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Month: April 2017

Anyone for drinks? How you could leverage current trends in the drinks industry to land your dream job.

The rise of the start-up is as prominent in the drinks industry as it is in other FMCG categories in the UK. Craft is nothing new, you have craft gin, craft beer and craft quinoa vodka, for goodness’ sake, and the category continues to ferment as new brands bubble into the market daily. It’s incredibly competitive but there’s some notable small batch gins really making noise in the industry, like Manchester Gin manchestergin.co.uk also up for a Great British Food Award for 2017

Together with the rise of craft is the tonic and soft drinks industry, with emerging brands like Fever Tree, Fentimans, and Franklin & Sons, now giving market leaders like Schweppes a run for their money. It’s also worth noting the emergence of the ‘low-cal’ category, which suit a more nutrition-conscious nation.

Staying with soft drinks for a moment, a few other categories have experienced growth and seen new contenders enter:

  • In spring water, Cano recently launched Canowater, a brand focused on sustainability and the environment, cannily (sorry couldn’t resist the pun) created aluminium cans of sparkling and still waters, where the packaging alone is enough to tempt you to make a purchase.
  • Tapped Trees is another brand busily making flavoured water cool again from the sap of the birch tree

Another thing I’d like to mention is the wide range of spin-off industries like subscription services. Whilst wine clubs have been around for aeons now, the subscription-based gifting services, whether drinks or cosmetics, or whatever it may be, are still really gaining momentum. One notable is Gin Craft Club with a staggering 20,000 members who receive a different gin every month/two months, along with a hamper-style box filled with related gin paraphernalia enabling you to create your perfect G&T in the comfort of your own home. There’s also a similar one called Caskers for Vodka lovers.

I think it’s a great time to be a consumer in the UK at the moment as the need for brands to keep their innovation pipeline relevant and fresh has never been more important. The result of this is a wider range of ingredients, new categories emerging, and innovative brands at our disposal, resulting in a range of highly creative products on our shelves like never before. However, life is not all about socialising and consuming, so here’s some critical success factors that I have put together about how to find work in the burgeoning drinks industry right now:

How can I get into the drinks industry?

Get yourself out there before you apply anywhere
More often than not you will learn your trade through the trade, so if you are applying for jobs with drinks companies, get out there and understand the brand perception. Identify if they are mass market or premium, who their competitors are, what the price-point is, what the promotions are, and if it tastes good. This first-hand research is especially important if you are making a switch from an entirely different industry.

Choose the business type carefully
If you are a sales professional looking for entry level positions, consider whether you want to work for an SME or if you want to join a larger business where you could get training development, and a better appreciation of other functions and resources like category management, shopper marketing, and consumer insights.


What traits do drinks companies look for?

Show you understand the business
The on-trade to off-trade transition will forever be an issue. If you are a NAE/NAM currently in the on-trade trying to make a switch, you will need to find comparisons with the Grocery/Retail channel. For example, building and negotiating Joint Business Plans (JBP’s, category management approaches, or where you have perhaps had crossover with colleagues in the off-trade in projects before.

Be a brand ambassador!
As we’ve seen with some of the recent trends, this is a really exciting, yet competitive time to be in drinks, so if you are considering a move to a Craft Gin, Beer or Tonic brand, bear in mind that there’s probably a high percentage of other people in the UK who also think it’s a cool job too. To get ahead, ensure that you are able to demonstrate your industry knowledge at interview, it sounds obvious, but think about what brands you like, and why, and make sure the company knows you have been into the trade and done your homework.

Be entrepreneurial
At the more experienced end of the market, let’s say you are thinking of making the switch to SME (another interesting blog covered by my colleague, Richard Bowen) you must be able to demonstrate real (and excuse the somewhat overused term) entrepreneurial spirit: how you’ve progressed, how you’ve worked cross-functionally, and where you’ve created/implemented processes from scratch.

Be prepared to work in your own spare-time
This is something probably more relevant in drinks than most other categories. You may be expected to go to festivals (what a drag!), attend events, collaborate with other brands in sponsorship agreements, deliver tasting sessions, and do pop-ups etc.

Ultimately working in the Drinks industry can involve lots of hard-work yet be extremely rewarding if you are passionate.

G&T anyone?

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The underlying problems in FMCG sales hiring and what to do differently

Clients often put it to me that there’s a scarcity of qualified professionals looking for that second or third job in the Sales and Account Management space in FMCG.

But the truth is, there’s not a lack of impressive professionals. They’re simply just looking in the wrong places.

If you too are struggling to hire a National Account Executives (NAE) or Junior Commercial Talent, there may be some hard truths to face.

