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Food Product Sales Representatives

THE JOB

FOOD PRODUCT SALES REPRESENTATIVES sell products such as bakery goods, meat, 
poultry, seafood, coffee, soft drinks, snack products, spices, and canned 
goods to wholesale and retail grocers, restaurants, hotels, and institutions 
such as schools, hospitals, correctional facilities, and senior citizens' 
residential centers.  They work primarily for food processors, wholesale 
houses, and food beverage firms, and their primary goals are to interest 
wholesale and retail buyers and purchasing agents in buying their products 
and to provide their regular clients with a high level of service on orders, 
product advice, displays, and advertising and promotional activities.
Many Food Product Sales Representatives work directly for food processing 
firms, selling the company's products to wholesale grocers and suppliers for 
distribution to their retail customers.  Others work for food brokerage 
firms, as more and more manufacturers now use food brokers, instead of
their own sales forces.  These Sales Representatives efficiently handle a 
large volume of sales, while representing many different companies.
Food Product Sales Representatives in wholesale trade buy products from the 
manufacturers or brokerage firms and distribute them to their wholesale and 
retail clients.  Instead of urging customers to buy a particular brand, they 
offer prompt, convenient service so buyers will not have to deal with many 
different manufacturers.

Depending on their experience and level of responsibility, Food Product 
Sales Representatives may call on companies, organizations, and
institutions of all sizes, ranging from small, independent grocery stores
to large regional supermarket chains.  Those who are experienced may 
specialize in restaurant and airline sales or institutional sales.
Usually experienced or supervisory Sales Representatives are selected to 
expand product distribution.  These individuals prepare lists of prospective 
customers for sales leads, then travel through their assigned territories to 
solicit orders from new customers.  They may use samples or catalogs to 
demonstrate their product.  They quote prices, prepare sales contracts, and 
estimate dates of delivery.  Other Sales Representatives service existing 
accounts.  They normally check existing stock, reorder merchandise, and set 
up advertising displays for their customers.  Some Food Product Sales
Representatives contact customers and make their sales primarily over the
telephone.

Sales Representatives also prepare sales reports and expense accounts, plan 
work schedules, make appointments, study literature concerning their
product and new products coming into the marketplace, and monitor the sales, 
prices, and products of their competitors.


WORKING CONDITIONS

To represent the manufacturer or distributor, Food Product Sales 
Representatives usually travel to the customer's place of business, which 
could be a grocery store, warehouse, or office building.  They may spend
much of their time traveling between customer locations by automobile and 
stay overnight if necessary because of the size of their territory or
because of customer appointments.  Sales Representatives may need to analyze 
sales statistics and check stock on grocery shelves, walk-in freezers, 
warehouses, and stockrooms.  They may also have to carry bulky displays and 
sample cases.  Some Sales Representatives who deal with brokers and large
retail outlets are generally not required to travel.  They usually stay in
the office, contacting customers by telephone, and only occasionally leave
the office to attend conventions and sales meetings.

The occupation provides for some very rewarding experiences, but it can
also be highly stressful as competition may come from Sales Representatives 
from other companies as well as one's own organization.


EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK

The following information is from the California Projections of Employment 
published by the Labor Market Information Division.  These figures represent 
the broad occupational group Sales Representatives-Except Scientific and 
Related Products and Services and Retail.  Included in this group are 
occupations such as Sales Representatives for food products, tobacco
products, motor vehicles, office machines, publications, sporting goods, 
paper products, and general merchandise.

Estimated number of workers in 1990              141,060
Estimated number of workers in 2005              177,380
Projected Growth Percentage                          26%
Estimated openings due to separations by 2005     52,450

(These figures do not include self-employment nor openings due to turnover.)

Nationally, the U.S. Department of Labor expects the employment of 
manufacturers' and wholesale sales representatives, in general, will grow 
more slowly than the average of all occupations through the year 2005 due 
to technological advances and changing business practices.  Most job
openings will result from workers leaving this occupation or leaving the
labor force entirely.


