Vallarta Supermarkets Welcomes Entrepreneur Ellen Bennett to VIP Program

Independent Latino grocer Vallarta Supermarkets has added entrepreneur Ellen Marie Bennett, founder and CEO of Hedley & Bennett, a Los Angeles-based culinary workwear brand, and author of “Dream First, Details Later: How to Quit Overthinking & Make It Happen!” to the Vallarta Influencer & Partner (VIP) Program to help inspire Latinas to own their independence as future entrepreneurs and leaders. 

The retailer will donate 200 copies of Bennett’s book to two Latina nonprofit organizations, Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE) and the National Latina Business Women Association (NLBWA), Los Angeles. The book details Bennett’s progress from a line cook to owner of her own business, a multimillion-dollar apron and kitchen gear brand.

“Vallarta is pleased to welcome Ellen to our VIP Program and share her dynamic entrepreneurial spirit and personal drive with women who have or are considering launching their own business,” said Vallarta VP of Marketing Andrew Lewis. “Ellen is already a fan of Vallarta, and she’ll be sharing exclusive recipes with our Vallarta shoppers.”

Bennett went to culinary school in Mexico City, where she rekindled the joys of summer cooking sessions with her abuelita (grandma). Returning to Los Angeles, she worked in two Michelin Star restaurants, Providence and Baco Mercat, where she came up the idea to create an apron that combined the needs of professional chefs with current design trends. Hedley & Bennett currently makes culinary workwear and gear for more than 6,000 restaurants, hotels, coffee shops, resorts and hundreds of thousands of home cooks all over the world.

Founded in 1985, Sylmar, Calif.-based Vallarta operates 52 locations throughout California.