Heritage Grocers Group names chairman, CEO

Heritage Grocers Group, a specialty grocer focused on serving the Hispanic community, says Suzy Monford has assumed the role of CEO.

Monford is a seasoned industry executive with more than 25 years of experience and a proven track record of transformational leadership and innovation at industry-leading food retailers, the company said in a news release. She currently serves as CEO for Food Sport International, a global consultancy that advises retailers on financial and impact value creation.

“I look forward to helping Heritage build on its strong foundation and am honored to lead the company into its next chapter of growth,” Monford 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.”

Prior to her role at Food Sport International, Monford was the CEO for PCC Community Markets, where she grew membership to over 100,000 for the first time in co-op history, according to the release. Before that, she served as a president and group vice president for Kroger and as CEO for Andronico’s Community Markets, earning Top Woman in Grocery honors twice in four years.

Across her career, she has spearheaded innovative growth initiatives that improved sales and profitability by bolstering merchandising, marketing, operations and digital capabilities, the release said.

“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," Apollo Partners and Heritage Board members Andy Jhawar and Joanna Reiss said in a joint statement in the release. "Heritage is well positioned in the Hispanic and ethnic grocery industry, serving as a one-stop shop for the fastest-growing demographics in the U.S. 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.”