Female Lipton Teas Executive Recognized as Trailblazer in the CPG Category by Top Women in Grocery's List
Racquel Harris Mason currently holds the position of President, North America, at Lipton Teas and Infusions. This role marks a significant milestone in her career, but the details of her personal background, early life experiences, mentors, and journey through the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry are not widely documented.
Mason's leadership style has evolved over time, with a focus on understanding her team's personal experiences, which helps to build relationships and improve work performance. She credits her mentors, Gary McCullough and Kathy Waller, for influencing her career with their guidance and advice.
Mason's journey in the CPG industry began at The Coca-Cola Co., where she led the Sprite and sparkling flavor brands, multicultural marketing, and marketing innovation. Her 14-year tenure at the company included critical roles such as SVP and general manager for McDonald's Division USA and VP for the Coca-Cola and Coke Zero brands.
Mason's success in the industry is rooted in her understanding that CPG companies must be agile, insight-led strategic partners that deliver brands, innovations, experiences, and propositions rooted in consumer needs. She stays ahead of change by being a curious observer, hanging out in grocery stores, talking to consumers, reading constantly, and pushing her team to maintain an external focus.
One of the key lessons Mason learned during her career was the importance of engaging teams and building relationships, a lesson she learned from a failed project earlier in her career. She also faced pressure to always strive to be more than excellent due to assumptions that she was there to fill a quota, not because she was qualified.
Mason's immigrant background from Jamaica has instilled in her a deep desire to make all people feel seen and respected. This is reflected in her belief that the conversation about integrating family and career is an important missing piece in the progress toward gender equality in CPG.
In 2025, Progressive Grocer released its list of top food and consumables retailers in North America (The PG 100). Many of this year's Best New Products of 2025, as named by Progressive Grocer, marry functionality and flavor, reflecting the industry's focus on consumer needs.
Mason currently sits on the board of NielsenIQ, the world's leading consumer intelligence company. She believes that AI will have a significant impact on CPG operations, enabling constant dynamic pricing at shelf.
For a more comprehensive understanding of Mason's career journey and influences, one might consult corporate leadership biographies on Lipton’s or the parent company’s official website, interviews, press releases, or keynote talks featuring Racquel Harris Mason, industry profiles or articles about women leaders in CPG sectors.
- Racquel Harris Mason, currently serving as President, North America at Lipton Teas and Infusions, attributes her mentors Gary McCullough and Kathy Waller for influencing her career with their guidance and advice during her journey in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry.
- Mason's leadership style emphasizes understanding her team's personal experiences to build relationships and improve work performance, a trait that has evolved over time.
- A key lesson Mason learned in her CPG career was the importance of engaging teams and building relationships, a lesson learned from a failed project earlier in her career.
- To stay ahead of change in the CPG industry, Mason maintains an external focus, often hanging out in grocery stores, talking to consumers, reading constantly, and pushing her team to do the same.
- In a bid to promote gender equality in CPG, Mason believes that the conversation about integrating family and career is an important missing piece, with her immigrant background from Jamaica instilling in her a deep desire to make all people feel seen and respected.
