2024 Star Women in Grocery Award Winner Karen Baker (Q&A)
Karen Baker
VP, Manufacturing – Cheese and Ingredients
Agropur Cooperative
How did you get your start in the CPG business?
I started my career in aerospace. My roles were mainly in operations and I took the opportunity to be in charge of several plants by joining the dairy industry under Agropur five and a half years ago. I was attracted by a couple of things. When you have an idea for a product you can really see it fast on the shelves, way faster than aerospace. It was a positive element for me. The level of innovation is also exciting as we want to be ahead of customer needs and be able to put products they don’t know they will like and will love on their plate. It’s a bit different from aerospace.
What is your proudest moment?
The launch of Natrel Plus. It’s an enriched milk, so it has twice the protein of regular milk. It reaches different consumers versus regular milk. We have one specific plant that produces that product and we were able to put it in the market on time and on budget as per the recipe that was developed by the research and development team. This product is a leader in its brand of milk.
What keeps you motivated at work?
Our [corporate] vision is, “Better dairy. Better world.” I feel I have the influence and the ability to contribute to that vision and really make a difference for consumers. Milk is the main ingredient we’re using in our products, and I want to make sure we’re getting the best out of it by meeting customer demand, understanding trends and developing products. My plants are there to transform ideas into real products that we can sell. It’s extremely concrete and the time to market is quick. When we invent a product and develop a recipe, it can be available in two months. That’s really motivating.
What would you say is your leadership style?
I try to inspire my team by giving them the vision—where we want to go—and I remain available for them. I share my experience; I like to really exchange with my team and not be in a top-down approach at all. That’s not my style, so I really want to understand their reality, their aspirations and guide them in developing themselves as better leaders. My direct team is a team of plant directors so you can imagine that everybody has dozens of people under them, so it has a positive ripple effect.
What do you like most about your job?
Making a difference for consumers. The products we make in my plants are eaten daily by different people in Canada and even outside Canada, so I find it extremely rewarding to be part of that supply chain.
Click here for the full list of 2024 Star Women in Grocery award winners.