2025 Game Changer: Kelly Ma, Dollar General
The private label segment maintained its momentum in 2024 as sales across a host of food and non-food categories continued its multi-year growth streak.
A larger number of consumers in the U.S. have grown accustomed to retail brands that offer quality and value, and more affordable selections than many national brand products. Now, the pressure has been ramped up for retailers and product suppliers to exceed the high bar they have set as they continue developing unique new products.
The honorees featured in Store Brands 2005 Game Changer show the broad selection of ideas that are being implemented by major retailers and product suppliers across the industry. The items are giving shoppers additional choices and allowing retailers to carry products not found elsewhere.
Kelly Ma
Vice President of Global Sourcing
Dollar General
As vice president of Global Sourcing at Dollar General, Kelly Ma has played a pivotal role in optimizing the company’s private brand strategy through a data-driven approach to procurement. By revolutionizing the retailer’s request-for-proposal (RFP) process, Ma has helped Dollar General drive significant cost savings while enhancing product quality and strengthening supply chain resilience.
Recognizing the importance of efficiency in sourcing, Ma led the transformation of Dollar General’s RFP process to maximize value at scale. The refined approach integrates comprehensive data, ranging from raw material costs to operational expenses, into a streamlined “should cost” method. This enhanced process has empowered Dollar General to identify cost-saving opportunities, negotiate more effectively, and reinvest savings into improving the quality of its private brand products. As a result, customers continue to benefit from affordable, high-quality alternatives to national brands.
Ma has also spearheaded efforts to diversify Dollar General’s supplier base. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in global supply chains, prompting the company to adopt a more proactive stance in mitigating risks. Under her leadership, Dollar General has exceeded its supplier diversification goals, securing a broader network of partners to bolster supply chain resilience.
By sourcing directly from factories and expanding its global supplier footprint, the company has strengthened its ability to maintain consistent product availability while delivering cost savings to customers.
As consumer demand for private label products continues to rise, Ma remains focused on expanding Dollar General’s supplier partnerships. The retailer currently offers more than 3,200 private brand products across key categories, including food and beverages under Clover Valley, personal care items from Studio Selection, and pet products through Heartland Farms.
With a commitment to providing high-value, budget-friendly options, Ma’s strategic sourcing initiatives position Dollar General for continued growth in the evolving retail landscape.
