Amapola owner honored ahead of masa giveaway

Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn presented Amapola Deli and Market president Rolando Pozos with a proclamation Tuesday recognizing the company's exceptional community philanthropy and commitment to supporting underserved communities throughout Los Angeles County.

Amapola is a Latino-owned supermarket chain headquartered in Santa Fe Springs known for its high-quality masa and extensive selection of Latino cuisine.

“From our partnership to get Thanksgiving meals and tamal kits to families in need, to supporting scholarships for Latino youth, Amapola Market has earned its place as a beloved and respected institution in the communities it serves. They have shown how a local business can be a force for good, preserving our traditions while making a real difference in people’s lives,” said Hahn.

Hahn highlighted Amapola Market’s partnerships with her office’s community initiatives, including the recent Thanksgiving Meal Giveaway which provided turkeys and ingredients to needy families, and her upcoming masa giveaway events this Saturday in South Whittier and Walnut Park, which are open to residents of unincorporated Whittier, Whittier, Walnut Park, Huntington Park, South Gate, Lynwood, Cudahy, Bell, Bell Gardens Maywood, and Commerce.

Accepting the proclamation, Rolando Pozos, President of Amapola Market, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to giving back.

“At Amapola Market, the community is at the heart of everything we do,” he said. “Whether it’s providing masa for family celebrations, supporting scholarships for Latino students, or partnering with Supervisor Hahn on meal giveaways, we take pride in making a positive impact. We are honored to receive this recognition and will continue to serve the communities that have supported us for generations.”

In addition to these efforts, Amapola Market extended its support to the Latino Equality Alliance's Youth Scholarship Program in 2024. Through a fundraising campaign featuring the sale of the custom-made "200% Latinx" reusable shopping bags, the company helped fund scholarships to empower the next generation of LGBTQ+ Latinx leaders.

Hahn's first masa giveaways last year attracted 400 participants. This year, Hahn will give away 1,000 kits to include a 10lb bag of fresh tamal masa and a bag of chiles secos. Hahn provided a $25,300 grant to The Whole Child for the purchase of the kits from Amapola, which provided the goods at a discount and delivery at no extra cost.