Top Women to Discuss Private Label at Grocery Impact
Private label is a hot property these days, but what are the best ways to market own brands to female consumers? At a general session slated to take place during Progressive Grocer’s reimagined Grocery Impact Event this November in Orlando, Fla., three seasoned private label leaders – and 2023 Top Women in Grocery (TWIG) honorees – will speak about trends in this fast-growing space and offer workable approaches to make such products more attractive to women. Own Brands Innovation Manager Catherine Misour and VP of Own Brands Kasey Sheffer, both of Giant Eagle, and Alison Gregas, director of private brands at Weis Markets will take part in what promises to be a lively, informative session.
In her role as own brands innovation manager at Pittsburgh-based Giant Eagle, Misour uses both her creative mind and analytical proficiency to create hundreds of differentiated private label products spanning all retail grocery categories via seasonal programs, brand expansions and blue-sky concepts. With five-plus years in the private label industry and a master’s degree in food science from Cornell University, Misour has carved a tenacious path in innovation, on which she hopes to inspire the future of grocery as we know it.
Her passion for food began at a young age and continues to drive her curiosity in seeking out the latest trends. When she’s not checking out the new neighborhood coffee shop, she’s busy eating her way through seasonal menus and finding the hottest trends via social media.
After having worked in brand and marketing strategy across various industries, Sheffer joined the grocery retail sector in 2010. Spending 11 years with Ahold USA, and later Ahold Delhaize USA, she held various leadership roles on the private brands team, culminating in her last role with the company: leading the private label businesses in support of The Giant Co. and Giant Food. During her tenure, she led efforts behind the Ahold USA and Delhaize America merger in 2018, defining the combined private brands portfolio for the entire fleet of Ahold Delhaize USA retail businesses.
In July 2021, Sheffer joined Giant Eagle as VP, own brands. At Giant Eagle, she leads a team encompassing capabilities from own brand strategy to product development, sourcing, innovation, branding and design, overseeing the entire own brand portfolio across the Giant Eagle enterprise of supermarkets and convenience stores. Sheffer holds an undergraduate degree in business from York College of Pennsylvania and an MBA from The University of Tampa, John H. Sykes College of Business. She is a previous recipient of Top Women in Grocery, having been recognized as a Rising Star in 2015 while still at Ahold USA.
[Read more: "The 2023 Top Women in Grocery: Simply the Best']
Gregas began working with Sunbury, Pa.-based Weis Markets as a business manager for Daymon Worldwide, the company’s in-house private-brand brokerage company. She came to work at Weis Markets in 2020 as a private brands sourcing specialist and was subsequently promoted to private brands manager, the role she held before her promotion to director of private brands. She has been in her current role since March 2023.
The general session is scheduled to take place Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 3:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. (Spotlight on TWIG).
More About Grocery Impact
Nov. 7-9; Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress, Orlando, Fla.
Progressive Grocer’s Grocery Impact is the event where grocery leaders meet to exchange ideas, celebrate success and build relationships. The event will bring together the disruptors, innovators, pacesetters and leaders in grocery – present and future – for three days of education, collaboration, networking and celebration.
The upcoming Grocery Impact will also include the following special events: the Top Women in Grocery (TWIG) program and formal dinner gala and awards reception; and GenNext Awards and Symposium.
