Highlighting women in foodservice: Q&A with Natalie Grobelny of QSCC

Women in foodservice: Natalie Grobelny

In honor of International Women’s Day on March 8, we sat down with Natalie Grobelny of Wendy’s Quality Supply Chain Co-op (QSCC). With over 25 years of experience in the industry, she shared an insightful view of how women in foodservice have impacted the industry.

We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did.*
*Please note that questions and responses have been lightly edited for clarity.


TundraFMP: Tell me a little bit about how you got into the foodservice industry.

Grobelny: I started with The Wendy’s Company back in 1997 when I lost a job in the banking world. I took an assignment to work in real estate and construction with Wendy’s in Chicago. Roll forward a couple of years and that office closed as Wendy’s was downsizing, and I was chosen to interview for a corporate job in Dublin, Ohio. I had no intention of moving to corporate; my roots were in Illinois. 60 days later I was in Dublin, Ohio in the very first procurement role they had for equipment and smallwares. I developed a rapport with a lot of our distributors and equipment suppliers and I started to understand their needs and Wendy’s needs. We put together a procurement team and I’ve been doing that since 2005.

What is it about the foodservice industry that excites you?

At the end of the day, it’s the people. You just have a really good time, because it all comes back to the food. You’re all here representing how you serve food, how you heat food, how you eat food – and everybody is unique in what they do. You meet the CEOs of the company, the chefs of the company, distributors, and logistics people. People are fun in this industry.

Have you seen more women joining the industry in recent years?

I have. Back when I joined the industry, and even today, it’s predominantly a gentlemen’s world. But over the last ten to fifteen years, you’ve seen women step up and say, “I’m going to be a sales rep” or “I’m going to move up and be the VP”. It’s just evolved. I think a lot of women just want to be in the industry. Also, there’s a great organization called Women’s Foodservice Forum. WFF has been a great networking opportunity for me to really find those people that I can relate to, and even people I can’t relate to. The contacts in the industry have been fabulous.

Are there any other women in foodservice groups you’re a part of?

Various members of the equipment and supplies world have formed our own foodservice equipment and supplies group, called Women in Foodservice, Equipment & Supplies (WFES). This group has been so eye-opening, to actually work directly with people that deal with the same things day-in and day-out and to be able to bounce things off of one another. It’s a subset and we’ve learned we need more of that.  I would suggest other groups, like distribution, to create their own smaller network. It’s been great having those women pick up the phone and discuss issues or opportunities.  We also establish a time to just have coffee and talk about what’s going on in our lives.

What have been some of QSCC’s challenges throughout the pandemic and how have you helped tackle them?

The biggest challenge we had in the supply chain industry overall, within my company, is we had to fight hard for supply. It was nobody’s fault that there was no supply, but I think the key thing that we did was roll up our sleeves, sit down, and just listen. We’ve kept that line of communication open with our suppliers going week after week, even to today. We were just working together. And part of working together is accepting okay maybe I need a thousand of something, but all they can give me right now is fifty. You’ve got to accept that they can give you the fifty, and work on a plan to get to the thousand. Our supplier partners are an extension of us and we are in this together.

Foodservice is a notoriously high stress industry. What kind of advice would you give to anyone starting out in the industry on how to deal with that level of stress?

First and foremost, don’t take it personally. The stress is going to be there whether it’s foodservice or something else. Learn how to close your laptop or your phone at the end of the day. You have to divide personal and business, and figure out ways that you can work off the stress. I’m a big walker, I’ve got to get my walk in either in the middle of the day or at the end of the day. Figure out something that takes your mind off work. Take that time away so you come back refocused.

What do you see for the future of women in foodservice?

I see it on a positive momentum. It’s recognized in the women’s foodservice world that if we weren’t promoting women at the C-suite and above, it would take one hundred years to get there. So I think more organizations, even if there are gentlemen at the C-suite level, are recognizing the fact that we have to empower women or invest in women to move up. Any mentoring or anything I can do to help that, I do. There are three young ladies in the QSCC world that I mentor currently. We need more women involved, but it’s slowly starting to take a turn. And I’m energized by it. We’re also starting to see more men attend the WFF conference, which is great because it’s eye-opening to them what isn’t happening and how they can be impactful to make it happen.

What advice would you give to a woman just starting her career in foodservice?

I would give them 3 items of advice. First, be yourself. I see women try to mold themselves into something that they’re not. Be yourself. Next, be an ambassador for your company. Sometimes I meet young women who say “I’m just a sales rep.” Be the best sales rep that there is. Know your company. Do what you’re doing knowing that you’re out there representing that company all the time and be great at it. Last, don’t chase the title, enjoy the journey. The journey is the success.

About Nicole Montalvo

Nicole Montalvo is a copywriter at TundraFMP. She brings the brand's voice to life, creates meaningful content, and handles the copywriting side of social media marketing and SEO. When she's not writing, you can find her drinking coffee, trying out new recipes, or exploring nature.

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