2025 Star Women in Grocery Award Winner Marie-Christine Bélanger (Q&A)

Marie-Christine Bélanger

Senior director, Support Procurement operations
Metro

How did you get your start in the grocery business?

I began my career in the food industry in 2005, during my university studies where I worked in the grocery purchasing department during the summer. Upon my graduation in 2007 with a bachelor's degree in business administration from HEC Montréal, I got a permanent position as a merchandising assistant for the Metro Quebec banner. Since then, I have continued to hold various positions with increasing responsibilities.

What keeps you passionate about your work?

I thrive in highly competitive environments where I can continuously learn and take on new challenges. I like working on multiple diverse projects at the same time and, above all, what fuels my passion every day is the collaboration with others—sharing ideas and solving problems together. Teamwork is essential to me.

What is a career challenge you've faced and how did you overcome it?

When I was working on the negotiation teams, it could be difficult to reach an agreement that would satisfy everyone. I ensured active communication with the various stakeholders, keeping them informed of the progress and discussions. I was making sure I always had their support. Transparency made all the difference.        

Best career advice you've received?

Be a good listener, don’t be afraid to surround yourself with people that are better than you in an area you do not have the expertise, and trust yourself!

What has been a career highlight, so far?

My actual mandate is a huge highlight in my career so far. I had to create a new high-performing team that is supporting procurement teams with new expertise. The mandate is to develop modern tools to support business decisions and strategies based on data. We also simplified and standardized practices to allow process automation and to gain efficiency.

How do you like to spend your time outside of work?

I am very active and I practice a lot of different sports. I also enjoy cooking and spending time with my family and friends. I like to recharge my batteries by going to the cottage and being surrounded by lakes and mountains.

What is a fun fact about you?

I am the happy mother of three children who happen to have as much energy and [enjoy] sporting activities as I do.

Click here for the full list of 2025 Star Women in Grocery Award winners.