El Pollo Loco Pays Homage to Black History Month with New Mural Installation

COSTA MESA, Calif., Feb. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- El Pollo Loco, Inc. (“El Pollo Loco” or “Company”) (Nasdaq: LOCO), the nation’s leading fire-grilled chicken restaurant chain, is celebrating Black History Month with the commission of a new mural on the wall of its Vernon Ave. restaurant in South Los Angeles, which abuts Crenshaw Blvd., the iconic thoroughfare known to many Angelenos as the cultural and commercial spine of Black LA. The installation is an extension of El Pollo Loco’s continued commitment to arts and community in its hometown.

Local artist Enkone (ing kwä nē) curated the new mural, which reflects his perspective of Black History Month and encapsulates what it represents to him and the local community. Enkone lives in the Crenshaw district and is one of dozens of artists who helped create the beloved ‘Great Wall of Crenshaw,’ an 800-foot mural located a few blocks south of the Vernon Ave. El Pollo Loco restaurant that celebrates the historical contributions of Black Americans through the ages.

“This new mural is a tribute to Black American culture and a continuation of El Pollo Loco’s ongoing commitment to supporting the communities we serve,” El Pollo Loco President and Chief Executive Officer Bernard Acoca said. “We collaborate with local artists to use our restaurants as canvases, so we can foster the vibrant street art tradition that made our hometown the mural capital of the world, and we want this latest installation to become a beacon of pride in the community that instills hope and positivity in local residents and visitors walking by.”

To show additional support to LA’s Black community during Black History Month, 5% of the Vernon Ave. restaurant’s February sales will be donated to local organization Brotherhood Crusade, which benefits the needs of South LA's underserved communities by providing job skill services, food vouchers, financial assistance and more.

“Black History Month is an opportunity to uplift and highlight the beauty, diversity and value of Black culture in South Los Angeles youth and families,” Brotherhood Crusade President and CEO Charisse Bremond Weaver said. “Every day we are making a positive impact for those who have the least and El Pollo Loco is helping to enhance our community with amazing murals that showcase Black culture and art.”

Visit El Pollo Loco’s YouTube channel to watch the behind-the-scenes video of the making of the mural, featuring Enkone.

About Brotherhood Crusade
Celebrating 53 years of service to the Los Angeles community, Brotherhood Crusade was founded in 1968. The organization's principal mission is to champion equality and equity by removing and/or helping individuals overcome the barriers that deter their pursuit of success in life and facilitate opportunities for a better quality of life by effectuating improved health & wellness, facilitating academic success, promoting personal, social & economic growth, providing access to artistic excellence & cultural awareness, increasing financial literacy and building community agencies & institutions.

Brotherhood Crusade has a history of building alliances with other organizations, corporations and foundations of goodwill that are committed to and understand the tremendous need for helping our community and people grow and prosper.

About El Pollo Loco
El Pollo Loco (Nasdaq:LOCO) is the nation’s leading fire-grilled chicken restaurant with a mission to bring people together around food, family, and culture in the communities it serves. El Pollo Loco is renowned for its handcrafted L.A. Mex food, an innovative blend of traditional Mexican cuisine and better-for-you eating, that Los Angeles is known for. Since 1980, El Pollo Loco has successfully opened and maintained more than 480 company-owned and franchised restaurants in Arizona, California, Nevada, Texas, Utah, and Louisiana while remaining true to its Mexican-American heritage. El Pollo Loco continues to grow and evolve, nourishing connections to tradition, culture, and one another through fire-grilled goodness that makes us feel like familia. For more information, visit us at www.elpolloloco.com.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Hannah Gray
Edible
323-206-0800
hannah.gray@edible-inc.com

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ce44fd16-0e2c-4c94-a413-ff68fcd30ae9

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/674de3bd-11e7-41ee-8925-d737230bf27b