Building Success One Channel at a Time
Maria Burdick
Maria Burdick’s career in the food industry has taken her from startups to the strategic helm of Factor’s expansion into new distribution channels. As Head of Strategy and Business Development for Factor New Channels, part of the HelloFresh Group, she’s pioneering the company’s growth beyond direct-to consumer sales into the convenience services sector.
From Startups to Scale
Burdick’s foundation in food began in Boulder, Colorado, where she helped build food startups from concept to over $20 million in revenue. Her comprehensive experience spans manufacturing, merchandising, marketing, and retail sales — a background that serves her well in her current role developing growth strategies for new distribution channels at Factor.
“I have a strong bias for action and am always focused on getting work done effectively and efficiently,” Burdick says. At Factor, she leads efforts to build successful customer pipelines while working across internal teams in finance, operations, marketing, and product development. Her approach centers on putting customers first, advocating for them internally, and investing in their long-term success.
Navigating Fresh Food Complexity
Factor’s business model presents unique operational challenges that Burdick and her team manage daily. With a weekly rotating menu of over 20 meals, the company must balance freshness, quality,
and convenience on a scale.
“Fresh food and a weekly rotating menu of 20-plus meals adds a lot of operational complexity,” Burdick explains. “The Factor crew does a fantastic job of providing a delicious, high-quality product that is ready in minutes. We take tremendous pride in the product we provide to our customers, and NAMA is giving us the chance to provide that same product to operators from coast to coast.”
Factor addresses growing consumer demand for convenient, diverse fresh food options that are ready to heat. The company’s expansion into new channels represents an opportunity to bring these solutions to a broader market.
The Value of Professional Networks
As someone new to the convenience services sector, Burdick has found significant value in NAMA’s Women’s Industry Network (WIN). While networking has been crucial throughout her career in retail, she entered the convenience services space without established connections.
“My career has greatly benefited from networking,” she says.
“Although I’ve always been involved in networking in the retail sector, I knew no one in the convenience service sector. Being a novice to this new sector and a new member of NAMA, WIN opened opportunities for me to network.”
Burdick’s approach to career development emphasizes continuous learning and leveraging others’ expertise. Her advice for young professionals entering the industry reflects this philosophy: “Ask questions, ask questions, ask questions, and surround yourself with people who know more than you.”
The guidance that has shaped her own career focuses on maximizing strengths: “Double down on my strengths and take them to the next level.” For Burdick, this means continuing to develop her skills in business development, relationship building, and customer advocacy.
Looking Forward
Burdick’s professional goal is to continue learning about new channels in the food sector while developing strategies that create profitable business models. As Factor expands its reach through
NAMA partnerships, she remains focused on bringing the company’s fresh meal solutions to operators nationwide.
From her early days managing production challenges at food startups to leading strategic expansion at Factor, Burdick’s career demonstrates the importance of resilience, continuous learning, and customer-focused thinking in the evolving food industry. Her work connecting Factor’s innovative products with new distribution channels represents the kind of strategic thinking that drives growth in the convenience services sector.