In this blog, I’m going to cover the 4 main reasons you might not be getting what you’re after and tips on how to avoid putting all you’re the best candidates off.


1. Candidates aren’t wow’ed by your benefits as much as you think
It might seem obvious, but if an individual has had over a year’s exposure to P&L, they need not only need to be rewarded. They need to be rewarded adequately.

Especially if they have the right skill set.

Remember: It’s rare these candidates can be secured for packages lower than £40k per annum.


2. Candidates aren’t demanding as much as you think
Those who want a £10k pay rise and will only work for a top 20 FMCG brand might sound bold, but in reality, this is a reasonable market rate and requirement when it comes to salary change.


3. They’ve got more options than you think
And I’m not just talking the top brands.

These days there is a whole new world of choice in the start-up, SME space.

What’s so appealing?

The next wave of innocent drinks copycats may entice with modern interior, multi-functional breakout spaces, flexible and co-working options working, cycle to work schemes and other perks like unlimited beer taps and table tennis next to their desks.

This means there’s nothing stopping candidates stepping outside the sector and into the consulting, finance or tech industry.

Remember: it’s likely that they’re able to use their client-facing experience to command a premium.


4. Entry opportunities offered aren’t as exciting as you think
This may come as a shock but not that many people want to trek round the country for a couple of years in a branded Mini. It seems a lot of companies are missing a trick if the opportunity for entry level FMCG sales is limited.

If they don’t come through a graduate scheme and this is the only way to secure an admin-led NAE role they’re probably going to be put off.

Remember: field sales experience is useful but is rarely a springboard into national accounts these days.

 

If you want to bag the best of the best read these 2 tips below:

1. Invest in grad schemes / programmes
As they grow with you, you’ll be able to hold on to your talent for longer.

Candidates who enter the sector earning at £30,000 can easily be progressed within 2–3 years to a larger role earning up to £15–20k more.

It’s often at this point they need a career move to smash through the glass ceiling to the next level.

2. Hire outside of FMCG
Aside from this, my advice to FMCG hiring managers is that you must, must open your eyes and understand there is a huge pool of talent outside FMCG.

If you don’t step outside the box when hiring, you’ll only end up hiring all the same type of people. You can do so much better than only hiring people who have worked in FMCG doing the same role in a similar business. P.S. moving from retail buying doesn’t count!

If you have a diverse pool of talent it adds richness through different lenses of knowledge, experiences, cultures and backgrounds.

Diversity breeds creativity and innovation equating to better financial performance.


A common misconception is there’s a shortage of talent in applicants for FMCG.

But in fact, there is great talent, it’s just you that you’ve been looking into the wrong place! Talent can easily be attracted by some of the sectors mentioned above and elsewhere.

Unfortunately, the industry is still blinkered, and mainly hiring from within.

The bulk of hiring managers want candidates who ‘tick every box’

What do you need to do differently?


Firstly, get real!

When you change your mindset you change the game.

If you are doing any of the 4 points I mentioned above, then I can guarantee the candidate will be bored in three months and looking for his next step in 12 months at the latest!

Remember: there’s always someone else prepared to offer an extra £10k and a bigger job.

So, forget the industry and focus on the person.

Find the right competencies, the right personal attributes, which match your brand values, and train the rest!

In three months, that person will be a far stronger and more positive employee that’s genuinely grateful for the opportunity your business gave them.

If you want to read more about this topic and understand why sales professionals are moving from retail to the supplier side more and more, check out my colleague, Richard Bowen’s most recent blog.

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From Hong Kong to Manchester in 1460 days

As we all get used to waking up in the year 2017 I am once again starting a new year in the UK after 4 years of living and working abroad in Hong Kong – ‘Asia’s World City’. I have now spent an equal proportion of my career in the UK and Asian FMCG markets, and only recently returned to the city of Manchester (where I call home).

Unsurprisingly the UK hasn’t stood still since 2012; I’d barely stepped from the plane and dusted off my flip-flops when Brexit was announced – a monumental piece of our history.

Needless to say, the UK FMCG industry has moved on significantly too and I’ve spent some time comparing the Asian markets with our UK market. I think there are some key factors to consider, whether you are considering a move to Asia or returning home after an International assignment. Or indeed if you are recruiting International talent.


