Name: Paige Wyatt
Age: 22
Job title: Shopper activation manager
Company & location: Nestlé UK & Ireland, Gatwick
Education: Sheffield Hallam University, BA (Hons) Professional Practice in Management
Why did you decide to go for a career in food? I wanted to work in the food industry because it’s such a dynamic environment. There are always new innovations coming to the market and I wanted to understand more of the ‘behind the scenes’ and what it takes to launch new products and create excitement for consumers. There’s also such a variety of roles in the food industry, from manufacturing and supply chain to sales and marketing, which bring numerous opportunities to develop skills and gain new experiences.
Explain your job to us in a sentence (or two): I currently work as a shopper activation manager within the coffee division, which means I look after the strategic planning and execution of point of sale to make our coffee brands visible in store and online, and showcase their great value offerings to consumers.
What does a typical day look like for you? In my role, no two days are the same which I love because it brings variety and new challenges every day! I manage activation for a variety of customers, so I may be planning exciting in-store campaigns and competitions for our customers or working with brand teams and artwork agencies to create innovative displays to showcase our brands in wholesale depots. I mostly work from home, but I also go into the Gatwick or London workspaces each week to stay connected and collaborate with the team.
Inclusion and belonging in the workplace are really important to me as I have a visual impairment. To support creating an accessible working environment, I volunteer as a member of NestAbility, one of Nestlé UK&I’s inclusion and belonging colleague networks.
“‘No question is a silly question’ really is true at Nestlé”
Tell us how you went about applying for your job: I joined Nestlé on the chartered manager degree apprenticeship scheme, which involved working across the business in numerous different divisions and functions. This meant the application process involved a few steps. I firstly completed a couple of online tests and an application form, which was followed by a video interview, recording answers to questions on screen. I was then invited to attend an assessment centre in our Gatwick office which involved an individual interview and presentation as well as a group task.
What’s the best part about working for a food company? I love that food and drink offers such wide-ranging categories to work in. I really enjoy what I do because it involves exciting challenges of bringing the category strategy to life within retailers. I love that I get to see the activations live in store and take pride in knowing that I worked on their creation to support the shopper journey.
And what’s the biggest misconception people have about working in food & drink? Although trying new and exciting product samples is a perk of the job, this doesn’t fill my days! I’ve realised from working in the category that there is a lot of time spent planning to produce great products as well as their execution. From planning Christmas in January to thinking about summer recipes when it’s still dark outside, the business is always looking forward and you have to think ahead to succeed.
What advice would you give to other young people looking to get into the food & drink industry? The biggest piece of advice I would give is to always ask questions, be curious and be willing to learn! I’ve found the saying ‘no question is a silly question’ really is true at Nestlé, and people are generally always willing to support you and find answers. There are also so many options to explore, from coffee to confectionery, so don’t be afraid to take on new challenges and find the role that will not only develop your skills, but more importantly be a role that you enjoy.
What’s your ultimate career dream? I’m not sure what it is yet, but I am really excited by the ever-changing and innovative digital world, with new technologies and media touchpoints evolving. There are roles that exist today that wouldn’t have been thought of a few years ago and I’m sure this will continue into the future, especially with the rise in q-commerce and online shopping changing the way we shop for our food and drink products. I look forward to continuing my journey in the food and drink industry to develop my skills and take on new challenges.
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