MK Wagner & Associates is made up of global senior food industry professionals who are available to assist with a wide range of services. This firm’s membership is backed by a proven track record of performance. MK Wagner & Associates brings broad understanding for what is needed to lead a technical organization, create a strategic R&D vision and deliver on that vision through technical leadership and support.
With expertise across many food industry segments, clients receive the benefit of worldwide experiences and networks. We can develop and implement initiatives across industries, channels and geographic regions of the world.
Mary K. Wagner is a recognized executive leader and board director with a reputation for creating innovative products, managing risks, handling corporate crises, and managing food quality and safety. She is a strategist, an operational leader, and a team builder who has been an executive in a range of branded global retail and consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies. She has consistently created growth through consumer-facing innovation and brand building.
Mary is known for her ability to engage people around a common goal. She has a history of transforming organizations, building departments from scratch, and creating an R&D culture of innovation. She has significant experience in managing crises and risks around food quality and safety. She has built strong relationships with CEOs, with boards of directors, and with external stockholders, suppliers, and industry colleagues. She has served in significant leadership roles on industry and non-profit boards of directors.
Mary is president of MK Wagner & Associates, global food science management consulting firm. In December 2016, she retired from Starbucks Coffee Company as Senior Vice President of Global Product Innovation, Food Safety and Quality where she was responsible for creating global food and beverage products for Starbucks’ retail, food service and consumer packaged goods. She headed basic research, the innovation process, equipment engineering, packaging, sensory, quality, food safety risk assessment and regulatory, as well as new Retail Concept exploration. Her contributions have helped Starbucks be recognized as Outstanding Corporate Innovator in 2014.
Mary previously worked at Mars, Inc. where she was General Manager of Mars Botanical, a division that manufactured and sold food supplements through retail and internet channels. She has also served as Chief Technology and Quality Officer at E&J Gallo Winery, the largest winery in the world. Reporting to Gallo’s CEO, she created their first Global Technology and Quality function, launched an innovative and unique consumer sensory mapping process for wines, and stimulated a wave of beverage product innovation.
As Chief Technology and Quality Officer of Taco Bell, Mary created a new product platform for all of their restaurants and was the point person to manage the company’s response to the highly publicized genetically modified corn crisis in 2000.
Mary began her career as an executive in the food and nutrition area at General Mills where she was Vice President of R&D and Quality/Regulatory Operations at Gorton’s Seafood.
Throughout Mary’s career, she has worked closely with corporate boards of directors. She has developed a reputation for creating a culture of innovation in each company where she has served. She is highly experienced in handling corporate crises arising from food safety and quality issues.
Mary is well-known through the food industry. Among her many board directorships, she has served as President of the Institute of Food Technologists and Chair of the National Grape and Wine Initiative. She was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture as Co-Chair of the USDA Advisory Board on Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics.
She has been a member of the national board of directors of Girls, Inc., the regional board of the Salvation Army and the board of SUSTAIN (Sharing Science and Technology to Aid in the Improvement of Nutrition). She has been a commencement speaker and frequent speaker to industry and university groups. She is the Recipient of several awards for her leadership in food, nutrition and innovation.
Mary has a BS and MS from Iowa State University and a PhD from the University of Minnesota.