The consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry isn’t short on brilliant, driven, capable women. What it’s short on is access – to capital, to leadership, and to real decision-making power.
Across consumer packaged goods, women are launching brands, leading teams, and driving innovation at every stage of the value chain. Yet when it comes to funding, executive roles, and seats where the biggest calls are made, progress remains slow. Too slow.
This isn’t an inclusion issue, it’s a leadership one.
And until the industry confronts that honestly, it will continue to leave growth, innovation, and opportunity on the table.
The Reality We Can’t Ignore
The numbers tell a story the industry has heard before, but still hasn’t acted on.
Female-led businesses globally receive roughly 2.3% of total venture capital funding, and CPG is no exception. That funding gap isn’t a reflection of ambition or capability. It’s a structural failure in how capital is allocated.
At the leadership level, the imbalance continues. Only three of the top 50 CPG CEOs are women, despite women driving the majority of consumer purchasing decisions. Boards tell a similar story, with women holding an average of 23% of board seats, even though companies with gender-diverse leadership consistently outperform their peers.
Perhaps the most striking disconnect is this: women influence up to 85% of all consumer purchases, yet remain underrepresented in the roles shaping product strategy, pricing, distribution, and innovation.
This isn’t just a fairness issue. It’s an innovation and performance issue – one that affects brands, retailers, investors, and consumers alike.
Why Leadership Diversity Isn’t Optional Anymore
In a market defined by rapid change, tighter margins, and evolving consumer expectations, leadership diversity isn’t a “nice to have”, it’s a competitive advantage.
CPG brands that perform well over the long term tend to share a common trait: leadership teams that reflect the people they serve. That means broader perspectives, sharper decision-making, and a deeper understanding of how people actually shop, eat, and live.
When leadership lacks diversity, blind spots grow. Products miss the mark. Opportunities go unseen. Entire categories stagnate.
The industry doesn’t need more conversations about equality, what it needs is more women with real authority to shape what comes next.
What It Actually Takes to Shift the System
Advancing women in CPG won’t happen through panels, promises, or well-meaning statements. It requires structural change and sustained commitment.
That starts with access to capital. Without funding, even the strongest brands struggle to scale.
It means mentorship that leads to leadership, not just advice, but sponsorship and pathways to power. It requires networks where deals get done, not just connections for visibility.
It also demands access to expertise, from commercial strategy and supply chain support to retail readiness. Advocacy and policy support matter too, because systems don’t fix themselves.
Visibility must come earlier, amplifying women-led brands while they’re building, not only once success is guaranteed.
Leadership roles must be designed for work-life sustainability, because burnout shouldn’t be the price of entry.
And critically, progress depends on industry leaders willing to share power, not just talk about it.
Because what gets measured gets changed, and what gets supported gets built.
A Call for Real Leadership
If you’re a woman building in CPG, here’s the truth: you don’t need to wait. You don’t need permission. And you don’t need to make yourself smaller to fit systems that were never designed for you.
And if you’re a retailer, investor, distributor, or industry leader, this is your moment to lead differently. Not with words, but with access. With opportunity. With action.
The Future Is Already Taking Shape
Women are already building brands people love. They’re leading teams that outperform and creating products that reflect how consumers actually live.
But unless the systems that control capital, opportunity, and decision-making evolve, too much potential will continue to be left unrealised.
The question isn’t whether women belong at the table – that debate is over. The real question is whether the industry will back them to lead and make critical decisions that affect them.
Inspiring Women in CPG
Despite these challenges, there are women across CPG doing genuinely incredible things like building category-defining brands, challenging the status quo, and scaling with clarity, courage, and conviction. I’ve had the privilege of sitting down with many of them on the Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford podcast to unpack what it really takes to lead, grow, and win in this industry – and their stories are well worth listening to. Check out some of them below:
1. Veronica Fil, former CEO of Grounded Foods Co., went from outsider to industry disruptor – moving across the world, raising millions, landing 200 retailers in 12 months, and scaling a plant-based cheese brand while navigating the real, often hidden costs of growth, investment, and retail.
Listen to Veronica’s amazing story of growth and determination.
Hear Laura’s journey from burnout to hundreds of stores nationwide.
3. Kathryn Bricken, founder of Doughlicious grew her cookie dough brand from a London factory to global shelves, navigating international logistics, retail regulations, and bold marketing moves to land in Whole Foods, Costco, Marks & Spencer, and Woolworths.
Listen to how Kathryn scaled her frozen treats globally.
4. Sandra Seah and Jordana Adams made Six-Eyed Scorpion stand out in a saturated chilli oil market by nailing their positioning, crafting bold, unforgettable branding, and building a brand that actually connects with people.
Discover how Sandra and Jordana made their product stand out in a crowded market.