My food & drink job: Amber Lacey, brand manager, Tracklements

No comments

Amber Lacey 1

Name: Amber Lacey

Age: 29

Job title: Brand manager

Company & location: Tracklements, Wiltshire

Education: History of Art at University of Birmingham

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? An archaeologist – I absolutely loved history at school (and still do). As a child, I would spend hours down by the river at my grandparents’ house collecting pieces of old pottery that had been washed away over the years.

Why did you decide to go for a career in food & drink? I’ve always had an interest in consumer shopping habits, particularly in relation to food and drink, products we all engage with daily. Food and drink have the power to bring joy to everyday life, and I was eager to work for a brand that champions authentic, high-quality food underpinned by strong ethics.

“I feel proud to work for a brand that brings a touch of foodie joy to people’s lives”

Explain your job to us in a sentence (or two): I manage Tracklements’ consumer-facing channels, from events and social media to email campaigns and the company website. Alongside this, I oversee new and existing product development, including brand collaborations, special-edition products, and the Tracklements’ gifting range – managing projects from concept through to shelf. It’s a varied role that keeps me busy and it’s always interesting!

What does a typical day look like for you? The thing I love most about my role, and one of the benefits of working for a smaller business like Tracklements, is that no two days are ever the same. I could be doing anything from running our consumer shows out on the road, to working with brand partners on exciting new product collaborations, to filming delicious recipe content for our socials.

Tracklements christmas chutney

Tell us how you went about applying for your job: I was working in a B2B marketing role at the time and really wanted to move into the D2C space – ideally in the food industry. So, when I was approached by a recruiter with a role at Tracklements, I jumped at the opportunity and it was (and still is) my dream job.

What’s the best part about working for a food & drink company? At Tracklements, we’re lucky to have really kind, loyal consumers who love to tell us how much they love our condiments. Whether it’s a person at a show, a comment on social media, or even a handwritten letter through the post, I feel proud to work for a brand that brings a touch of foodie joy to people’s lives.

And what’s the biggest misconception people have about working in food & drink? That you have to be the customer yourself. While it’s essential to understand your audience inside out, you don’t need to be the target consumer – though it certainly helps if you like the product!

What advice would you give to other young people looking to get into the food & drink industry? Go for it! It’s such an exciting, fast-paced industry to be part of – it’s always evolving and there are so many brilliant opportunities within the space. Once you get your foot in the door, take as many opportunities as you can and see where it takes you.

What’s your ultimate career dream? I don’t have a set-in-stone career dream, but I’m excited to see where my journey in the world of food & drink will take me. Wherever I end up, I want to continue working for a company that creates high-quality, well-crafted products with values to match – something I believe Tracklements embodies.