2025 Star Women in Grocery Award Winner Marie-Hélène Ouellet (Q&A)
Marie-Hélène Ouellet
Associate Director, Sales
WK Kellogg Co
How did you get your start in the CPG business?
After university, I began my career as an office manager at a foodservice company in Montreal. I was always intrigued by the sales department and its dynamic, results-driven and energetic environment. A few years later, an opportunity presented itself that felt like the perfect fit. That’s when my journey in the CPG industry began, as a sales representative at Kellogg Canada—and nearly 20 years later, I’ve never looked back.
What do you like most about your job?
What I love most about my job at WK Kellogg Co are the people and the culture that bring our workplace to life. I’m surrounded by colleagues whom I trust implicitly—people who are committed to collaboration and shared success and who lift each other up every day. Our culture of trust empowers us to make bold, independent decisions and take full ownership of our actions. We’re led by an inspiring team of leaders who walk the talk, making it easy to stay committed to living our WK Beliefs & Behaviours in everything we do. It’s more than just a job—it’s an exciting journey that we’re all on together.
What’s your superpower?
[Being] empowered by my “can-do” philosophy. I start every day with a positive mindset—that’s how I choose to show up at work. I believe that optimism makes challenges feel more manageable and opens the door to creative solutions. My team often tells me that my positive energy is contagious and motivating, which is one of the best compliments I could ever receive. I treat my colleagues with the same care and respect I offer to friends and family—by listening to them, supporting them and always being present.
What is your proudest moment?
One of my proudest moments was leading our Quebec retail team through the challenges of the COVID pandemic. With stores off-limits, we had to quickly reinvent how we worked day-to-day. Despite the uncertainty, we adapted, were flexible and used the time to grow and develop—taking courses, building new skills and strengthening our team spirit. I’m so proud to have coached and supported my team through this extremely challenging period. Not only did we overcome the crisis—we came out stronger, more united and more resilient than ever.
What is a career challenge you’ve faced?
One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced in my career was the Kellogg spin-off in 2023, when the company split into two new entities—WK Kellogg Co and Kellanova. We had to navigate significant change in a very short period, including knowledge transfer, learning new roles and migrating over to new systems. Given the scale and complexity of the cereal business, managing and leading a team through the early days of the transformation has been one of the most demanding assignments I’ve held to-date in the sales department. However, despite the magnitude of the task, we came together as one team and rose to the challenge.
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
Outside of work, my greatest joy comes from spending quality time with my husband and our three children. I deeply value work-life balance and I prioritize creating meaningful moments with the people I love. Whenever I can, I like to recharge in nature—whether hiking, running, skiing or alpine touring. I’m also passionate about travelling, meeting new people and immersing myself in different cultures. At the heart of it all, family and friendship are what truly matter most to me. They ground me, inspire me and remind me that happiness starts with strong, loving connections.
Click here for the full list of 2025 Star Women in Grocery Award winners.