What A Foodservice Sales Manager At PepsiCo Wishes They Had Known Before Entering Beverage Sales
Chris, a Foodservice Senior Key Account Sales Manager at PepsiCo, wishes they had known about the significant "manual labor" involved, such as "loading trucks" and "stacking products," before starting. The ever-changing beverage landscape, including declining "carbonated soft drink sales," and PepsiCo's strategies to address these trends, were also aspects of the role that were not fully understood until later in their career.
Industry Realities, Workplace Challenges, Overcoming Challenges, Hard Truths, Career Development
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Chris Tuzzio
Foodservice Senior Key Account Sales Manager
PepsiCo
University of Colorado Boulder
n/a
Political Science, American Studies
Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), Food, Beverages & Alcohol
Sales and Client Management
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. The job requires more manual labor than expected, including loading trucks and stocking shelves.
2. Long working hours were initially common (13-15 hours, six days a week), but PepsiCo has since improved this aspect.
3. The beverage industry is dynamic, with changing trends (e.g., declining soda sales), requiring adaptable problem-solving skills and knowledge of industry solutions.
Transcript
Have you learned anything about this role that you wish someone had told you before entering the industry?
Starting out, I wasn't prepared for the amount of hours and manual labor involved. Coming out of college as a fast-track sales employee, I didn't expect to spend years loading trucks, bringing hand trucks down basement stairs, stacking products, and packing out coolers and shelves.
Before entering the industry, I didn't realize how much of that work would be required. As I mentioned earlier, regarding the hours, I think Pepsi has done a great job reducing them because they were losing talent. I don't think many people are still working those 13 to 15 hour, six-day work weeks anymore.
I think they've learned that our generation does not enjoy that. I wish I had known more about the challenges and how ever-changing the trends are in the beverage world. For instance, soda sales are down nationwide.
I didn't really know about the different solutions Pepsi has to combat that until I came into this more senior role.
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