---
title: "NRN: El Pollo Loco CMO Ed Valle makes sudden exit"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/c2a0ef2b-f8c6-4d1f-99c5-ff2e762c4fea
source: "1851 Franchise"
original_url: https://1851franchise.com/nrn-el-pollo-loco-cmo-ed-valle-makes-sudden-exit-2707008
category: "Chicken"
industry: "Restaurants"
segment: "Chicken"
topics: ["People"]
published: 2018-06-29T20:15:26.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T02:44:26.684Z
image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/72589c6dd01c81dbef909d4c304bd6f58830.jpg
---

# NRN: El Pollo Loco CMO Ed Valle makes sudden exit

**TL;DR:** El Pollo Loco's CMO Ed Valle has suddenly left the franchise, with the company stating a search is underway for a new CMO. Valle's departure comes just months after Bernard Acoca was named El Pollo Loco's new president and CEO.

*originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2018-06-29. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/nrn-el-pollo-loco-cmo-ed-valle-makes-sudden-exit-2707008).*

## Story

Today, Nation's Restaurant News reported that El Pollo Loco's CMO Ed Valle has suddenly left the franchise. The fast-food chain released a statement stating that Valle and the company “mutually agreed to part ways” on June 27.

“Mr. Valle had no disagreement with the registrant on any matter relating to the registrant’s operations, policies, or practices,” according to the SEC filing. The franchise said a search is underway for a new CMO. In the meantime, vice president of marketing Mark Hardison has been promoted to senior vice president of marketing.

Valle's departure comes just months after Bernard Acoca was named El Pollo Loco's new president and CEO. Recently Acoca and CFO Larry Roberts were quoted stating the brand is focusing “on developing a people-centric culture” and “clear articulation of brand."

## Entities

- 1851 Franchise (publication)
- Restaurants (sector)
- leadership change (topic)
- El Pollo Loco (company)
- Bernard Acoca (person)
- marketing team (topic)
- Mark Hardison (person)
- cmo exit (topic)

---
Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/nrn-el-pollo-loco-cmo-ed-valle-makes-sudden-exit-2707008). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/c2a0ef2b-f8c6-4d1f-99c5-ff2e762c4fea).