At Groceryshop 2025, Heritage Grocers Group COO Prabash Coswatte broke down what it takes to run four distinct grocery banners—each rooted in local culture but united under one operational playbook.
Heritage’s banners—Cardenas, Los Altos, Tony’s, and El Rancho— serve diverse regions like California, Chicago, and Texas. What sets them apart is store-made tortillas, cakes from scratch, and full-service butchers—all happening alongside tech-driven inventory systems and self-checkouts.
The idea of the “groceraunt”—a grocery-meets-restaurant experience—is central. Stores aren’t just about stocking shelves; they offer hot meals, the smell of fresh food, and that unbeatable sense of community.
Competition between stores is serious. Each Monday, Coswatte sends performance emails benchmarking sales, basket sizes, and efficiency metrics. What started as simple updates now fuel internal rivalries—every store wants to be on top.
Heritage has also optimized inventory and delivery schedules to avoid waste while meeting regional needs. Smart fresh item management tools help ensure quality and cut spoilage.
Pricing systems allow real-time adjustments—crucial during economic shifts.
On consolidation, Coswatte is clear: mid-tier grocers need scale to survive, but scale shouldn’t come at the expense of what makes each store local and beloved.
The future of grocery is a careful blend of community loyalty, operational scale, and practical tech—plus a little Monday morning motivation.
