Top Women In Store Brands 2024: Lauren Schmitter, Paramount Coffee
For more than a decade, Store Brands and Women Impacting Storebrand Excellence (WISE) have teamed to honor women across the private label industry who have had and continue to have a major impact in the store brand segment.
From supply chain to sales, marketing, finance, and more, members of the Class of 2024 each play a vital role in moving store brands forward amid new and ongoing challenges that include rising prices, capacity issues with manufacturers, and evolving demand from consumers.
Meet this year's Top Women In Store Brands honorees.
Lauren Schmitter
Paramount Coffee
Regulatory/QA/Safety Award
Lauren Schmitter’s journey at Paramount Coffee began five years ago as an intern while she attended Michigan State University. After graduation, she quickly rose to an important role within the company’s quality department, and she now serves as the SQF (Safe Quality Food) Practitioner.
In her role, Schmitter is responsible for overseeing the development, implementation, and maintenance of the company’s SQF Quality System. This involves ensuring compliance with the SQF Code, supervising the quality control team, and continuously refining training and auditing processes to maintain the highest safety and quality standards.
A 2024 Top Women In Store Brands Regulatory/QA/Safety Award winner, Schmitter is responsible for overseeing the development, implementation, and maintenance of the company’s SQF Quality System. This involves ensuring compliance with the SQF Code, supervising the quality control team, and continuously refining training and auditing processes to maintain the highest safety and quality standards.
“I’m truly honored to be named a 2024 Top Women in Store Brands honoree,” she said. “This recognition validates the hard work and dedication I’ve put into my career and highlights the significant contributions women make in our industry. This recognition motivates me to continue to work hard and empower others on my team.”
During the past year, Schmitter has demonstrated leadership, overseeing significant projects at Paramount Coffee. She ensured that food safety and quality were maintained during the installation of two new pieces of equipment — a roaster and a mixer — and during the recovery of a roaster malfunction. These large-scale projects could have disrupted operations, but Schmitter’s attention to detail and commitment to excellence helped maintain flawless operations.
Schmitter’s leadership extends beyond her day-to-day responsibilities. She chairs multiple committees within Paramount Coffee, including the Food Safety, Environmental Health and Safety, HACCP, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committees. Her influence is widely respected, not just among her immediate team, but across the entire production plant.
Schmitter attributes her success to her strong work ethic and a willingness to jump at opportunities to grow.
“I’ve always kept an open mind to new possibilities within my career and try to bring this mindset to work every day,” she said. “Additionally, a strong support system, both professionally and personally, has supported and encouraged me through each new challenge within my career, which I am thankful for.”