Suzy Monford Named CEO at Heritage Grocers Group
Heritage Grocers Group (HGG) has appointed industry veteran Suzy Monford as chair and CEO. She is a two-time winner of Progressive Grocer’s Top Women in Grocery awards.
Most recently, Monford was CEO of global consulting firm Food Sport International in Seattle. She founded that organization following a tenure as CEO of PCC Community Markets in the state of Washington, where she was credited with growing membership to more than 100,000 customers. Her 25-year background includes a group VP role at The Kroger Co. and a CEO position at Andronico’s Community Markets, among other industry jobs. She began her career as director of foodservice, bakery, deli and cheese at Central Market and earned a degree in economics from The University of Texas at Austin.
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HGG board members said she is the right leader to steer HGG at a time when the specialty and Hispanic grocer is expanding its business. “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. 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,” said board members and Apollo partners Andy Jhawar and Joanna Reiss in a joint statement. “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.”
Monford says she’s eager to get to work in her new position. “I look forward to helping Heritage build on its strong foundation and am honored to lead the company into its next chapter of growth,” she said. “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. I am excited to lead Heritage and its brands, and to serve our customers, team members, and communities, while honoring the uniqueness of each of our banners across the country.”
It’s been a busy couple of years for HGG. The company acquired Texas-based chain El Rancho Supermercado in 2023 and recently updated stores and loyalty programs at its Tony’s Fresh Market banner.
HGG operates in California, Texas, Nevada, Arizona, Kansas and Illinois, with a total of 58 stores under the Cardenas Markets banner, 29 stores under the El Rancho Supermercado banner, 21 stores under the Tony’s Fresh Market banner and seven stores under the Los Altos Ranch Market banner. It is backed by private equity firm Apollo Global Management, Inc.
