You Belong Anywhere You Want to Go
Written by Elle Asiedu
Melanie Isaac-Taitt on Leadership, Identity, and Breaking Through in the Food Industry
This article is part of a leadership spotlight series supported by the Re-seasoning Coalition, a non-profit dedicated to increasing representation and advancing Black Canadians at all levels of the foodservice industry through research, programming, and community engagement.
Melanie Isaac-Taitt didn’t plan to build her career in foodservice. In fact, when she accepted her first full-time role while still finishing her business degree with a major in marketing, she was simply looking for “an entry-level marketing job at a recognizable brand.” That brand turned out to be mmmuffins Canada Corp, the parent company of two iconic Canadian café brands – mmmuffins and Michel’s Baguette Café. The job marked the start of a six-year journey in quick service restaurants and cafés, including roles with Timothy’s World Coffee and Second Cup Coffee.
“I had some marketing experience from a multi-summer internship at a business-to-business electrical company,” she says. “But my role at mmmuffins kicked off something bigger than I expected.”
Isaac-Taitt is currently a Senior Director of Marketing with Lactalis Canada.This follows a successful run as the vice-president of marketing for Roots Canada and other leadership roles at Tropicana Brands Group, Coca-Cola, Maple Leaf Foods and Twentieth Century Fox.
While the early momentum in her career was promising, the road ahead would test her persistence and belief in her own value. Like many young marketers, Isaac-Taitt had her sights set on the consumer packaged goods (CPG) sector—a traditional benchmark for marketing excellence. Yet despite her growing track record in foodservice, she acknowledges having encountered resistance. “Most tier 1 CPG companies hire right out of university. Because I started out in foodservice, the transition to CPG was a hard one to make,” she explains. “The doors to CPG opportunities constantly closed on me. But I knew my foodservice experience was valuable and transferable, so I didn’t take no for an answer.”
That insistence—on her own worth, and on her right to pursue opportunity—became a recurring theme. “To this day, I don’t let anyone tell me I can’t get into roles or rooms that I want to go into.”
A Leadership Style Forged in Opportunity
Isaac-Taitt’s leadership philosophy is shaped by her own unconventional path. “I was given opportunities to try my hand at different things,” she says. “As a result, I hire and lead knowing that people can be capable of more than what their past experiences say.”
She encourages her teams to lean into their natural strengths. “We certainly need to be proficient at our jobs,” she says, “but we can’t be excellent at every aspect. Instead of frustrating yourself trying to excel in areas you don’t naturally, focus on propelling yourself through the ones you do.”
This insight extends beyond strategy—it’s deeply personal, particularly as a Black woman who has often been the only person of colour in the room. “As a woman of colour, especially a Black woman, you are discounted before you open your mouth. You’re not expected to be smart; not expected to be eloquent; not expected to be successful. And when you are, you’re considered a ‘unicorn’—an anomaly. Both of those perspectives are damaging.”
In her early years, she admits those narratives once fueled her personal drive. Now, they inspire something broader. “I use it to open doors for the next generation of Black females, especially leaders, in any industry I find myself.”
Representation as Normalcy
When asked what representation means to her, Isaac-Taitt doesn’t hesitate. “To me, representation means normalizing. It shouldn’t be shocking to see a Black woman in any industry.”
Although progress is being made, particularly through increased digital connectivity and visibility, she acknowledges gaps remain—especially at senior levels.
“I have spent most of my career as either the only Black person in my department or in the entire company. And as I’ve moved up, that has been even more apparent.”
Still, she leads with authenticity. “It means not dimming the parts of me that make me uniquely me—even when they’re dramatically different from my colleagues. My life is coloured differently, both positively and negatively. But I own it. I control it.”
Advice for the Journey
To aspiring Black women leaders and entrepreneurs in the food industry, Isaac-Taitt offers this candid advice: “You must recognize that the game is different for you. You can’t take the beaten path—in many cases it’s not even open to you. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get to the destination. It just means you’ll need to use different tools and a different level of confidence and perseverance.”
She wants the next generation to know something she wishes had been said to her earlier: “You belong anywhere you want to go. You just may need to convince some naysayers and make some zigs and zags along the way.”
Defining Success and Looking Ahead
For Isaac-Taitt, success is deeply personal. “Success for me is exceeding my own expectations. I’ve set my sights on things and been fortunate enough to surpass them. That propels me to set a higher goal and feel confident in my ability to reach it.”
While her career has included stints in and out of foodservice, her passion for the industry—and what it makes possible—is clear. “What excites me is the endless possibility of creating products or experiences that are accessible to the masses. It’s always a joy to see the fruits of your labour on a shelf.”
And though she has not had formal mentorship herself, she sees the value in shaping minds and modeling leadership for others. “I’ve had many informal mentors. I’ve always sought out people of influence who could help shape my thinking—about both the work and how to make the next move.”
In doing so, she not only paves her own path but lights the way for others—proving that while the road may not always be straight, it’s worth walking.
Three Takeaways for Young Professionals
- Take the Path That’s Open to You—Then Make It Your Own
Traditional paths aren’t always available, especially for Black professionals. That doesn’t mean you don’t belong. Use the opportunities you do have to build credibility, resilience, and direction—and shape your own version of success. - Focus on Your Strengths
Trying to be excellent at everything is a recipe for frustration. Identify where you naturally excel and lean into it. Your strengths can set you apart far more than fixing every weakness. - Your Identity Is an Asset, Not a Liability
Don’t shrink yourself to fit into spaces that weren’t built for you. Your lived experience brings value, insight, and authenticity. Own your story. Let it inform your leadership, not limit it.
