Back in 2005, Melissa was living and working in Trinidad. She dreamed of moving to Canada and when she finally made the leap she found a job at FGF through a friend at an employment agency. Right away it was clear that Melissa had the drive and the enthusiasm needed to help FGF achieve early success.

Melissa started as a Scaler, preparing all the ingredients into batches for the mixers. She worked hard and picked up quickly, eventually becoming a Mixer, then a Line Leader, Shift Leader, Ops Leader and eventually, Site Leader. Today Melissa is responsible for the entire team at FGF’s Fenmar plant. “My family is very proud of the fact that within a few years of coming to Canada I was able to settle in very quickly and do so well in this company,” says Melissa.

Her journey was not easy. Learning to adapt to FGF’s relentless pursuit of quality took work but Melissa was not one to back down. “There is a lot to learn here. What we do and how we do it is very unique, but we have fun doing it. It’s hard work but it’s also very rewarding,” says Melissa. “It’s a work hard and play hard culture, we never stop learning, never stop teaching, never stop growing….”

Most of the leaders in the Fenmar plant were promoted from within the organization so Melissa’s core team is like a new family. “My biggest responsibility is to coach my team to be the best that they can in their current roles and prepare them for the next steps,” says Melissa. “I love having the opportunity to work side by side with such a talented team.”

As far as advice for anyone looking to join the FGF team…

“Embrace the speed, change, and uncertainty. We have awesome teams at each of our sites and the opportunities are endless,” says Melissa. “My journey has been life changing I have learned and grown in my career and as a person. If I could do it all again, I wouldn’t change a thing.”