2026 Star Women in Grocery Award Winner Amanda Chan (Q&A)

Amanda Chan

Vice-President, Marketing, Poultry Optimization 
Maple Leaf Foods

You are credited with transforming the company’s fresh poultry business. Was there a specific lightbulb moment where you realized the strategy was finally clicking and the momentum had shifted?

The momentum felt real when the conversations changed. We moved from treating fresh poultry as a commodity to seeing it as a consumer-led growth platform—focused on how people shop, cook and make decisions around protein, whether that is Proudly Canadian, Raised without Antibiotics, Halal or other needs that matter to them.
That’s when I knew the strategy was clicking; when it stopped being a presentation and became a shared way of working. And the credit truly belongs to the team. Fresh poultry only moves forward when sales, marketing, operations, supply chain, finance, brand and RDT/packaging are all pulling in the same direction.

Between supply constraints and external pressures, how do you keep your team focused on big-picture growth when the day-to-day variables are so unpredictable?

Honestly, it can be hard because fresh poultry is such a dynamic business. What helps us is staying close to the consumer and the customer. We spend a lot of time in stores looking at what is happening at shelf, what shoppers are responding to and where we can make the experience easier or better. That time in store keeps us grounded. It reminds us why the work matters and helps us stay focused on the strategies we believe in, even when the day-to-day is unpredictable. And then as a team, we keep coming back to the same question: what is the right thing to do for the consumer, the customer and the business? That usually helps us cut through the noise and focus on the right execution.

How did you get your start in the CPG business?

Right out of school! I have always been passionate about food—my husband and I even did a four-month noodle tour around the world for our honeymoon—so I knew I wanted to build a career around it. Cadbury was the first company that posted a marketing role on campus at Queen’s; once I got the internship, the rest was history.

What intrigues you about the CPG business?

I’m intrigued by how integral our products are in the lives of Canadians—both in a functional and emotional way. As marketers, the decisions we make matter: the flavours we innovate, the colour bands that make it easier to spot the right product, the pricing strategy, and how we show up at shelf. All these choices impact which products are brought home, enjoyed with family and woven into those core everyday moments.

I think about my favourite Maple Leaf product—Prime Dino Nuggets. High in protein, raised without antibiotics and so much fun for my kids to eat and “roar” with. What more could you want?

What do you like most about your job?

The people! I work with smart, kind, passionate and fun people who are dedicated to problem solving and always lean in. I am especially grateful for my poultry team—both my immediate and cross-functional group—and my boss, Kate Longmire, who leads by example and is such a role model for brilliant marketing and kindness at the same time.

What career advice would you give your younger self?

“Be kind to yourself. It’s okay to fail.” Life and careers have a funny way of working out the way they need to. Earlier in my career, I was embarrassed by failure, but I have learned to openly embrace it for the lessons it brings and the opportunities it creates to connect more honestly with team members.

What is a fun fact about you?

You can see my children’s artwork in the background of some of my recent campaigns, including Maple Leaf Natural Negotiators and our new Prime Raised without Antibiotics spot. I love that I was able to integrate my family into my day-to-day work—it makes those campaigns feel extra special.

Click here for the full list of 2026 Star Women in Grocery Award winners.