Simplot

Over the last 18 months I have had the privilege of mentoring one of the finance graduates as part of the Simplot Australia Graduate Program. Understanding the goals and ambitions of my mentee has been vital to guiding them through their graduate journey. It has been very rewarding to be able to impart my knowledge and experience from the last 25 years in the workforce, and provide the learnings and advice I wish I had been given when starting out in my career.

Simplot’s graduate program has offered such a wide variety of learning experiences, from working with our agencies in comms and social media across a range of retail brands, gaining valuable sales and field experience as a SSR and learning about activation across foodservice. The opportunity to work in three different roles within two years is a huge advantage to a graduate program such as Simplot’s and has really fast-tracked my learning and capability. When accepting the graduate role, I knew that I would have the opportunity to work across some of Simplot’s big household brands throughout the graduate rotations; but further to this, I have developed a wealth of knowledge of the FMCG industry and all that it entails.

So far, my highlight at Simplot was attending the ad shoot for our Birds Eye Deli range. It was insightful to follow the ad’s journey and seeing it come to life- from working with our creative agencies, to filming, to then seeing it on tv. 

The variety of rotations offered across the program was a key standout for me. From going out to the fields and harvesting potatoes, to being in our factories and seeing our products being made, to learning about how these products get delivered to our customers and more – I have been able to get a breadth of experience across the Supply Chain. This has been helpful for me to narrow down what interests me the most and what future role I'd like to pursue, which was what appealed to me about having rotations. It has also been a great way to understand how different areas of the business work together to bring seed-to-plate. Moreover, contributing to feeding our world, such as through Simplot’s iconic Australian brands that many of us know and have grown up with, is a vision that resonated with me and was something I was keen to be a part of. 

I first graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from The University of Melbourne in 2013, followed by a Nutrition Science degree from Monash University – The combination of which led me to pursue a career in food industry, combining my love of food & nutrition with business. I have held various roles at Simplot Australia, the last of which was Senior Nutritionist and now I’m a Brand Manager in the Marketing team! 

When I first graduated, I didn’t know much about food industry, much less who to work for. During interviews, I fell in love with the Simplot culture and have chosen to stay for with the company for over five years, taking my career to new heights.

Something I truly value about Simplot is its investment in my career progression & development. When you’re dedicated to delivering value for the business, it’s good to know the company you work for recognises that and continually supports you to reach that next level, whatever that means to you.

I was attracted and excited to join Simplot as it is a well-known global organisation with strong market presence and well-known, immediately recognisable brands. Simplot has a strong reputation for great culture, attracting talented people and providing career development opportunities with a focus on leading innovation in food trends, driving positive change and providing healthy food options for consumers.     

The company has an open mind set, positive culture, great systems and processes, and long-term career opportunities to further develop my skills and knowledge within the Simplot company.

Simplot is a market leader that manages many household brands that we can all resonate with. It's an organisation that I've been watching for years from afar so when I stumbled upon this opportunity, I felt strongly that I could make a positive impact and contribute to an exciting and forward-thinking industry.

The collaborative spirit that drives the work ethic of its employees made me realise I want to belong to this kind of team. Since commencing with Simplot it has not only met my expectations but exceeded it.  

I love the diverse, inclusive and collaborative corporate culture and the investment in employees through ongoing learning and development. Success is celebrated together, and everyone is quick to recognise each other’s achievements.

In my short-time at Simplot, I have already been heavily involved with driving initiatives, working cross-functionally with different business units and navigating through these challenging economic times as a business. On the other side of the Simplot world, I have been thoroughly enjoying the taste testings initiatives through the Simplot Sensory Program and meeting people across the business through social activities. Overall Simplot is a place where everyone can thrive and be nurtured.

I have recently started the position of Cost Accountant at Simplot Australia for the Bathurst plant. I graduated university the beginning of July 2022 with a Bachelor’s degree of Accounting at Charles Sturt University Bathurst. My degree was focused on company accounting and statistics, which made for the perfect job at Simplot. I have been in the finance role for two months while still studying my degree at the time. This role at Simplot was the perfect opportunity to expand my knowledge and use my skills of analytics. The business culture and dedication to their employees is a credit to the company, I feel extremely valued and supported as a team member. I genuinely look forward to coming to work and seeing co workers and learning something new everyday.