Produce pioneer: Burns forging impactful path from humble beginnings
When Cathy Burns took a job bagging groceries at a local Shop n’ Save in high school, she didn’t know she was embarking on a groundbreaking career.
Burns, now the CEO of the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA), steadily rose through the ranks, eventually becoming chief operating officer of Food Lion in 2006 and company president in 2010.
In 2013, Burns became president of the Produce Marketing Association, guiding the organization through its merger with United Fresh in 2022. The resulting IFPA trade association, with more than 3,000 members in 60 countries, supports and advocates for the global fresh produce and floral supply chain.
Although her professional path has curved from corporate management to industry advocacy, Burns pinpointed a common denominator that’s kept her in the agricultural field.
“The heart and soul of the people that work in this industry,” she said. “At the end of the day, they want to leave this world a better place than when they entered it. Do they want to prosper? Yes. Do they want to leave a legacy for their family? Yes. But there’s a higher calling for the people that work in this industry.
“I believe that we have a responsibility to change the trajectory of human health, and I believe we can do it.”
MAKING HER MARK
Burns spoke with Produce Processing to recognize women carving out notable careers in agriculture as part of Women’s History Month in March.
She credited Hannaford, parent company of the Shop n’ Save where she worked while attending Bangor High School in Bangor, Maine, with identifying and training diverse talent. Her journey up the corporate ladder included titles of store manager, district manager, director of strategy and execution, and vice president of fresh merchandising, which included fresh produce and the other perishable departments.
When Delhaize America purchased Hannaford, Burns’ rise continued. She was promoted to senior vice president of fresh merchandising and distribution before becoming COO, then president, of Food Lion, a Delhaize brand.
“I had the opportunity to grow professionally — taking on new responsibilities, expanding my reach and voice across the organizations,” she said. “I think there’s plenty of opportunity for women to share their voice, to put their name on something. That was the benefit I had, growing up at Hannaford and Food Lion. I was always given opportunities to put my name on something, whether it was a special project or bringing a new store prototype to life.”
After 30 years in grocery retail, the time came to make a change. Burns cast her net in search of an organization that: 1) had growth potential; 2) had a board that supported both its short- and long-term vision; 3) was member- or customer-focused; and 4) was a good cultural fit.
“I had to have the freedom to lead a high-performing organization that matched my core values,” she said.
That led Burns to the Produce Marketing Association (PMA), which she led as president until it combined with United Fresh to form a unified industry voice.
“We’re the only trade association that represents the full supply chain,” she said. “Typically, a trade association will represent a commodity, a geography, a part of the supply chain. We represent it all.”
The IFPA’s initiatives include its annual Retail Manager Produce Awards, Produce Industry Leadership Program and Women’s Fresh Perspectives Conference. Set for April 13-15 in Carlsbad, California, the conference kicks off with a networking breakfast and will include educational sessions dealing with topics such as recognizing institutional gender bias and nurturing the industry’s next generation of female leaders.
“Our conference this year sold out months ahead,” Burns said. “What that tells me is the need is high, and women want to invest in themselves to make a greater impact in the world.”
VOICE FOR THE FUTURE
On the horizon for the IFPA is the launch of a new strategic plan focusing on three key points: worldwide influence, personalized member experience and future-proofing the industry.
Navigating the immediate future includes uncertainty in the form of ongoing labor concerns and looming tariffs, but Burns said IFPA is optimistic about possible regulatory reform, a stated focus of the Trump administration on improving health, and prospects for improved private sector prosperity.
Burns said IFPA has submitted letters to the newly confirmed Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, and Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., laying out industry priorities.
“At the end of the day, our members expect us to work hard to drive consumption of fruits and vegetables and floral, and to remove the barriers to do so,” she said. “Now that they (cabinet heads) are in place, the work starts in earnest.”
While calling statistics that show 90% of Americans don’t eat USDA-recommended daily servings of 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit and 2 to 3 cups of vegetables “abysmal,” Burns also sees opportunity.
“It’s not a huge barrier to overcome, so there’s a huge opportunity for us,” she said.
A willingness to work together to reach goals is another reason Burns has made agriculture her career.
“All parts of the supply chain will come together to solve a problem or a headwind that’s coming at them. That doesn’t happen in all sectors,” she said. “People are able to take their company hat off, and step back and say, ‘What’s the best thing to do for the industry as a whole going forward?’ That’s pretty special.”
Women, Burns believes, have a particular part to play in driving agricultural advances.
“I think our secret weapon as women is our empathy and being able to balance good decision-making — being aggressive in what we want — with that empathy and humility,” she said. “That is a very powerful combination for women leaders today and into the future.”
Burns’ advice for executive-level female leaders and teenagers bagging groceries is the same.
“If I could have pixie dust and spread it over women, it would be to eliminate fear,” she said. “I think oftentimes, we are slow to leverage our voice, either because we’re concerned about how we’re going to say something or we need more data to support our decision. I would strongly encourage women to push through the fear to ensure that their voices are heard at whatever table they’re sitting at.”
