2026 Star Women in Grocery Award Winner Irene Shone (Q&A)

Irene Shone

Director, Business Development
Lactalis Canada

You started out as a food technologist. How did that shape your career?

After completing a B.Sc. (Honours) in food science at the University of Guelph, I began my career as a food technologist, working across several food and packaging companies. This experience gave me a strong foundation in product development and manufacturing. When I transitioned into ingredient technical sales, I was able to draw on that background to better understand customer needs and provide more meaningful solutions.

Later, as a product development manager for both corporate brands at a large retailer and for a private-label manufacturer, I gained valuable experience in buying, selling and negotiation. Moving into business development and product management allowed me to bring together these experiences with my project management skills to evaluate and develop new business opportunities, as well as manage complex commercialization and capital projects. Today, as director of business development for Lactalis Canada’s yogurt, cultured and desserts division, I lead our co-manufacturing business and project management office teams, supporting a wide range of capacity, continuous improvement and ESG initiatives aligned with our long-term plan.

What do you like most about your job?

The opportunity to share my knowledge and experience with colleagues while continuing to learn from them. I’m involved in a wide variety of divisional and enterprise-level initiatives, and I truly value collaborating with people across the organization. I’m also fortunate to have strong support from senior leadership to explore new business and continuous improvement opportunities, which makes my role both dynamic and deeply fulfilling.

What’s your leadership philosophy?

My leadership philosophy is grounded in setting clear objectives and trusting team members to determine the best path forward. I enjoy mentoring and helping people discover what they are passionate about, and how that connects to the company’s success. I encourage my team to set stretch goals, seek learning opportunities and broaden their skill sets. Transparency is also important to me—I share business updates openly and regularly, because I believe people are more engaged when they understand how their role contributes to the organization’s overall goals.

Proudest achievement with respect to ESG work?

One of my proudest ESG achievements happened when I worked with Lactalis Canada's ingredients division, where I became aware of the potential to repurpose dairy co-products that were once considered waste. When an entrepreneur approached us about fermenting milk to produce ethanol, I recognized an opportunity to redirect co-products that were being disposed of. I’m proud to have mobilized internal stakeholders to support the external research and development process, ultimately, creating a value-added waste-reduction opportunity into a successful made-in-Canada product line.

Waste reduction continues to be a personal priority. I sponsored and supported a project to create and implement an on-demand reporting and write-off process that improves material management and reduces landfill waste. To drive adoption, we’ve complemented the process with ongoing training and support across the organization.

A fun fact about you?

My very first jobs were all in food and grocery: a receptionist and file clerk at a food company, a cashier at an independent grocery store and a sales associate at a health food store. In hindsight, it seems my career path was written early on.

Anything else you’d like to share?

I’m married to my high school sweetheart and am the proud parent of two very talented adult children. I immigrated to Canada as a young child and was raised by my widowed mother, who taught me the value of hard work and perseverance in the face of significant challenges. After more than 35 years in the food and grocery industry—navigating change, embracing challenges and pursuing new opportunities—I’m proud to still be here and still genuinely enjoying the journey.

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