14 • September | October 2026 • abasto.com • NEWS BY HERNANDO RAMÍREZ-SANTOS V allarta Supermarkets has strengthe- ned its leadership bench by naming José Manuel Cordero to the newly created role of Chief of Stores. The promotion caps a 35-year career that began when Corde- ro was a teenage clerk, and it signals how the grocery chain builds its leadership team as it expands across California and Arizona. Cordero’s rise from the sales floor to the executive suite gives Vallarta a leader who has worked nearly every job in a supermar- ket. That depth of experience now shapes how the company approaches store opera- tions heading into 2026. Cordero joined Vallarta at age 16, wor- king as a chicharronero and courtesy clerk. He had no executive ambitions then. He simply needed a job. That first shift turned into a career span- ning more than three decades. Vallarta points to his trajectory as proof that frontli- ne workers can climb into senior leadership roles within the company. Every Role in the Store Shaped His Path From that entry-level start, Cordero moved through nearly every department a grocery store operates. He worked as a meat dispat- cher, meat cutter, produce clerk, grocery clerk and cashier before stepping into ma- nagement. Later, he served as scan coordinator, assis- tant store director and store director. He then advanced to district manager, lead district ma- nager and vice president of operations. Few executives in food retail can claim that kind of hands-on résumé. It’s exactly the kind of background Vallarta Supermar- kets leadership has come to rely on as the company expands its store count. Colleagues describe Cordero as energetic and relentlessly optimistic. Those traits, the company says, have defined his leadership style for years. He has focused on developing managers, building cohesive teams and creating room for employees to advance. That mindset now extends across Vallarta’s full store ne- twork as he steps into his new role. Vallarta Supermarkets Leadership Grows from Within Family and Company Culture Anchor His Gratitude Cordero framed the promotion as a shared achievement rather than a personal one. “This promotion is not just about me,” he said in a statement released by the com- pany. He credited his team members for the milestone. He also thanked the Gonzalez family, Va- llarta’s ownership group, for the trust and support that allowed him to grow internally rather than seek opportunities elsewhere. Their backing, he said, has kept the door open for employees who put in the work. Cordero saved his closing words for his wife and children, acknowledging the sacri- fices a demanding retail career requires. He called grocery work “a beautiful but deman- ding profession” and credited his family’s patience for making his rise possible. Looking ahead, Cordero said he plans to listen closely to store teams and build on the foundation that has carried Vallarta for generations. That foundation, he added, belongs to everyone who has worked along- side him. Vallarta Supermarkets launched in Cali- fornia in 1985 and has grown steadily ever since. The chain now operates 65 stores across California and Arizona, employing more than 9,000 team members as of 2026. José Manuel Cordero, new Head of Stores at Supermerca- dos Vallarta.