Schraad Team Members Recognized as 2026 Top Women in Grocery by Progressive Grocer
Progressive Grocer has recently announced the honorees for the 2026 Top Women in Grocery awards. We are proud to announce that four members of Schraad Sales & Marketing have been recognized. Our winners work across a variety of scopes, including Fresh, Retail Strategy, & Sales Services.
Read on to learn more about the award itself, and information about each recipient.
From Progressive Grocer on the Award
“As we mark a milestone year, Progressive Grocer is proud to launch the 2026 edition of the Top Women in Grocery (TWIG) Awards, celebrating two decades of honoring extraordinary female leadership in the food retail and grocery industry.
For 20 years, TWIG has spotlighted women across retailers, wholesalers, suppliers and service providers who push boundaries, lead with integrity, and uplift their communities. As the longest-running women’s leadership awards program in the grocery space, TWIG has recognized thousands of remarkable women – from store managers to C-suite executives – whose passion, innovation and perseverance help feed families, power businesses and strengthen communities.”
Schraad’s 2026 Top Women in Grocery Honorees
Miranda Nonn - Fresh Business Development Manager
As the Fresh Business Development Manager, Miranda is responsible for building and growing fresh-category brands across the Gulf Coast region. She collaborates with an extensive list of clients and a diverse base of retail partners to drive sales growth, improve execution, and strengthen long-term relationships.
Miranda works across all points of sale, partnering with client ad planners, retailers, and internal teams to develop promotional strategies, coordinate wholesaler events, and ensure seamless in-store execution.
She played a key role in bringing more than 12 leading brands to market with a major client, generating incremental retailer sales increases ranging from $20,000 to $80,000 per retailer. Recognized as a trusted problem solver, Miranda consistently resolves complex billing and program execution challenges while building strong partnerships and delivering measurable results that strengthen brand performance, retailer success, and market growth.
Nellie Carlson - Vice President of Retail Strategy
As Vice President of Retail Strategy, Nellie leads operations for key strategic markets, with direct responsibility for field leadership, in-store execution, and client value delivery. Since joining Schraad in June 2025, she has delivered transformative results by leading a complete restructuring of the Texas retail team and implementing a dedicated, vertical retail model designed to improve focus, accountability, and execution quality.
Within the first month of implementation, coverage for a major retailer increased by 58%, significantly improving in-store presence and execution consistency. Nellie also redesigned retail task structures to better align with clients KPIs and reporting needs, strengthening client engagement and helping uncover new opportunities for growth.
Through strategic oversight, hands-on leadership, and strong emphasis on communication and training, she continues to strengthen client relationships and drive execution across Schraad’s largest revenue market.
Nikki Schriever - Senior Director of Minnesota – Center Store
As Senior Director of Minnesota – Center Store, Nikki leads sales and business development across grocery, frozen, and dairy categories for key customers. She is responsible for driving profitable volume, share growth, and financial performance for both clients and Schraad through data-driven selling, pricing strategy, and competitive analysis.
Nikki delivered exceptional results across the North Central business, achieving 100% to FY25 budget through execution of strategic growth initiatives and successful onboarding of new clients across a business representing approximately 15% of total company revenue. She streamlined the administrative processes and improved trade management efficiencies, simplifying ways of working for client partners while accelerating execution speed and improving service levels.
Nikki successfully introduced a new meat stick brand to the Minnesota market, achieving the #1 stick in category volume at a key retailer within the first four weeks of launch, followed by authorization of two additional mainline SKUs and six new front-end check lane SKUs while delivering 303% to the client’s FY25 budget.
Through disciplined leadership, data-driven strategy, and a strong emphasis on talent development, Nikki continues to simplify ways of working, strengthen client partnerships, and drive measurable results across the Center Store landscape.
Renee Cirksena - Business Development Manager
As Business Development Manager, Renee drives company growth by identifying new business opportunities, building strong client relationships, and developing strategies that increase sales and profitability. She brings a high level of expertise in strategic planning, sales execution, and relationship management while remaining adaptable and solutions-oriented when challenges arise.
Renee delivered exceptional business results by driving record sales and profitability across several client partners. She successfully expanded distribution into new retail customers and secured executive-level, top-to-top meetings with high-growth opportunities. Her success reflects a career built on credibility, consistency, and the ability to align people around shared goals.
Renee’s achievements demonstrate her continued impact as a growth driver, relationship builder, and leader within the organization and the broader grocery industry.
Congratulations from Schraad Sales & Marketing
Congratulations again to members of the Schraad Team, as well as the other honorees recognized for Progressive Grocer’s Top Women in Grocery 2026.
To learn more about the award & all awarded across the grocery industry, read the full article from Progressive Grocer.
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