Name: Micol Mottura
Age: 24
Job title: Category & shopper intern
Company & location: LSI Netherlands (Jack Link’s) in Amsterdam
Education: I completed a bachelor’s degree in gastronomic sciences at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy. Then I went on to do my master’s degree in food and beverage management at ESCP Business School, where I studied in Turin, Paris and Berlin.
Why did you decide to go for a career in food & drink? I was introduced to this industry at a young age working for my family-owned grocery store and restaurant in Italy. This is where I developed a passion for this industry and it led me to select a master program in food & beverage management. Moreover, I really love to cook, discover new cuisines and learn about new food trends.
Explain your job to us in a sentence (or two): As a category & shopper intern, my role is to support the team in unlocking triple-win growth through narrating actionable insights and developing instantly recognisable shopper marketing. That involves data analysis, market research reporting and shopper marketing visual development.
”I would encourage sending open applications to food and drink businesses that you find interesting, even if there are no current positions available”
What does a typical day look like for you? I always start my day by cycling to work, which is a great benefit of living and working in Amsterdam. Once I’m in the office, I have regular check-ins with my manager where we discuss my current tasks/projects and I receive guidance where needed. Although my tasks vary day to day, my key responsibilities include managing performance dashboards using NIQ data to provide actionable commentary on category performance, to supporting on PoS solution development and improving in-store visibility for shoppers looking for snacks.
Tell us how you went about applying for your job: I discovered this exciting opportunity by sending an open application to the head of HR on LinkedIn. The hiring process comprised of three stages, which involved a call with the marketing director, an interview with the category & shopper manager and finally an interview with the head of category. The interview process at Jack Link’s made me feel at ease and gave me an indication of the type of culture they have at their company.
What’s the best part about working for a food & drink company? I would say that my favourite aspect of the industry is that it satisfies a fundamental need of human existence, while at the same time, it is a competitive field that is expanding at a rapid rate and provides you with the opportunity to learn and develop.
And what’s the biggest misconception people have about working in food & drink? That you spend all day eating the products!
What advice would you give to other young people looking to get into the food & drink industry? I would encourage sending open applications to food and drink businesses that you find interesting, even if there are no current positions available.
What’s your ultimate career dream? My goal is to build up my managerial skills, acquire as much knowledge and expertise as I can and be inspired by people. One day I want to create my own business in the F&B sector.
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