Senior Business Development Manager
As a Senior Business Development Manager, Coffee, for Fair Trade USA, Rene Edde supports global coffee supply chain sustainability initiatives and helps advance understanding of certification based social impact opportunities and solutions for business partners. Rene collaborates with companies to create multi-faceted tools and communication strategies to bridge sustainability efforts and global sourcing priorities and practices.
Rene joined Fair Trade USA from Whole Foods Market where she held a variety of positions since 2010. As an Associate Store Team Leader for the Midwest flagship location, Rene provided leadership and guidance to a team of over 400 employees. Rene partnered with global teams, suppliers, and customers to drive collaboration and deepen business relationships. Prior to transitioning into store leadership, Rene was an Associate Regional Coffee Coordinator, a dual reporting role between Whole Foods Market and Allegro Coffee Company, where she executed retail strategies to successfully grow the coffee category on a regional level.
Rene, a recipient of the Walton Sustainability Executive Scholarship in 2016, graduated top of her class with an Executive Masters in Sustainability Leadership from Arizona State University. Rene is active in multiple cross-industry sustainability collaborations and projects. Edde is an active board member of Chicago Fair Trade and on the leadership council for the Chicago Professional Chapter of Net Impact.