Dive Brief:
- Heritage Grocers Group has named David Hinojosa as its new CEO, according to a Friday announcement.
- The Hispanic grocery company has been without a CEO since last July, when Suzy Monford stepped down to pursue other opportunities. Heritage established an Office of the CEO to guide the company as it searched for a replacement.
- Hinojosa, who was previously chief operating officer at Vallarta Supermarkets, also brings experience from H-E-B and ShopRite to the top role. Under Hinojosa’s leadership, Heritage plans to accelerate growth across the four banners it operates, per the press release.
Dive Insight:
Hinojosa is stepping into his new role as chief executive of Heritage against a backdrop of strong shopper interest in multicultural food stores. The company said it selected him for the position after conducting a national search to recruit its next leader.
He is moving to Heritage after serving since 2023 as chief operating officer of Vallarta Supermarkets, a California-based chain that specializes in Mexican food.
“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,” David Hirz, Heritage’s chairman, said in a statement. “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.”
Heritage operates 115 grocery stores in six states under banners including Cardenas Markets, El Rancho Supermercado, Tony’s Fresh Market banner and Los Altos Ranch Market. In addition to expanding its banners, Heritage also plans to invest in its fresh assortment with Hinojosa at the helm, the company said.
Hinojosa has experience working for retailers on three continents. He began his career as a part-time night stocker at Walmart while a college student and then spent nearly 17 years at H-E-B, where he managed 10 stores and held corporate and regional leadership positions. Hinojosa moved on to senior roles for a distributor in Australia as well as a grocer in Thailand and later worked as an executive for ShopRite in the United States.
Hinojosa’s arrival continues a tumultuous period for Heritage that has seen the grocery company make multiple high-level executive changes. The company named a chief financial officer and a chief transformation officer during the first half of 2025 before abruptly parting ways with Monford without providing a reason for her departure. When Monford became Heritage’s CEO in 2024, the company’s board said it expected her to “lead the company into its next phase of growth.”
