My food & drink job: Lydia Cromack, digital commerce customer manager, Heineken UK

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Lydia Cromack - headshot

Name: Lydia Cromack

Age: 29

Job title: Digital commerce customer manager

Company & location: Heineken UK, London

Education: University of Birmingham – Business Management with Year in Industry

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? I was absolutely convinced I was going to be a pop star – I’ve always had a big passion for music.

Why did you decide to go for a career in food & drink? I started my career in retail, and I loved the fast‑paced nature of the industry. Food & drink was a natural progression because it’s one of the most exciting parts of retail – it moves quickly, no two days are the same, it’s highly competitive, and you get to see real consumer behaviour every single day.

I’ve always enjoyed talking to customers about great brands and products, so building a career in food & drink felt like the perfect fit.

Explain your job to us in a sentence (or two): I manage the end‑to‑end digital performance of our brands across key retailers – leading online visibility, media, and activation to drive sales and category growth. I work closely with retailer teams to optimise execution, improve the digital shelf, and unlock new opportunities across digital commerce.

“This industry rewards people who are proactive, open‑minded and excited by change”

What does a typical day look like for you? A typical day for me is a mix of analysing performance, optimising how our brands show up online, and working closely with our retailer partners. I spend a lot of time reviewing sales data, digital shelf execution and media results, then turning those insights into actions that improve visibility and conversion.

I’m also in regular contact with account teams and buying teams – aligning on priorities, fixing any issues quickly, and planning upcoming activations. Alongside that, I work with our internal marketing and activation teams to make sure campaigns go live smoothly and deliver the strongest impact. Every day is fast‑paced, collaborative and focused on driving growth for both the retailer and the category.

Tell us how you went about applying for your job: I first saw the role being advertised on LinkedIn and there were two stages to the process. First stage was a coffee chat with the hiring manager, where we discussed more about my CV and intentions for applying for the role. The second stage was a two-part interview, the first half was a presentation on the digital shelf, and the second half was competency-based questions.

I always view interviews as a two-way process, and it really gave me a great insight into what Heineken UK was like as a company to work for.

Heineken Sport lifestyle shot resized

What’s the best part about working for a food & drink company? The best part about working in food & drink is how real and tangible the impact is. It’s a fast‑paced industry where you get to work with brands people genuinely recognise and enjoy, and you see consumer behaviour change in real time.

I love that you’re constantly connected to shoppers – understanding what they buy, why they buy it, and how we can make their experience better. It’s creative, dynamic, and there’s always something new happening, which makes it an exciting space to be in.

And what’s the biggest misconception people have about working in food & drink? I think the biggest misconception is that food & drink digital commerce is simple – that it’s just uploading products and waiting for sales.

It’s a highly technical, data‑driven space where you’re constantly optimising the digital shelf, reacting to shopper behaviour, and navigating retailer algorithms. There’s so much behind the scenes: search performance, content optimisation, media attribution, availability signals, and AI‑led discovery. It’s far more complex and faster‑paced than people think and that’s exactly what makes it so exciting.

What advice would you give to other young people looking to get into the food & drink industry? Be brave and take the leap. The food & drink industry, especially the digital side is full of opportunity for people who are curious and willing to learn.

You don’t need to have all the answers on day one: what matters is your mindset. If you bring energy, creativity and a passion for understanding how people shop, you’ll thrive. Spend time exploring brands, trends, and how the digital shelf works – it’s a space where small ideas can create big impact. And don’t be afraid to put yourself forward: this industry rewards people who are proactive, open‑minded and excited by change. It’s a place where young talent can genuinely shape the future.

What’s your ultimate career dream? My ultimate career dream is to keep growing, challenging myself and stepping into roles that push me out of my comfort zone. I’m really motivated by continuous learning, and I’m open to the idea that my dream job might not even exist yet. The digital world is evolving so quickly that new opportunities are created all the time – so for me, it’s about staying curious, building my skills and being ready to step into whatever direction the industry moves in next.