Is Food Distributors A Good Career Path? Yes, it is. Food distribution is an excellent career path.
It offers many jobs that will remain relevant for many years, opportunities for personal development, and other tremendous benefits.
However, before you jump into a career in food distribution, you need to derive all the knowledge you can get about the food distribution industry to make the right choice.
This article will discuss the role performed by people who work in the food distribution industry, the top reasons why being a food distributor is an excellent career path, the education and certification requirements for a career in food distribution, and the top 15 jobs in the food distribution industry.
Role Of People Working In The Food Distribution Industry
Workers in the food distribution industry perform many responsibilities, like packaging, transporting, sorting, and distributing food.
These professionals move processed products to the storehouses before sending them to department stores.
Food distribution is never an easy process since most foods are perishable.
So, to do their jobs well, people in the food distribution industry ensure that foods are delivered on time so that they don’t go bad before they reach their final users.
Reasons Why You Should Pursue A Career In Food Distribution
Here are the major reasons why you should pursue a career in food distribution:
1. Boosts your storage skills
Working in the food distribution business will teach you to fit as many goods as possible into a small storage space.
2. Equips you with the ability to pay attention to details
Getting a job in the food distribution industry will teach you to pay attention to details.
This is because logistics is a job that involves details, and a wrong count of goods can lead to losses and other bad things.
3. Equips you with teamwork ability
If you find it hard to work with people, working in the food distribution industry will be a great choice because all the jobs in this field are team-based.
4. High income
Some food distribution industry jobs come with huge incomes, which is great if you have many needs to satisfy.
5. No degree is required
Most entry-level jobs in the food distribution industry are open to people who do not have degrees.
Also, if you carry out your duties with so much commitment and diligence, you can even land a managerial job without having a degree.
Academic And Certification Requirements For A Career In Food Distribution
Most jobs in the food distribution industry are open even to people who do not have a college degree.
But if you want the best-paying jobs in this field, you should think about getting a degree in one or more of the following fields:
1. Logistics
Logistics is the science of acquiring things when required.
An associate degree in logistics will put you in a good position to land some of the best-paying jobs in this field.
2. Statistics
Getting a bachelor’s degree in statistics will teach you math and give you a better chance of getting a top job in the food distribution industry.
3. Agricultural Economics
If you have a degree in agricultural economics, you will be in the running for many of the best jobs in the food distribution industry.
4. Mathematics
Like a degree in statistics, a math degree can help you get a job in logistics in the food distribution industry, or you can be hired as an analyst for your company.
5. Certifications
Certified Logistics Associate, Certification in Transportation and Logistics, and Certified Supply Chain Professional are some certifications that will boost your resume when applying for a job at a food distribution company.
Top 10 Jobs In The Food Distribution Industry
1. Distribution manager
Distribution managers, as the name implies, manage distribution.
These professionals supervise an entire distribution operation, from the first phase, where the items are purchased, to the last stage, where they are taken to the warehouse.
Distribution managers also educate new staff on their roles in the company and perform several other unofficial duties.
They make as much as $90,000 yearly from the food distribution industry.
2. Inventory analyst
Inventory analysts purchase, keep records when required, ensure that all items are adequately distributed, and estimate the returns the company will get.
These professionals have excellent mathematical and statistical abilities to perform their jobs effectively.
This position is reserved for people who are trustworthy and reliable. Inventory analysts make up to $55,000 every year.
Once again, is being a food distributor a good career path? Yes, it is.
3. Refrigeration technician
Refrigeration technicians are responsible for setting up, examining, and fixing refrigeration systems.
They play a key role in the food distribution industry since the effectiveness of refrigerators determines how long some foods can stay before they spoil.
To do this job, you must possess an in-depth knowledge of refrigerators and the ability to troubleshoot faults affecting their performance.
Refrigeration technicians make up to $80,000 every year.
4. Demand planning manager
Demand planning managers evaluate data to develop interpretations that will boost production and enable them to make predictions.
They partner with retailers to approximate the market demand level and determine the perfect timing for shipping.
Moreover, demand planning managers contribute toward the development of new items. To do this job well, you must possess excellent mathematical abilities.
Demand planning managers make up to $110,000 every year.
5. Transportation analyst
Transportation analysts are professionals who ensure that commodities are safely and efficiently transported.
These professionals evaluate prospective challenges that can be encountered along the way and devise different ways to tackle them.
This role is reserved for people with good knowledge of the shipping and transportation industries.
Transportation analysts make up to $63,000 every year.
6. Procurement agent
Procurement agents buy all the items or machines a company needs to enable it to function effectively.
It is not an easy job in any way, as these professionals must know the latest prices in the market and establish a relationship with suppliers.
However, to excel in this job, you must possess excellent communication and negotiation skills, which are needed, especially when dealing with suppliers.
These professionals make up to $70,000 every year.
Once again, is being a food distributor a good career path? Yes, it is.
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7. Supply chain analyst
Supply chain analysts are in charge of analyzing the supply chain. They discover the best way to procure, convey, and store goods without spending so much money.
Supply chain analysts perform their duties with the help of computers. They make up to $65,000 every year.
8. Logistics supervisor
Logistics supervisors supervise everything in a warehouse and trail all the goods that have left the warehouse to ensure that they get to their desired destination.
They are in charge of loading and unloading items into and out of the warehouse.
Logistics supervisors are also responsible for ensuring that the exact number of items ordered is what is delivered.
They make up to $75,000 every year.
9. Distribution sales manager
Distribution sales managers collaborate with wholesalers and retailers to ensure that goods are sent to the desired destination where their demand is high.
These professionals sell goods wholesale to big companies instead of people.
You must possess good communication, organizational, and other soft skills to excel in this job.
Distribution sales managers make up to $70,000 a year in salaries.
10. Automated logistics specialist
Automated logistics specialists are in charge of taking records at the warehouse.
These professionals ensure that accounts are properly updated and supervise loading and unloading operations at the warehouse.
Automated logistics specialists earn about $67,000 per year.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Food Distributors As A Good Career Path
Food distribution is the method of making food available to the public. The FAO classifies food distribution as a component of the food system as a whole.
Food distributors’ role is to link those who produce food with those who sell it to the general public. They acquire goods from producers and manufacturers, keep them in distribution centers, and deliver them to retailers and wholesalers.
Simply put, food distributors are in charge of moving and storing food as it moves from farms to restaurants. Seafood and produce, for example, are two examples of food categories in which some distributors excel. A particular food producer might employ some of them.
Yes, it is.
A distributor is a business that purchases product lines from manufacturers that do not directly compete with their own. Distributors typically also offer additional services to their customers, like warranties and technical support. Manufacturers can’t possibly reach every potential customer in the world on their own, so distributors are crucial.
Conclusion
Food distribution is an excellent career path.
It offers many jobs that will remain relevant for many years, opportunities for personal development, and other tremendous benefits.
However, to increase your chances of landing any of the best jobs in the food distribution industry, ensure that you obtain a bachelor’s degree in any of or a combination of logistics, statistics, agricultural economics, or mathematics.
You can also improve your application by getting one or more certifications: Certified Logistics Associate, Certification in Transportation and Logistics, and Certified Supply Chain Professional.
Awesome one; I hope this article answers your question.
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