Barbara Reid, MBA
Barbara is a graduate of The Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario (MBA) and the University of Toronto (BA). Her professional experience includes 5 years of international business development experience and 2 years with Canada’s leading supermarket retailer.
Barbara started her career with Ralston Purina Canada and spent the next 5 years learning the fundamentals of strategic thinking and brand management. She moved to Kellogg’s Canada and quickly became Group Product Manager then went to the U.S. headquarters as the International Market Development Manager, reporting to the President of Kellogg International. Barbara then became Director of Marketing and Sales for the Asia Area based in Tokyo, Japan. She was responsible for the development of new products, advertising, promotion and distribution strategies for 7 major markets and co-ordinated groundbreaking consumer research in India.
Missing her large and close family, Barbara returned to Canada and started her consulting business. She worked for 2 years as Acting VP Sales & Marketing for the retail division of American Italian Pasta Company, helping them emerge from a turnaround situation to become one of the most significant suppliers of private label pasta in North America.
Her consulting work also took her to South America and the United Kingdom – all of which has given her a unique perspective on international business development.
After 11 years in consulting, Barbara joined Loblaw Brands Limited in 2001 as Senior Director. During that time, she initiated and managed the development of many successful products under the President’s Choice and NoName brands, managing the development of five of the eight “Must Try” items in the 2003 Holiday Insider’s Report (PC Indian and Thai Entrees, PC Lassy Mogs cookies, PC Maple Ice Cream, PC Rich & Flaky crackers and PC Macadamia Chews).
Returning to consulting in 2003, Barbara worked with a number of retailers and manufacturers in developing private label strategy and products.
Barbara also works in the non-profit area where she uses her “positioning” and “persuasion” skills in raising funds through strategic grant-writing.
Barbara has known Tom Stephens for many years as an expert in the world of food and private label development and she is delighted to bring this strategic component to the portfolio of services offered by Brand Strategy Consultants.