Grocery Business Hall of Fame 2023: In conversation with Danone Canada president Dan Magliocco

First job in the business? After finishing my BBA at York University (Schulich School of Business in Ont.), I began my career in marketing within the hair care industry at Alberto-Culver Canada. 

What do you like best about the industry? The learning, ability to impact and the sense of belonging in being part of great companies. It is such a dynamic and fast-paced industry and I am always inspired to see how the industry has embraced young talent, building inclusive workplaces, and how it is sincerely committed to coming together to support the communities where we operate.

 What can the industry do better? Canadians are increasingly concerned about their family’s health, wellbeing and overall cost of living, and every day, that is top of mind for our Danone teams and me. As an industry, we need to be bolder in developing offerings that help Canadians advance their health and wellbeing needs that are accessible to all. We need to do this well, in addition to advancing innovative solutions that have a meaningful impact on our planet and communities we serve.

Do you have a memorable moment in your career? One of my more memorable ones was our team’s visit to Northern communities in Alberta with the Breakfast Club of Canada. We went with our Breakfast Club of Canada partners to open new school programs and it ended up being about way more than preparing food for students – it was about hope and the power of nutrition in helping kids get the start they deserve for the future. It was definitely an example of seeing our mission in action.