International Relocation
Asia is dynamic and moves fast, which is one of the many reasons so many people choose to live and work there. If you are considering an International move, there are a few things to be mindful of:

  • Those with Visas will ultimately be favoured whether moving to Asia or the UK from other parts of the world.
  • The mechanics of the FMCG/Retail industry will be very different depending on the market, for example; HK is quite insular and localised along with other parts of APAC and can be difficult to penetrate as an outsider without local market expertise and/or language. Also, the Retail landscape is very different, with none of the major UK/Global retailers ie Walmart/Tesco operating there and very few big store supermarket formats which ultimately changes the dynamics of the supplier-retailer relationship.
  • As an Account Manager/NAM on the supplier side it is likely you will find trading/negotiating with Buyers very different going from say New Zealand to the UK or the UK to Hong Kong/Dubai and language plays a big factor here.
  • You should be able to live without a salary for a period of up to 6 months which is how long it could take you to find a job if you are not relocating with your current company
  • Those that are successful at finding jobs are the one’s usually on the ground, able to get in front of recruiters and people hiring, but also have a buffer period that gives them some breathing space.


Coming home
Sometimes the biggest hurdle for people coming back to the UK or their native country after a stint overseas is the disparity of salary and cost of living.

  • Tax!!! Clearly if you are coming from a place like Hong Kong/UAE etc then you will have become accustomed to paying either very low or no tax whatsoever.
  • If you are moving home, you will need to factor in the higher tax rate when considering salary but you will also need to appreciate if you have been out of the UK market for a significant period of time there will be a degree of acclimatising yourself and a period of adjustment which may be a concern for a future employer, and remove some of your bargaining power when negotiating salary.
  • Your international experience will be deemed invaluable to certain organisations but far less useful to others, candidates with recent UK experience could be deemed as a safer bet which could limit the opportunities available to you.

The industry you left will have changed and your network may have moved on, channels may be classified differently, retailers may no longer exist, companies will have merged, or have been taken over and the overall industry landscape is likely to have changed.

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Is interim work the Snapchat of work for millennials?

The oldest millennials have now been in the workplace for about 15 years and it’s clear to me as a manager for a top recruitment agency’s Interim and Contracts department, that they differ from Gen X and baby boomers with the way they work. They’re sometimes called the ‘entitled generation’ but this may not necessarily be fair. Most millennials have entered the workforce or were just at the start of their career in 2008 when we suffered the worst recession since the 1930s. Most could say this has influenced some of their general working outlook. I personally think this lack of stability will impact how millennials will view future lifestyle choices when it comes to work.

A ‘millennial’ refers to anyone born from the year 1980. The first millennials entered the workforce in the late 90s, and university-educated millennials from about 2001 onwards. World events in the last 20 years have caused unprecedented changes in the workplace. No longer are we stuck to our desks; there’s no real need to commute to work; humans are now truly globally connected in a way that doesn’t recognise borders or time zones. Loyalty to employers counts for nothing, as millennials have seen employees with decades of experience being made redundant. Not surprisingly, this has led to a mindset that work —- and the type of work chosen —- is there to support lifestyle, not just a stable rut to fall into.

When is the workforce like Snapchat?
As the millennial group of employees matures, the nature of work will change. Most millennials see themselves as job-hoppers with average tenure at most jobs for 20-somethings between 1.3 and 3.2 years. Whilst most of us from Generation X settled into careers because of family and mortgage commitments, 38% of 18 to 34 year olds still live with their parents. And mortgages are not the only things that are no longer feasible for many. As the first rung of the housing ladder gets more difficult to climb, millennials will not have the commitments that most Gen X or baby boomers have.

Add elements of flexible working arrangements and the ability to work anywhere in the world (not to mention remote working possibilities) and you have the perfect recipe for a transient workforce.

Millennials don’t see work as a validation of their existence but more of a means to an end. We have also seen the rise of the internship workforce where millennials work for short periods for minimal pay. Their attitude to work reminds me of Snapchat! A fabulous picture, right now, for no more than 10 seconds. Snap it, breathe, and it’s gone. Or they’re off, doing something else for a different company.

All of this adds up to a workforce who view work as a way of getting what they want in life, and is more amenable to interim work. The mortgages aren’t available, but transient experiences like global travel, material possessions, and interesting places to live are more likely to trend now.

The ability to work anywhere, for anyone, and for any period of time, whilst leaving room to pursue your passions, may appeal more to millennials than any other age group. With no final salary pensions, eroding benefits and work no longer being your life’s identity why would you want to pledge allegiance to just one employer?

How can employers benefit from this up-and-coming new workforce?
To reap the benefits of this transient but energetic workforce, employers will need to look at being more agile when planning a workforce. No longer is it necessary to rigidly employ just full-time permanent staff. You will miss out on a whole sector of society – the experienced veterans of the future – if you stay within this confined thinking.

Maybe you disagree and the future of work is not going to change massively as millennials age and decide that stability is the future. I would love to hear your thoughts on whether our workforce is changing and if employers are doing enough to accommodate that change. One thing is clear though, the nature of work is changing and employers need to be agile enough to adapt to these rapid changes.

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