Ashley Kwateng

I started my CPG career at PepsiCo 13 years ago on the Frito-Lay side as a district sales manager, leading a team of about 12 individuals putting chips on shelves. It was a very foundational role where I learned about our products, how to lead people, and got exposure to retailers and how they operate. From there, I moved into an account manager role where I worked directly with district managers and VPs at retailers like 7-Eleven, Burcotts, A-Mart, and Tony's Finer Foods, helping them create business plans for the salty snack category and display plans. Then I moved into what we call the REM role, Regional Execution Marketing, which was actually a dream role for me. I remember seeing a woman in that role when I first joined the company, speaking at conferences, and thinking I would love to have that role someday. In that position, I was the liaison between our field sales team and internal leadership, bringing national and regional marketing programs to life. One highlight was creating a program between the Chicago Bears and Tostitos where consumers could win their own tailgate and field passes by creating the best Tostitos nacho recipe. After that, I moved to the Gatorade team to lead sales strategy for our protein drinks business, including Muscle Milk, Evolve, and Gatorade protein. That's when I really found my sweet spot in strategy. I then moved to our Quaker business to get warehouse experience, taking a senior sales strategy role focusing on our club business with Sam's Club, Costco, and BJ's. In October 2023, Kelanova reached out to me on LinkedIn and I joined them as a Senior Sales Strategy manager. I got to work across different brands including Townhouse, Club, Toasted Crackers, and Cheez-It, which was challenging being new but also rewarding because I got to learn all the different brands. While I was out on maternity leave starting in October 2024, we got acquired by Mars Snacking, so now the company goes by Mars Snacking. I'm looking forward to going back in March and meeting new folks as we make that transition.