Name: Charlie Hodges
Job Title: Sales director
Company: Belazu/The Fresh Olive Company
Sales: £20m
HQ: Greenford, Middlesex
No of employees: c.100

What's it like to work for your company? It's an exciting time at Belazu. We have just moved into our new factory after a £2.7m fit-out and the resulting opportunities from this move are keeping the whole team very busy.

Why is it a good employer? We run a very flat and informal management structure based on mutual trust and respect. All employees take ownership for their role in the business.

What's the best thing about working there? There is a passion for customer service and the sense of pride from positive feedback makes our endeavours feel worthwhile.

Does the company offer any unusual benefits? We have twice had our staff Christmas party at our Spanish olive oil supplier's mill, and most recently eight of the team went to Thessaloniki in Greece.

How does the company differ from its rivals? Belazu has unique heritage from Fresh Olive, its parent company's foodservice brand this gives our product provenance and organoleptic delivery.

If the company were a car what would it be and why? A Mini Cooper great fun, well-made and able to outmanoeuvre the big boys.

What's the training like and what qualifications can I earn? We encourage employees to do appropriate training courses whenever the opportunity arises. This may be an IT course, a sensory training day or public speaking coaching. The technical, factory and operations team all have regular training.

Has the company won any awards or been recognised in the past few years as an employer? We've won many design and taste awards. We are also really proud and appreciative of how many unsolicited recommendations we receive each month from food writers and magazines.

What's your proudest achievement of the past 12 months? The one of which I am proudest is our new relationship with a large US retailer the barriers to trade in the USA for chilled high-care products are significant but we have just shipped our second full container and sales are going very well.

Are you looking for any people right now and, if so, where? We are always keen to talk to people with the right attitude and passion. At the moment, we are looking to strengthen our national accounts team.

What tips would you offer jobseekers? Do your research before the interview, and show some passion and enthusiasm for the products and industry.

How do I find out more about the company? Start with our websites: www.belazu.com and www.fresholive.com.

Are you, or is the company, working on anything exciting right now that you can tell us about? Additive-free olive snack packs with Belazu's unique marinades the future of healthy snacking has arrived...

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