“I think we have a responsibility as manufacturers, to help the planet, and to better feed people.”
In recognition of Women’s History Month 2023, Leslie Ewing, Executive Director of Plant-Based Foods of Canada, sat down for a series of one-on-one interviews with female corporate leaders in Canada’s plant-based food industry. The wide-ranging conversations discussed diverse topics from how to navigate a career paths in the industry, to a forward look at what the future holds for plant-based foods.
In this interview, Leslie speaks with Cristine Laforest, CEO Group Bel Canada
Leslie Ewing: I think it’s important to start with your career journey. How did you end up in the food industry? And at Group Bel Canada?
Cristine Laforest: It’s funny. You go through all this, and you discover yourself. I’ve always pushed myself outside of my comfort zone. I went to an English university, being French. And when I graduated, I was recruited on campus by P&G. So I had that luck with being at Tier One companies from the get-go. I was hired in sales, but I always wanted to be in marketing. But as a 21-year-old, you don't really know where you need to go, or what you want to do. And that's normal, right?
I moved to Europe at one point in time and left everything behind. I was travelling a lot -- I taught skiing for over a year in the Alps. So, a weird journey. When I got back from Europe, I started working for Reader's Digest, and then I moved to Yoplait.
This is the way I ended up in food. I was really attracted to [manufacturing] plants. How food was being produced the machinery, the engineering behind it, and everything, really.
LE: And what was next for you?
CL: I stayed there for over six years, focused on marketing, working on big brands. And I don't think I had realized at that point in time that this was a great opportunity for me to influence Canadians’ nutrition. I worked at Saputo for over six years, and then it's been like 15 years at Group Bel Canada. So a total of 27 years in the dairy industry. It was not something that I prepared for, it was something that I enjoyed and developed a passion for. I enjoy the operational part of the business: plants, the way they function, the way they produce, the regulations and how this impacts the way we eat.
Now that I'm at Group Bel Canada, I feel that every day I really live our mission to produce healthy and responsible food for all. And I feel I can influence ‘positive innovation’ – the way people can eat and help the planet at the same time. On a daily basis, I think we have a responsibility as manufacturers, to help the planet, and to better feed people. We know we have around 10 billion people that will need to be fed at one point in time. So I feel as a CEO, I have a responsibility to do that.
LE: When people talk about founders, they often use the term “mission driven.” People in the plant-based food space are definitely “mission driven.” That sounds like you, too.
CL: It’s what motivates me to go further, and to make change. I always say that, “in a few years, when I'm retired and sitting at my cottage in my rocking chair, I will have done something for the planet. I will have done something for the future of our kids. And I will have done my part feeding those 10 billion people.” Every day, this is the mission I carry, and it’s why I’m engaging with over 80 people at head office.
And this is part of why people are staying at Group Bel Canada -- because we're engaged and we’re purpose-driven. We have targets, we work on the climate issues, we work on all these CSR engagements. You would be surprised -- the new employees that work for us, this is what drives them. They're expecting purpose in what they're doing daily. They want to have fun, but to have a purposeful job. They're here to make a difference.
LE: What do you think are the most important leadership qualities you’ve brought to your role?
CL: We try to inspire people and grow our talent. We’re in the Top 100 Employers in Canada, for the second year in a row. When we hire someone, I have a responsibility as a CEO to help you grow and that’s important to me. You're not a number coming in, you're someone that I have a responsibility for. I need to give you training, I need to understand your development plan, I need to understand where you want to go, and your ambitions. It’s my responsibility to you to get you there. And hopefully, I'll get you there. We have a commitment toward our people.
One more thing that's important for me is to let people dream. Dream to be better, dream to change the planet, dream to aspire to higher level, dream that they can be a CEO. They want to dream they can make a change in this crazy world. Finally, I think transparency is very important. I want to have an open dialogue with employees.
LE: If you think about from when you entered Group Bel Canada, what changes have you noticed over time?
CL: I think consumers have changed. A lot of people are flexitarians, and people are more adventurous now. However, they also want transparency. They want to know where the ingredients are coming from. They will be sourcing local food. This is also important for us because practically 90% of our products are locally made now. When I came on board in 2007, I think it was about 10%. So, we've done a lot of work towards that and have invested in a new plant in Quebec in 2018 that will produce 100% of Babybel demand for Canadians.
More Canadians are thinking about the environment and at Group Bel Canada, the environment is at the center of our mission built on five pillars: Regenerative agriculture, responsible packaging, fight against climate change, making our brands accessible for all, and making healthy products.
