Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/1442232
6 By Jennifer McFee A division of Canada's largest agribusiness continues to forge forward and contribute key ingredients — and employment opportunities — to the food and beverage industry. Richardson Food & Ingredients is one division within Richardson International, renowned worldwide for its grain handling expertise. This division concentrates primarily on oils and margarines, as well as some sprays and shortenings. It's the world's largest oat miller, using locally grown crops to create internationally recognized goods. "Our division focuses on end-use products that go into bottles or packages. We're more involved with consumer packaged goods but we also do food service and industrial," says Angela Pateman, marketing team lead for Richardson Food & Ingredients. "As an example, we would sell margarine or oil to an industrial customer who is baking muffins or cookies that they sell to coffee shops." Pateman has worked her entire career in the food industry — and she continues to appreciate her involvement in the ever-changing sector. "It's interesting to me because I like food and I like trying different things. Once I started in this industry, I enjoyed the fast pace of it." She also enjoys the fact that the industry is always evolving. "I like that things are always growing and changing in the food industry. We have to stay on top of new trends, and there's always something new in the market. We also have to consider the supply chain and the future of food," she says. One of the best aspects of her role, says Pateman, is that every day presents a new challenge. "My role is in marketing, so we're primarily looking after product launches, sales support tools and advertising for our branded products. We also do a lot of business-to-business advertising. We're not always just selling a brand; sometimes we're trying to find customers to buy our products." Within Richardson International, an array of professional opportunities exists with roles in everything from research and technology to marketing and finance — and much more. "Being a larger company, we've acquired other companies over the years, so we're always learning about new products and different customers as well. Even within our division, we have a lot of people working in various roles, such as accounting and customer service," she says. Now is the time to seek employment in the well-diversified food industry, adds Pateman. "During the pandemic, food production has been considered essential, so we've had more job stability than some other industries. As a new grad, I never would have thought about the longevity of the company I was going to work for, but it's nice to know that we have that stability." Angela Pateman Type of Job: Marketing Starting Salary Potential: $38,129 - $49,869 Educational Pathways: High School Post-Secondary: University of Manitoba, University of Winnipeg, RRC Polytech, CDI College Angela Pateman of Richardson Foods Food & Beverage Industry Offers Stability, Variety & Challenge