2024 Star Women in Convenience winner: Elisabeta Catana

Customer strategy manager, channels       

Mondelēz Canada

How did you get into this business?

I have a passion for problem-solving and leveraging data to find solutions. I began my career over 25 years ago in CPG at Adams, with a role in database management and reporting which was a perfect fit for me. With the Adams and Cadbury merger in 2003, I was introduced to something new: planograming and category management. This sparked my interest and passion in how we leverage data and planograms which ultimately has an impact on how shoppers engage in store, how we build excitement for brands, and what becomes the underpinning competitive nature of the business.

What do you like most about your job?

Throughout my career I have worked on and off within the convenience channel, as I always had a strong passion for this channel. For me, I love the uniqueness of this channel because it opens the door to possibilities, enables creativity, and unlocks opportunities which we have seen in particular during the pandemic. Convenience stores have a smaller footprint so it’s important to be efficient with the space, truly maximizing the space to drive growth. What energizes me is knowing that every day will bring something ‘new’ in both terms of learning and problem-solving. Collaborating with different partners to drive growth, identifying opportunities by leveraging various data and insights, and working towards achieving our common goals are truly where my passion lies. It’s very gratifying and incredibly motivating and is what pushes me to be my best. In my nine years of working in this channel, I have had the opportunity to work with the most collaborative partners and dynamic teams, connecting the Mondelēz brands to the convenience channel shopper.

What is your career highlight/biggest achievement?

I would like to look back at my career highlights as a sum of big and small events that had an impact and made a difference. From an innovation perspective, one of my favorite memories was being part of the launch team that brought to market the Cadbury Dairy Milk Oreo in 2019 which has been one of Mondelēz biggest chocolate launches. From a development perspective I love developing talent, I have had the privilege of mentoring colleagues who have gone on to be successful in their own accord, receiving their own industry awards. I find it fulfilling to see people succeed and know that I had a part to play in their success. Lastly, another proud moment was being recognized by the sales community in 2020 as being a top contributor within sales. These examples are all inclusive of the everyday little things, and professional risks that I took which helped me learn from my mistakes, all important moments in my growth and development path. 

What's the best advice you ever received?

Embrace change, learn and grow from all the opportunities that I had. Some of my most memorable events and career highlights came from being open-minded and agile, taking on the opportunities that came my way.

What excites you most about the future of this channel?

The convenience channel has had to reinvent itself over and over, and it has been amazing to see how it has evolved to incorporate new technologies, e-commerce, and delivery and foodservice, finding new ways to broaden the demographics this channel serves, and ultimately becoming a destination for shoppers.