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Mary Gertz is senior vice president for Global Product Safety & Quality at Starbucks. She leads Starbucks product quality and safety strategies, supporting operational goals in North America and influencing international markets. She measures supplier effectiveness, evolves store health and safety compliance programs and improves inventory health across the enterprise. Her focus is on building speed and precision in global safety and quality practices by collaborating with business units and external suppliers to deliver innovative products for customers and ensure safe working environments for partners (employees).
Mary takes great pride in consistently driving for results combining her passion and commitment to food safety with heart-led leadership and a commercial understanding of a globally operating business. Prior to joining Starbucks in 2025, Mary led teams for more than 10 years at Yum! Brands supporting brands including KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and Habit Burger & Grill. Her most recent role was Chief Food Safety & Quality Officer, where she led Yum! Brands’ food safety governance and restaurant food safety vision and defined the next-generation ecosystem for the company’s global food safety systems. Her previous experience includes Target and NSF International, providing her with invaluable knowledge in retail, restaurant and technical consulting.
Finding joy in all things food and feeding those she cares about, Mary enjoys baking, smoking Texas-style barbecue and making homemade pizza and pasta. She finds balance by staying active with running, hiking and golf with her husband Tim. Mary and her family, which also includes her college-age daughters, are die-hard Green Bay Packers fans and “owners.” Her favorite Starbucks drink is a tall Americano with a splash of almondmilk, and her favorite coffee is Tanzania brewed in a coffee press or moka pot.