Karri Zwirlein

Q. Can you tell us a bit about your upbringing and how it has shaped you?

I was a typical ‘80s latch-key kid from the suburbs. My parents divorced early on, and my sister and I decided to live with our father. The three of us worked hard to support each other. My dad was a teacher and coached three sports a year, so my sister and I took on many of the household responsibilities. I credit that part of my childhood for developing my strong work ethic and sense of responsibility.

As a teenager, I also did three sports a year, and that really helped me to stay out of trouble and develop good time management, along with being a good teammate.

Q. What were some of the pivotal moments that led you to where you are today?

I was 19 years old when the new Tops Markets was being built in my area, so I applied to be a cashier, and they hired me on the spot. I was attending college, and waitressing hours were not conducive to me getting to class on time the next morning.

I was fortunate to have strong leaders who saw my potential and invested time in me. Thirty-four years later, I am still with Tops Markets, part of Northeast Shared Services, as the director of bakery, deli and prepared foods.

Q. How has your career evolved over the years?

I never expected to make a career out of my part-time college job, but being supported and developed by great mentors has provided me with a path that has taken me on many adventures.

With 12 years of store experience, I took a position as a field specialist, which opened my eyes to a whole new side of the business. From there, I transitioned into a category business manager position, and then director, for the past 10 years. During that time, I became involved with IDDBA, and in 2019, I was appointed to its board of directors. It is one of the great honors of my career to serve the industry and IDDBA.

Q. What is the best advice you ever received and why?

Way back in the beginning, I had a district manager tell me, “Not making a decision is making a decision.” That hit me hard, and I have never let indecisiveness paralyze me since then. It’s OK to make mistakes, as long as you own them and learn from them. We will fail at times, but we fail fast. If we aren’t failing, then we aren’t trying new things or thinking outside the box.

Q. What deli retail trends have impacted the industry most over the last year?

The past year has really been a re-growth for deli, especially in slicing. We’ve worked hard to regain consumer trust in deli slicing and food safety after the issues we had a couple of years ago. Prepared foods continue to grow as consumers are time-crunched and search for those high-quality meal solutions that make their lives easier.

Social media does a lot to give consumers creative ideas where they can lean on delis for help. Specialty cheese is an area that has become so mainstream because of social media and people’s exposure to different flavors.

Q. What hobbies do you enjoy outside of work?

I enjoy baking and crafting. I need to have a creative outlet for my energy. I am also a huge football fan (go Bills!), so I spend my Sundays during the season watching all the games I can.

Of course, my biggest passion in life is watching my kids chase their dreams and become amazing humans! My daughter is a talented writer, and my son is a fearless go-kart racer, so I enjoy spending time with them and their passions.