One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This archival content was originally written for and published on KPCC.org. Keep in mind that links and images may no longer work — and references may be outdated.
Jesus Cardenas, founder of Cardenas Markets chain, dies at age 73
A Cardenas Market in Fontana.
(
Courtesy Cardenas Market
)
Listen
3:16
Jesus Cardenas, founder of Cardenas Markets chain, dies at age 73
Jesus Cardenas, a Mexican migrant worker who built a successful supermarket chain in Southern California, has died. He was 73.
The Riverside Press-Enterprise reports that Cardenas, who lived in Rancho Cucamonga, died March 5 of cancer.
His Cardenas Markets chain has some 30 stores in Southern California and Las Vegas, employing more than 3,000 workers.
RELATED: Grocery wars in Southern California set precedent for nation
Cardenas came to the United States as a teenager from Jalisco, Mexico. He worked at local farms and in the 1970s traded some tools for a pregnant pig. That was the start of a successful hog farm. In 1981, he opened the first Cardenas Market in Ontario, selling meat and ethnic foods.
Cardenas was president and CEO for three decades. His wife is a vice president and his four children are involved in operations.
This story has been updated from an earlier version: Cardenas died on March 5
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