Social responsibility is very important, too. It's at the heart of what Bel is all about. Some of our employees have taken on special projects. For example, one is the key contact with Food Banks Canada maximizing our chance to have ‘zero destruction’ of our products, ensuring that our products go to people that need it.
We are also working with the international NGO Climate Fresk, to set up a training program for our employees to raise awareness of climate change. So far, over 80 of our employees have done the workshop, and they now have the opportunity to contribute in their own way to the company's mission.
LE: Interesting idea. What else?
CL: Going back to consumers, they are looking for more variety. We see around 50% of consumers interested in plant-based food. wherein addition to having a positive impact, we put consumers at the heart of our approach. We hope to have a portfolio of products composed of 50% dairy, and 50% plant- or fruit-based. This is key to help reduce our environmental impact.
LE: I bet.
CL: We got into plant-based, and we see we can make a difference there. We are able to deliver tasty products like with Boursin and also Babybel. We're really at the top of the category right now, and the category is growing thanks to our products. We see that strong brands such as Boursin and Babybel can move the market faster as they are known for their taste and quality. We’re excited to see what’s next and how the category will grow.
LE: Products have to meet consumer expectations, and that's key. Right?
CL: Exactly. It's still a challenging category due to the government regulations, [specifically] about the naming of products. I think there's some opening-up from the government and we look forward to furthering this work. There are great things done in the US and in Europe, and we hope that we can eventually reach these opportunities in Canada. We've launched as you know, with Perfect Day, some precision fermentation products. They're so delicious, you wouldn't believe it -- and they have great nutritional content.
If you look at the condition of the planet right now, you know you cannot feed people the way we’re doing it right now – soil quality, et cetera. We’ll need to go into other avenues, and precision fermentation is another way to go about this. There's a long way to go, but there's a lot of solutions to explore.
LE: What advice would you give to someone -- especially young women, since this is Women's History Month -- starting out in the industry today?
CL: This question resonates with me. My career path was not an easy one. First thing I’d say is, don't lose confidence. Some people might not give you your chance, but somebody else will. I remember being told I would not go further than being a product manager. And today, I'm heading a business unit of a multinational company and I'm integrating a company that’s as big as the one that I'm leading right now. But there's a tier one company that didn't see me going further. So don't give up. If it's not working somewhere, go somewhere else, because someone will give you the chance, train you to go wherever you need to go In other words, have confidence in your abilities.
LE: Right.
CL: Second, surround yourself with people who want to see you succeed. Try to see this from the get-go, don't get to a company that’s not in line with your values. Ensure that you have the right mentor, to bring you to where you need to go. If you face setbacks in your career, don't worry, get back up and keep going.
And don't be afraid to try new things. For my 15 years I'd done marketing at Bel, and then I was asked to do sales. I was asked to do things that I've never done before, getting out of my comfort zone. Trying new things is such a great way to grow. Get out of your expected roles, try to be curious, and learn. It's good to have marketing, to have sales, to have various jobs, to make you a more complete person. I think this is why, in part, that I succeeded in this position -- my capacity to learn, to get out of my comfort zone, and to discover and just to enjoy it, you know?
LE: There's lots of coverage of the founders, which is fabulous. But I think that we also need to showcase the enormous accomplishments of the women who are leading large companies.
CL: At Bel, we're lucky that our CEO is a woman. And she's really embarked on an effort to make sure that women have their space and their share of management roles. And they do promote women quite a lot. We have trainings on women leadership, what it takes to succeed, and so forth In Canada, 70% of my leadership team is led by women, which I am proud of.
LE: You are inspirational for so many. Is there anything else that you would want to include?
CL: Honestly, I don't always remember I'm a CEO. Because the journey has been chaotic, it's had some tough moments. And you work, work, work, and you keep on going. And then, suddenly, something happens. So I got there, with lots of work, and an unconventional road to success. I'm too humble to say ‘success’ – but I'm here.
I never felt that I didn't progress through this business as fast as I could because I was a woman. Even though I realize that the industry is mostly led by men. I never felt that I had a different treatment because I was a woman.
LE: That's interesting.
CL: I didn't get where I am because I'm a woman. It’s because I've put a lot of work into this and found my passion. And hopefully, when they chose me, they can see the potential and opportunities I try to create for the company and the team.
And in the last three years, we're hitting those numbers like crazy. Fifteen years ago, nobody noticed Group Bel Canada internationally. Now, we’re top three countries around the world for the Group. So I’m very proud of this legacy.
LE: Now there's a legacy.
CL: Yeah, exactly. And the legacy I want to leave is this ambition, this dream to change the world. If I can have that legacy, that would be great.
LE: Well that feels like a great place to stop. Thank you so much!