Heritage Grocers Group confirmed the acquisition of El Rancho Supermercado, a Hispanic supermarket chain with 28 stores in Texas and Kansas.
Marisa Kutansky, Director of Communications of Cardenas Markets, in an email to Abasto, wrote that “the acquisition of El Rancho Supermercado aligns with our growth strategy and will make a great addition to the Heritage Grocers Group portfolio of companies.”
Global investment firm Apollo established Heritage Grocers Group after acquiring Cardenas Markets in June 2022. It is an ethnic specialty grocery group that offers a wide assortment of traditional and specialty grocery products to the communities it serves.
The company is based in Ontario, CA, and upon completion of this transaction, the Heritage store count will increase from 85 to 113, with 57 stores under the Cardenas Markets banner (California and Nevada), 21 stores under the Tony’s Fresh Market banner (Illinois), seven stores under the Los Altos Ranch Market banner (Arizona), and now 28 stores under the El Rancho Supermercado banner (Texas and Kansas).
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In a letter to vendors, Eric Stover, CEO of Cardenas Markets, informed them about the acquisition.
“El Rancho Supermercado will continue to operate under its own banner within Heritage, and its employees will be warmly welcomed into the Heritage Grocers Group family. The team at El Rancho Supermercado has built a strong brand and long-standing relationship with its customers, and by leveraging our collective strengths, El Rancho Supermercado can deliver even greater value to its loyal customers across Texas and Kansas,” said Stover.
El Rancho Supermercado will remain based in Texas and continue operating as its own banner within the Heritage Grocers Group company. In addition, all El Rancho Team Members will be gradually integrated and warmly welcomed into the Heritage family, the company said.
“As we work hand-in-hand through the details of integration and identify synergies that enhance the overall customer shopping experience for our respective customers, rest assured we will also work together to identify opportunities that may grow and strengthen this partnership,” said Stover.
El Rancho Supermercado, founded in 1988, operates 28 stores in Dallas, Houston, Odessa, and Kansas. They have about 3,500 employees.