1M1E – March 2022: Ugo Rivière, Product Manager

A foodie through and through with a hearty appetite, he always wanted to work in the agri-food industry – even better if it could be in the food for special occasions field. It’ll soon be 8 years since Ugo joined the company to help it develop its product lines! 

How would you describe your typical working day?

The day starts off with going through my emails, then I have meetings with different departments to monitor how ongoing projects are progressing. I’m often on the road, meeting suppliers or clients. 

What projects are you currently working on?

I’m currently working on bringing a new product line to market, whilst remaining focused on maintaining quality standards. 

In a few words, describe your role to us.

Creative - Versatile – Quick-thinking 

• Creative, because I have to think up new products 

 • Versatile, because you need to keep the big picture in mind when it comes to the firm’s internal processes in order to keep production going (production processes, purchasing, quality control).

• Quick-thinking, because product launch timetables must be adhered to, meaning that workarounds have to be devised when we encounter unexpected challenges. 

What are the key challenges or goals you have at work?

Launching a good quality, attractive product which is going to sell well. On top of this, we have to consider factors including the environment, cost and practical issues such as packaging. 

If you could choose anyone at all to be your mentor, who would it be? Why would you choose them?

I don’t have a mentor. I trust my own instincts and observational skills. 

What do you like best about your work? 

The variety of tasks I have to do, the need to rise to the challenge and to be creative are all aspects which chime with my vision of the world of work. 

Which professional achievement are you most proud of? 

My finest professional achievement is to be able to do a job which I enjoy in a good-humoured working environment.

What advice would you give to new team members? 

To work in the seafood retail sector, you have to be as swift as a shark and smart as a dolphin. Joking aside; if you have energy, good organizational skills and are 100% committed to the job, you’ll be on the right course to reach your goals. These are key qualities needed to work in a field that’s constantly in flux due to changes in supply and the unpredictability of environmental factors. 

So, the question for the month of March is: March 8^th is International Women’s Day! What dish would you like to serve up to treat the women in your life?

A chorizo and scallop risotto; the heat of the chorizo and the more subtle taste of scallops makes for a delicious duo which will delight the ladies. 

We’d like to thank Ugo Riviere for his good humour and for agreeing to take part in our March interview!

If you would like to join our team, feel free to check out our vacancies. If you’d like to send in a speculative application, just click here.