Global Marketing Resources & Initiatives
Employee Perspectives
Employee Perspectives |
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| Assistant Market Research Manager | |
| Consumer Food Manager | |
| Associate Promotion Manager | |
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Associate Consumer Food Manager
What's for dinner? Every day I create new ideas to help our consumers answer that question. Nothing is more rewarding to me than knowing I helped some mom out there to make a great dinner that prompted her kids to say, "Thanks Mom!"
I've cooked all my life. As an Associate Consumer Food Manager in the Kraft Kitchens, I get to use my talents to develop new recipes or package directions for Kraft brands. We start with the consumer's needs in mind. When I worked on Kraft Cheese, my Category Team talked to consumers in focus groups about what problems they had making dinner. We heard that consumers wanted to make foods that they order in restaurants, like enchiladas and burritos, but recipes for them were too difficult, time consuming and used ingredients they didn't usually buy at the grocery store.
My job was to make enchiladas an easy dinner recipe that also contributes to growing product volume. First, I researched different enchilada methods in our food library. Next, I worked with some consumer research that Kraft had done over the years. We have information on what ingredients most consumers keep in their refrigerator and pantry at home. I also used data on what equipment and pans most consumers have. I ensure that my recipe ideas are consistent with established Kraft Kitchens recipe and nutrition strategies.
Once I've got ideas about a recipe, I move into the kitchen. I try a couple of ideas, and then call a few of my colleagues to come taste the enchiladas. We talk and eat and decide what changes to make to the ingredients and recipe method.. We try to make each recipe compelling by building in an Aha!. We define a Recipe Aha! as providing consumers with a new/ contemporary twist on the familiar, a novel preparation technique, providing a solution to a cooking problem or an idea that provides a sense of discovery or delight - a real wow!
The Kraft Kitchens team is a diverse group of food professionals with varied backgrounds. I'm a registered Dietitian and have an undergraduate degree in Foods in Business. Others in my group have a food science background or culinary degree. Food is my passion, and I love being able to work in a department with people who share this passion.
When a recipe is ready, I invite my Category Team to the kitchen to taste and critique the recipe. The team usually includes people from Marketing, Consumer Promotions, CIS, Advertising and Packaging. We talk about the different ways we can promote the recipe. I work closely with the Consumer Promotions and Advertising teams to help them communicate the recipe to consumers. I also work with our food editor to make sure the recipe is written carefully, and I supervise the food stylists who prepare the recipe for photographs. From idea to package, website or advertisement, I work with the recipe every step of the way.
