Celebrating Women of Canteen
International Women’s Day is every year on March 8th, but we believe women should be celebrated every day. From across the country, we wanted to bring you some hardworking women who continue to take Canteen to the next level every day.
To begin this incredible list, we have Canteen Cashier Ebonee Allen. Her coworkers can agree that she
always goes above and beyond and takes the time to learn something new. Her guests are the lucky ones as they get to see her infectious smile and upbeat attitude every day.
Canteen: Hi Ebonee! We want to start off asking what is your favorite part of your job?
Ebonee: My favorite part is having the opportunity to serve quality food and work with an amazing team. Working here feels like I am in culinary school where I get to learn something new every day!
C: That’s amazing! Why is important for you to celebrate women this month?
E: Many women have paved the way for me to be able to work where I want and achieve the accomplishments I desire. For me, it is imperative to celebrate every woman that has been through the trials and tribulations to assure equality for the future. I appreciate and honor all women.
Next up is Route Driver, Mary Wallace. Mary’s passion for customer service inspires her colleagues. Her customers appreciate the timeliness and attention to detail in their markets and vending machines. Not only that, Mary helps provide and receive feedback that helps the entire team continue to grow.
Canteen: You’ve been with Canteen since 1991! What has been your favorite part of working for Canteen?
Mary: The people! I take great pride in taking care of my customers.
C: We are sure big on our people. Why is it important for you to celebrate women in March?
M: I think it’s important so that we can show others that you can be successful in a field that is usually dominated by men.
We’re not stopping there! Nicole Brest, Customer Service Manager, is a huge asset to the Snack Box team. She has taken the program to the next level by being innovative and exceeding expectations.
Canteen: How did you get your start with Canteen? 
Nicole: I started my journey with Compass Group a little over 3.5 years ago as a coffee shop manager. I loved the company and the culture, and I knew once the shop closed that I wanted to stay with Compass. I found Canteen and felt like it was a great match with my skill set in the coffee industry. Since beginning at Canteen, I have been able to use that knowledge to help lead customers in the best direction for their needs. I have always been customer service oriented, and I feel like Canteen really let’s that part of me thrive.
C: We are happy to have you on the team! Can you explain a little more about your role with the Canteen Snack Box program?
N: I love projects of any kind so when I was presented with the idea to help grow the business last year, I jumped at the opportunity. My role was to work with the innovation team to help bring in business through the creation of snack boxes. On my side, I fulfill the boxes and make sure they’re sent out. I also collaborate with the innovation team on how to better the program and rive sales. The sky is the limit, and I can’t wait to see how far this program goes!
C: We think everyone should know about our Snack Boxes! One more question – Why is celebrating women and Women’s Day important to you?
N: It’s important to me because women should feel empowered, not just one day out of a year but every day. It is a day for us to say thank you to every woman we know in our life no matter the struggles or obstacles that we face. As women we need to celebrate each other and learn from one another.
Let’s keep it going! Next, we have Heather Rumbley, she has her hands in operations support and a myriad of titles from cook to customer service. With safety always in the forefront of her mind, her eagerness to grow top sales, positive attitude, and very client friendly, she’s an irreplaceable asset at Canteen.
Canteen: March is Women’s History Month. Why is it important for you to celebrate?
Heather: Celebrating Women’s Day and Women’s History Month is monumental when you think back to 100 years ago and how far we as women have come. There have been so many great women who have changed the course of our future. A female Vice President was only a fantasy, but because of pioneering women such as Amelia Earhart, Sandra Day O’Connor, Rosa Parks and so many others who have blazed a trail for us, it is now a reality. I am proud to be a woman and to celebrate all the phenomenal ladies who have rewritten history and those still to come.
C: We agree! When it comes to working at Canteen, what has been your favorite part about what you do every day?
H: My favorite part about my job with Canteen is interacting with our clients. We are in a unique situation where we have a captive audience who are daily customers. I enjoy getting to know them and their likes and dislikes as far as food choices go. When they see something on the menu that they have specifically mentioned or asked for, I think it makes them feel good and appreciated that we care about them.
C: That is a skill we believe your customers appreciate daily. Speaking of food, what is something you’ve learned working with your chef/manager?
H: I believe we eat with our eyes first. Working side by side with him has taught me a lot about food presentation and it makes me very proud of the food we serve to our guests.
Our people are the main reason Canteen is what it is today and this includes all the successful women within the company. Individually they all bring a unique set of skills to help grow the business and help cultivate culture at Canteen. The list doesn’t stop here! We are grateful for all the women who make up Canteen and all our associates who make inclusion a priority.