2026 Star Women in Grocery Award Winner Trish Mallaci (Q&A)

Trish Mallaci

Senior Digital Marketing Manager
Clorox Company of Canada 

You started your career in Australia? How did you end up working in Canadian grocery/CPG? 

I started my career on the agency side in Sydney, where I had the opportunity to work on the Woolworths Group, Australia’s leading grocer. That experience really sparked my interest in the grocery and CPG space early on. When I moved back to Canada, I was working at OMD and worked across a range of CPG clients, including Clorox. Through that role, I was able to build strong, trusted relationships with my clients that, ultimately, opened the door to join Clorox directly. I’ve now been with Clorox for over more than five years, and it’s been incredibly rewarding to continue growing within the business and the category.

Proudest career achievement? 

I started in traditional media and have grown into a more integrated, connected commerce role— expanding my scope across e-commerce, retail media, shopper marketing and digital shelf. As the industry has become more complex, I’ve leaned into that change, continuously building new capabilities and finding ways to connect strategy to execution more effectively. What I’m most proud of is not just the outcomes, but the progression—stepping into ambiguity, and helping shape ways of working as the landscape evolves. It’s something I’m excited to continue doing as the industry keeps advancing.

How do you approach collaboration with agency and retailer partners? 

For me, strong collaboration starts with clarity. Ensuring that our agency and retail partners fully understand where we are trying to take the business and what success looks like,creates a much stronger foundation for partnership.

From there, I focus on building relationships that are rooted in transparency and shared accountability. The best outcomes happen when partners feel like true extensions of the team, bringing forward ideas, challenging thinking and collectively problem-solving.

Best advice received? 

One piece of advice that has really stuck with me is: “done is better than perfect.” Starting, testing and learning often lead to better outcomes than waiting for everything to be perfectly in place. It’s something I remind myself of often, especially in a fast-moving environment where agility is key.

What kind of leader do you aspire to be? 

The best leaders don’t push, they pull. I aspire to be a leader who equips and empowers their team, giving them the clarity, tools and confidence to make an impact in their roles. It’s about creating an environment where people feel supported, but also challenged to grow and bring their best thinking forward. Ultimately, strong leadership is less about directing and more about enabling others to succeed.

What do you like to do when you're not working?

I’ve always had a passion for travel and have been fortunate to visit more than 30 countries, including a few backpacking trips that created memories I’ll carry with me forever. That sense of curiosity and exploration has shaped a big part of who I am. That said, my greatest adventure now is with my daughter. Since becoming a mom, I try to make the most of my time with my family whether it’s exploring somewhere new or catching a theatre show. Seeing her experience the world brings a whole new perspective and joy to even the simplest moments.

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