El Pollo Loco, a restaurant chain specializing in Mexican-style grilled chicken, has launched a new grant program to bolster Latina-owned small businesses in Los Angeles.
The company announced the program in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, which this year has taken on a special resonance as Latinx-owned businesses struggle to stay open amid the coronavirus pandemic.
"Usually Hispanic Heritage Month is a time for celebration, but this year we felt it was a time for reflection. But more importantly a time for action," Bernard Acoca, president and CEO of El Pollo Loco, told Cheddar.
Two-thirds of Latinx-owned businesses are saying "they will have to cease operations given the current economic environment today," he added. "Quite honestly, we couldn't let this stand."
So now El Pollo Loco is offering $100,000 grants to 10 Latina-owned small businesses, with hopes of driving additional business and fundraising to these companies.
"El Pollo is funding the first $100,000 as part of this grant program, but we really want to encourage the general public to join us," said Acoca, who directed those interested in supporting the businesses visit the company's GoFundMe page.
For every $10,000 it raises, he added, El Pollo Loco can save another Latina-run business.
In addition to the grants, El Pollo Loco partnered with small business aggregator #WeAllGrow Latina to develop the first Latina-owned business directory and offer mentorship services to companies struggling to adapt to the COVID era.
"So many of them have been challenged in having to kind of adapt their business to a new way of operating, certainly in Los Angeles where so much of the economy has been shut down by the pandemic," Acoca said.
To that end, El Pollo Loco itself has been thriving amid the pandemic, introducing a new line of "L.A. Mex Burritos" inspired by the company's hometown.
The former chief executive of Japanese beverage giant Suntory has acknowledged he was investigated on suspicion of possessing an illegal drug but has asserted his innocence despite resigning from his position.
Kellie Romack, Chief Digital Innovation Officer at ServiceNow, reveals the company’s latest announcement and how it’s shaping the future of work and tech.
Raina Moskowitz, CEO of The Knot Worldwide, unpacks the 2025 Global Wedding Report, from Gen Z trends to how Taylor Swift's wedding could reshape the industry.
Nestlé has dismissed its CEO Laurent Freixe after an investigation into an undisclosed relationship with a direct subordinate. The company announced on Monday that the dismissal was effective immediately. An investigation found that Freixe violated Nestlé’s code of conduct. He had been CEO for a year. Philipp Navratil, a longtime Nestlé executive, will replace him. Chairman Paul Bulcke stated that the decision was necessary to uphold the company’s values and governance. Navratil began his career with Nestlé in 2001 and has held various roles, including CEO of Nestlé's Nespresso division since 2024.
