Jeanette Halum

Grocery stores are in Jeanette Halum’s blood. Her grandfather opened the family’s first market in Los Angeles in the 1980s, and the business eventually expanded with specialty carnicerías in the Coachella Valley. In  June 2025, when her mom and brother launched El Toro Loco in La Quinta — the family’s first artisan market concept — they turned to Halum to steer its offerings.

Drawing on a background in fashion merchandising, extensive travel, and her commitment to feeding her five children whole foods, Halum seeks out products that are high-quality, healthy, and good-tasting for the valley she’s always called home. “The newer generation is more health-conscious,” she says. “I  try to bring healthier options to the desert, offering high-quality food for families. … Hearing people’s comments like, ‘This is everything we’ve always wanted,’ makes me feel proud.”

Halum hopes to be remembered for creating a healthier way to shop and setting an example her children can follow. “I am always moving. I don’t like to sit still. I want to show my kids that you can do it all.”