What It’s Like Working in the Food Industry

If you would’ve asked 21-year-old me what I wanted to do after finishing college, I wouldn’t have told you working for an ice cream or pizza chain.

Fast forward to a few (plus) years later, and I’ve found myself at MGH doing just that. What I’ve learned about the food industry has been enlightening, and highly valuable. I’ve also learned there’s a lot of work that goes into that burger or that taco, and most of the time, it starts far from the kitchen.

Food is a big business. Working in food services isn’t limited to being a restaurant owner, delivery driver or barista. As I took on roles in PR and marketing after college, I quickly realized that I wanted to work in consumer brand communications. Turns out that amongst the many jobs in the food services industry, brand communications is one of them – a big, important one, at that! I’ve learned that the food services industry has a lot to offer, including helping with product launches, brand awareness and press coverage. Think of food like you would any other brand, only a little more delicious.

Food is served on more than just a plate. It’s sometimes best served on social media. Just ask Atlanta Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce, or performer Todrick Hall. Since working on these food accounts, I’ve learned that Pierce is a huge fan of Round Table Pizza and Hall loves Great American Cookies. The two love taking to Instagram and Twitter to talk about how much they enjoy the food. I’ve also seen that Marble Slab Creamery’s new Majestic Shakes are taking social by storm, as customers are continuously posting the Instagram-worthy, tasty shakes for all their followers to see. Looking for some of the best places to eat? Just hop on Instagram or Twitter.

You’ve got to love food to love the work. I enjoy my account management role, especially because I also really enjoy the product we’re offering. Being able to touch a lot of the parts of the accounts I work on is awesome. But doing it for something that I truly enjoy is even better. My day-to-day ranges from creating promotional emails, to prepping for a client’s next commercial, to brainstorming PR extensions for their next campaign. I enjoy being a part of these processes from beginning to end, and, of course, working with food clients has its tasty perks too!

So, there you have it. Food is good to eat, but it’s also fun, informative and certainly a cool industry to work in.