Early Life
Michael Harrison McCain was born on November 13, 1958, in Florenceville-Bristol, New Brunswick, Canada. He is the son of Wallace McCain, co-founder of McCain Foods, and Margaret McCain, a philanthropist. McCain attended Mount Allison University and received an Honours Business Administration degree from the University of Western Ontario.
Rise to Success
McCain's career in the food industry began in 1979 when he joined the sales department of McCain Foods. He rose through the ranks, becoming the president of McCain Citrus Incorporated in 1986 and later the president and CEO of McCain Foods USA Incorporated in 1990. In April 1995, McCain joined Maple Leaf Foods as president and COO, eventually becoming CEO in 1999 and Executive Chairman in May 2022.
Key Business Strategies
McCain has been instrumental in transforming Maple Leaf Foods into a leading food processor and exporter. He is known for his values-based leadership style and his commitment to sustainable food production. Under his leadership, Maple Leaf Foods became the world's first major carbon-neutral food company. He led the establishment of the Maple Leaf Centre for Food Security, a non-profit organization dedicated to addressing food insecurity in Canada.
Philanthropy
Michael McCain is involved in various philanthropic endeavors. He is the honorary chairman of the Maple Leaf Centre for Food Security. In 2019, he enabled the University of Toronto and Princess Margaret Cancer Centre to launch the McCain Centre for Urological Innovation and Education with a gift of $10 million.