Kinsa Group Blog

The results are in for FoodProcessing.com’s Fourth Annual Salary & Job Satisfaction Survey of over 1,600 professionals in the food and beverage industry. 

Here are some of the survey’s key findings:

• The average pay in the food & beverage industry declined by 6.3% over the past 12 months to $93,537 – the lowest average since the survey started in 2007.
• With the exception of Plant Operations, every job category tracked showed a drop in salary.
• Marketing and Sales people faced a 19% pay cut, dropping from a six-figure salary in 2009 to $84,726.
• 60% of respondents said they get a raise every year, down from 65% in 2009.
• Average hours worked per week went up 23 minutes from last year to 47.5 hours.

The survey results also contain plenty of respondent comments – both positive and negative – which describe professionals’ overall level of job satisfaction.

To find out more about salary trends in the food and beverage processing industry, or to locate the ideal candidate for an opening in your organization, contact Kinsa Group today.

One of the only constants in our industry is change.  How will your business adapt to changes in consumer buying habits?  How will the radical changes that occurred in 2009 impact the future of your organization?

Tony Perazzo, a partner in the San Francisco office of Grant Thornton, LLP, recently contributed his thoughts on the new ways food and beverage industry organizations will be doing business in 2010 and beyond.  Here are his article’s highlights:

• The economy has dramatically changed the way people shop.  Consumers are looking to spend less, making price and value key priorities.  Private label SKUs are becoming more profitable, forcing many retailers to reduce the number of SKUs across the board.  Offering fewer SKUs lowers carrying costs, reduces the likelihood of shortages, and gives retailers more leverage to “squeeze” vendors.
• The recession will likely have a lasting impact on how consumers spend their grocery money.  Price and value lessons will stay with shoppers long-term, fueling the demand for private label products.
• Private labelers, contract manufacturers and even retailers will need to pursue aggressive and novel product development to compete for shelf space.
• Smaller brands and emerging food and beverage companies will have unique opportunities to partner with retailers in producing private label products, and create innovative and higher-value product offerings.  Those companies that best capitalize on emerging consumer trends will win the battle.
• Emerging and middle-market companies should focus on: regaining access to credit to keep pace with product development; streamlining operations; and enhancing operating efficiency.
• Bottom line, higher-value, less expensive product offerings are here to stay.  As a result, innovation, efficiency and strong relationships should be key priorities for food and beverage industry companies.

To view the entire article, follow this link to Food Industry 2010:  Priorities for the New Decade.

Kinsa Group can help you quickly and cost-effectively access the talented professionals your organization needs to capitalize on these trends.  Please visit our website to find out what we can do for you.

2010 is just a few days away. 

With the new decade will come a new set of priorities and challenges for the food and beverage industry.  From impending governmental and regulatory changes to gradual shifts in consumer buying habits, companies in our industry will need to change tacks to stay ahead of the curve.

FoodProcessing.com recently asked its Editorial Advisory Board, as well as contributors, readers and web site visitors, about the industry shifts they anticipated for 2010 and beyond.  Among other things, respondents listed a changing retail landscape as a big “game changer.”

So where will you be selling your products in the next decade?  Consider these statistics:

• Just 20 years ago, Americans made nearly 90 percent of their at-home food purchases in traditional grocery stores.
• Today, that share has dropped to 69 percent.
• Today’s biggest food retailers include Walmart (#1) and Costco Wholesale Corp. (#3).
• Grocery is the largest retail category for Walmart – accounting for 49 percent of revenue in 2008, and nearly four times the next closest category (entertainment).
• Nontraditional food stores (supercenters, hypermarkets, club stores, dollar stores) are enticing consumers – and grabbing market share - with one-stop shopping and lower prices.
• Supermarkets are still market leaders, chosen by 44 percent of food shoppers “almost every time” and “fairly often” by another 31 percent.

The bottom line?  There will be no single store format for the future.  Consumers want different things – big superstores, one-stop shopping, upscale shopping, convenience and more.  Retailers must respond by finding their market niche and creating the right focus.  The same holds true for food processors.  To keep pace with shifts in consumer buying habits, processors must create the right product mix to offer in a wide range of retailers.

Kinsa’s professional search and assessment services can deliver talented food and beverage professionals to help you manage industry shifts like these in 2010 and beyond.  Please visit our website to learn more.