WAGES, HOURS, AND FRINGE BENEFITS

Most companies pay their Sales Representatives by salary and commission or 
salary plus bonus.  Employers may provide a company car and pay expenses 
for travel, lodging, meals and customer entertainment. In addition to a
salary.  Beginning Food Product Sales Representatives usually earn between 
$13,000 and $31,000 a year, while experienced workers earn up to $62,000 
a year.  A  Department of Labor survey taken in 1992 indicated that the 
bottom 10 percent of Sales Representative earned less than $16,400 a year 
while the top 10 percent earned more than $62,000 a year.  Some companies 
indicate that "the sky's the limit."  Earnings will vary greatly depending 
upon the experience of the Sales Representative and the type of food 
products sold.

Sales Representatives frequently work over 40 hours a week.  Time away from 
sales include spending evenings to prepare sales and expense reports, making 
appointment schedules, and traveling.  Fringe benefits are generally good, 
including vacation, holiday, retirement, and medical benefits.


ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS AND TRAINING

When filling trainee positions, some employers look for high school 
graduates, while others require a minimum of two years of college.  However, 
there are few employers who will provide basic sales training to newly hired 
staff or those who have come up through the ranks.

Because of the rapidly increasing number of job seekers in the labor market 
who are college graduates and jobs that require more analytical and
technical abilities, most employers are requiring applicants to possess a 
Bachelor's degree, including marketing and business administration courses. 
Employers who require previous food product sales experience look for a
person with a successful sales record at another company.  As for any other
sales position, sales ability is the key requirement.  Sales Representatives 
should be confident, assertive, organized, well-groomed, and able to 
communicate effectively to be successful.

Beginning Sales Representatives usually receive their training in an 
on-the-job program, while working with a sales manager or senior sales
representative.  The training period varies with the complexity of the job 
and the learning ability of the trainee; it may be a few weeks to several 
months long.

After the formal training period is over, Food Product Sales Representatives 
are assigned a territory.  They are closely supervised for the first few 
months until they gain experience and are able to function independently.


ADVANCEMENT

The extent of promotional opportunities depends on the size and type of 
organization, with large firms often providing the best opportunities for 
advancement.  Promotion may take the form of reassignment to a larger 
account or territory where opportunities are greater for larger sales 
commissions.

Experienced Food Product Sales Representatives may advance to institutional, 
industrial, or chain store sales.  A college degree may be required for 
promotion to sales trainer or to management positions, such as account 
executive, sales supervisor, or sales manager.  Promotion to district or 
regional manager may also require that a person relocate to another 
community.


FINDING THE JOB

Applicants should apply directly to manufacturers, food brokers, and 
wholesalers of food products.  Applications should also be filed with
college placement offices.  Frequently, Sales Representatives, customers, 
and others working within the trade will recommend an interested candidate 
for the job.  The California Employment Development Department, private 
employment agencies, and newspaper classified advertisements offer 
additional sources of job referrals.


ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION

National Food Brokers Association 
1010 Massachusetts Avenue, NW 
Washington, D.C. 20001 
(202) 789-2844

National Association of General Merchandise Representatives
401 N. Michigan Avenue 
Chicago, IL 60611-4267 
(312) 644-6610

Manufacturers Agents National Association 
P.O. Box 3467
Laguna Hills, CA 92654-3467 
(714) 859-4040


RELATED OCCUPATIONAL GUIDES

Manufacturers Sales Representatives     No. 542


OCCUPATIONAL CODE REFERENCES

DOT (Dictionary of Occupational Titles, 4th ed., Rev. 1) 
  Sales Representative, Food Products (wholesale trade)     260.357-014

OES (Occupational Employment Statistics) System 
  Sales Representative (Non-Scientific-Excluding Retail)         490080


Source:  State of California, Employment Development Department, 
         Labor Market Information Division, Information Services Group,
         (916) 262-2162.