2024 Star Women in Grocery Award Winner Sue Hudson (Q&A)
Sue Hudson
Senior Director, Communications & Digital Marketing
Burnbrae Farms
You grew up on the original farm of Burnbrae Farms. Tell us a bit about that experience.
The farm is home as it has been for generations of our family. It was our playground as children - the Lyn falls, the fields and woods—we were true farm kids. We cared for all the animals. We always had dogs, cats, horses and, of course, the chickens. From an early age, we were expected to help with the care of the horses before school, feeding and cleaning stalls. After school, we groomed, rode and looked after them. We worked in the hen barns from an early age, picking eggs on the weekend through the summers and most holidays; the chickens don’t stop laying eggs for Easter or Christmas!
What do you like most about your job?
I really enjoy working with people, creating content to educate the public about farming, eggs and our products. It’s always changing and evolving, so that keeps it dynamic and interesting. I’m always up to the challenge to answer questions that I’ve never been asked about eggs. Promoting Canadian egg farmers, supporting the retailers and educating consumers on nutritious, affordable and delicious eggs is a top priority. I truly love working with my family, my digital team and our Burnbrae colleagues. We are a big family.
What is the best advice you’ve received?
It is important to advocate for yourself, believe in yourself and stay true to your values. Build lasting and meaningful relationships with your colleagues and in business. Always remember that your reputation is critical to how you are viewed and so it is important to operate with integrity and be someone that can always be trusted.
What is your best quality?
I really enjoy storytelling; it is a family trait and an important aspect of what I do day to day. Being honest, transparent and telling your authentic story is important when engaging with consumers. Today, with so many questions about how food is produced, it is important to be where people are looking for information. I also enjoy attending events like the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and the Calgary Stampede where people are interested in agriculture and looking to engage with food companies and farmers.
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
I have a passion for travelling and exploring new places. Our family has spent generations on the St. Lawrence River, where we enjoy the water, swimming and boating. We are six generations on the farm in Lyn and have a very large family that gathers there carrying on the traditions of those before us. We enjoy spending time together going for walks with our dogs, having bonfires, and gathering for family dinners and celebrations.
What has been a career highlight?
I’m proud to have been a part of bringing Burnbrae Farms into the digital era more than a decade ago. I’m very proud of our transparency as a company; if you are looking for information on hen housing, how we care for our hens or about egg nutrition and our products, you simply need to visit our website or YouTube channel. We have been building our digital platforms since 2011, launching a website and YouTube channel in 2016, building on what was developed in the mid-90s and pioneering the way for others in agriculture to feel comfortable sharing their stories. It has been rewarding to see Burnbrae honoured with the No. 1 Most Trusted Egg Brand in Canada for the past few years through the BrandSpark program. The recent launch of our masterbrand campaign showcased our family and the generations of care and innovation that go into every Burnbrae egg. Bringing this campaign, that was so deeply personal to our family, to life through so many different media channels has been a true highlight of my career.
Click here for the full list of 2024 Star Women in Grocery award winners.