2023 Star Women in Convenience winner: Jessica Cnossen

Purchasing director

Core-Mark Canada

How did you get into this business? 

I was on the retail side of convenience for over five years and handled Core-Mark as my vendor for many years. Once the opportunity opened up, I was lucky enough to be able to join the Core-Mark distributors in September of 2016.

What work-related accomplishment are you most proud of during the last 12-18 months?

During the pandemic in 2021, I was asked to explore to opportunity of centralizing the procurement team in Canada for Core-Mark. For many years, the Core-Mark DC’s had their own buying teams in their buildings. We executed the centralization in January of 2022 and I am very proud of the success of this project. We are now over a year in, a growing team with stable and increasing better service to our customers. The centralization moved the purchasing team from a DC focus buying to a commodity buying focus, allowing for one point of contact for our internal teams and our vendors. It has created commodity experts and true partners internally and externally.

What's the best advice you ever received?

Focus on what you can control, let go of what you cannot. 

What's your career highlight/biggest achievement?

I am very proud of when I was awarded Purchasing Manager of the Year for all of Core-Mark in 2019, but my biggest achievement has to be the centralization of the procurement team in Canada. It has allowed me to learn and develop myself, and at the same time teach and help develop others.

What trends or innovations are you keeping an eye on right now. Is there anything you think will shape the business in the next five years?

The gas channel is where I believe a lot will change over the next five years. Where currently people are filling up their cars, going into the convenience location to pay, and maybe pick up a quick snack and drink, the electric vehicle will start to change this. It takes much longer for that vehicle to be ready to go, so people will have time to spend in this channel. Catering to these people and their needs will be the future of convenience/gas bars.