp. (now Chedraui USA). In 2021, she was promoted to chief legal officer. With more than 25 years of legal experience, more than two decades of which have been in executive in-house roles for both publicly traded and privately owned organizations, Espinoza has deep expertise in corporate law, labor and employment law, legal department management, human resources, compliance, risk management, construction, real estate, and financial services.
She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California and a Juris Doctor from Cornell Law School. Additionally, Espinoza serves on the board of directors for the Cardenas Markets Foundation, the Heritage Grocers Group Foundation, Manos y Corazones Unidos Foundation, Olive Crest Roundtable and the Arizona Food Marketing Alliance.
Ontario, Calif.-based HGG operates in six states – California, Texas, Nevada, Arizona, Kansas and Illinois – with 57 stores under the Cardenas Markets banner, 29 stores under the El Rancho Supermercado banner, 21 stores under Tony’s Fresh Market banner and seven stores under the Los Altos Ranch Market banner. The company is No. 70 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2025 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.
