Jess Templeton
Marketing innovation manager, KP Snacks, on Boyzone, pigeons and moving to Chartres
What was your first-ever job? When I was 15 I was a sales assistant at WH Smith. I have fond memories of recommending books to holidaymakers and demonstrating how to refill staplers.
What’s been your worst job interview? An interview for a role at a coffee plant. I asked for a quick tour and was given a pair of safety boots, which were two sizes too small for me but I didn’t speak up as I wasn’t expecting to wear them for long. It took two hours…
What was the first single you bought? ‘Father and Son’ by Boyzone.
How do you describe your job to your mates? I come up with ideas for crisps and snacks, leading projects from conception to launch.
What is the most rewarding part of your job? Nothing beats the feeling I get when the customer believes in an idea, understands the value it will bring to the category, and enjoys the taste!
What is the least rewarding part? I can’t bring myself to do my grocery shopping online as I can’t resist the chance to come across something new and exciting in store.
If you were allowed one dream perk, what would it be? Going on taste explorations around the world to try exciting food and flavour combinations at their origin.
Do you have any phobias? Pigeons and mayonnaise. Thankfully I’ve never had to deal with both at the same time.
If you could change one thing in grocery, what would it be? The development of flexible off-shelf feature plans based on day/week in convenience and smaller stores.
What luxury would you have on a desert island? A mosquito force field to encompass the entire island. While in Mexico a few years ago I racked up 76 bites in one evening.
What’s your favourite film and why? The Royal Tenenbaums - for the kooky characters, retro styling, Dalmatian mice and Bill Murray.
What has been your most embarrassing moment? I moved to Chartres for my first job out of university. I took up an offer to live in a shared flat with a colleague and she posted the keys to me. When I let myself in, I came across a bewildered Frenchman who started to shoo me out the door. My colleague had sent me the master key for all the flats in the building and I was trying to move into the wrong one!
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