A passion for food guides career

From innovative campaigns to social media strategies that sizzle, Alicia Mowder has impacted the food industry

by Charlize Easter

Alicia Mowder, ’08, has always had a passion for food and marketing. Her passion for food has driven her to create unique and innovative campaigns that connect with consumers from different backgrounds and cultures, engage them with food-related content, and keep up with the latest trends and innovations in the complex and evolving food industry.

Mowder is now the vice president for growth at Panera Bread, where she oversees the company’s category growth strategy. Her journey is an inspiration to those who also share her love for food and media.

“I’m always looking for what the next big idea is, what new product is going to become our guests’ new favorite thing to order at Panera,” Mowder said. “Food is so much more than just a product; it creates a deep emotional connection that can be shared with others to inspire, educate and entertain. I can’t imagine not using my marketing skills and passion to connect with people and play even a small role in their lives. For me, it truly is the best job ever.”

Mowder’s first job out of college was at Payless Shoe Source, where she worked as a merchandise distribution planner. Mowder gained valuable insights into the business world there and she also took the time to work on her master’s degree, which enabled her to advance to the position of media and marketing operations manager.

“Food is my true love; I found that out after working at Payless,” Mowder said. “Fashion was not something I had a passion for. While attending various study abroad programs at Washburn, I was impressed by the amazing flavors and cultures that I tasted and learned about. They showed me how much more there was to food than what I grew up with.”

Mowder spent five years working for the corporate office of Sonic Drive-In, where she rose to the position of senior director of brand marketing. She was responsible for cooking up innovative products and campaigns for the national brand, such as the Sonic Slinger, a blended burger that married mushrooms and beef, which won a MenuMasters Award in 2018.

“I had a blast working at Sonic Drive-In,” Mowder said. “My job was to eat and talk about food all day long. I was like a kid in a candy store, except with burgers and fries. My day-to-day involved working with different teams to plan and execute marketing campaigns that showcased our unique food and experience. I also monitored our brand performance and customer feedback to ensure we were delivering on our promise of satisfying our customers. It was a fast-paced and rewarding job that kept me on my toes.”

Mowder bid farewell to Sonic in 2018 and hopped on board Circle K as a senior director of global marketing. She relocated to North Carolina and embraced the challenge of steering the marketing strategy for the worldwide convenience store giant. At Circle K, Mowder orchestrated a national marketing blitz across 7,000 locations in the United States, raking in $37 billion in revenue every year.

“I wasn’t aware of the convenience store brand, Circle K, when the recruiter called me about the role,” Mowder thriving in the vibrant and global environment. During her time, she led the company’s first national marketing campaigns and rolled out a fresh brewed coffee program to every store. Mowder loved leading the marketing strategy with such a broad scope. However, when the COVID pandemic hit, she felt a strong pull to move back to Kansas to be closer to her family.

In 2018, Mowder won the MenuMaster award for Sonic Drive-Ins Best Limited-Time Offer: Sonic Signature Slinger at Sonic Drive-In. It was the first “blended burger” made with 25% cooked mushrooms combined with beef for a patty that was gentler on the environment.

“Circle K gave me a great opportunity, but I was excited to start a new chapter at Panera Bread,” Mowder said.

With all of her accomplishments, it’s no surprise that she was invited to give an presentation on April 6, 2023, for the Wake Up with Washburn Breakfast lecture series that is co-sponsored by the Washburn University Alumni Association and Foundation and the Washburn University School of Business.

Rebekah McIntosh, a mass media freshman, attended Mower’s presentation.

“She’s really good at public speaking, and it’s inspiring to see people purse their passion,” McIntosh said. “Rather than settling with a job she didn’t enjoy, she kept at her passion and was rewarded for it.” said. “But after learning what they were doing to bring fresh food to its locations, it drew me in. It ended up being a really smart decision for my career.”

Mowder combined her skills and enthusiasm for food to create an impressive career in the industry. With her sharp marketing skills, Mowder became an integral part of the food industry, helping numerous restaurants and food brands to grow their businesses. She has an eye for detail and a strong drive for success, which helps her excel.

When Mowder was an undergraduate in mass media, she had Maria Stover, who is now the department chair, as one of her professors.

Mowder worked at Circle K for nearly three years,

“She applies everything she’s learned with mass media on a daily basis: oral communication, group work and professionalism,” Stover said. “These are important qualities we try to instill in our students, both back then and now. I was impressed by how she merged her career path with her passion. She really had a positive impact on current students and connected the dots between career and passion.”