2026 Star Women in Convenience winner: Pat Macdonald
Pat Macdonald
Co-founder & CEO
United Craft
What do you like most about your job?
I love scouring the marketplace to identify emerging consumer and retailer trends and then finding ways to bring innovative products to market. The fact that I am now working with my two sons is also something I treasure very much. I am learning so much from them and often tell them that they are the future. I hope to contribute to our joint legacy.
Biggest career challenge?
Transitioning from a comfortable, structured executive role where expectations were clear to the fuzzy, but exciting, world of entrepreneurship. Launching a business from scratch is no easy task but can be very rewarding. We learned early on to celebrate every little victory. I used to ring a bell every time we convinced another store to carry our products.
What’s the best career advice you’ve received?
Lead by example, be accountable and demonstrate a positive attitude and proactive work ethic. Essentially, I was told to be the best me that I could be and to own my decisions. This advice has been my guiding force over the years.
What excites you the most about the future of this channel?
Convenience stores are serving more and more as a community hub. This customer familiarity provides operators with important insights as to what will sell well in their stores and gives the channel distinctive advantages to drug and grocery stores, especially as the convenience channel is much more flexible and resilient. Being on the forefront, versus the tail end, of innovative new products allows convenience stores to become places of quick discovery. That's exciting!
Nomination highlights: As the leader of United Craft for the past 12 years, Pat Macdonald has helped grow the family-owned business into a top five craft beverage supplier in the convenience channel through bold innovation, strategic thinking and a deep understanding of consumer trends and retailer needs. She is deserving of the Star Women in Convenience Award for her visionary leadership, entrepreneurial spirit and transformative impact on the beverage alcohol category within convenience retail. She led the launch of Mojo coolers, the first 2-L ready-to-drink (RTD) developed as a convenience-first exclusive, as well as FBOMBZ, a unique 225 ml stackable and resealable RTD that introduced a completely new format to the market. Both products demonstrate her ability to identify emerging trends and translate them into commercially successful innovations. She oversees strategy, innovation development, business planning, consumer research and team leadership across the organization. Known for constantly exploring global beverage trends, she travels extensively to identify new concepts and opportunities that keep United Craft at the forefront of innovation. Her creativity, leadership and passion continue to elevate both her company and the standards for the convenience industry.
Click here for a full list of the 2026 Star Women in Convenience winners
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