Advanced Search


An Interview with Ken Fredrickson, VP Wine Marketing & Sales of Wirtz Beverage Group

Name: Ken Fredrickson

Employer: Wirtz Beverage Group

Title: Vice President Wine Marketing and Sales

Number of years in the beverage industry: 14 years

1. What are some key things that candidates seeking wine jobs should keep in mind?

You should be well studied in wine, knowledge is power in the wine industry.  You should get into the wine business because you’re passionate about wine.  It is not an industry to make tons of money, but it is a great way to make a living.  So expressing an interest in the culture is important. 

2. What type of candidate is best suited for wine sales jobs?

A candidate that is energetic and knowledgeable.  Someone articulate with sales experience is always helpful.  It does not need to be wine sales experience.  We hire many entry-level wine salespeople based on ability not experience.  You should be willing to work long hours and off hours as most of the wine business is done on-premise in restaurants.  You should seek out your niche, sales, marketing or production.

3. Finish this sentence...Jobs in Wine are:

Everywhere, from production and winery work to marketing and sales.  It is a very fast growing market with the United States expected to become the largest consumer of wine in the world by 2013.

4. What advice would you give to a job seeker looking to become a brand ambassador?

Know the brand inside and out.  Be able to tell the story of the wine and be prepared to back it up with technical information, as some customers demand that.  Bring a strong network, make sure you have industry contacts and do your best to make those contacts stronger everyday.  Much wine is still sold today based on relationships. 

5. What prompted you to pursue a career path that led you to wine spirits jobs?

I was a student at UNLV and I always wanted to own restaurants, after having a few of them I decided to focus more on wine.  Believe it or not when I passed the Master Sommelier exam I was really just running a business by being a restaurateur.  After that I decided to focus on wholesale distribution and it has worked out well.  Overall the thing that prompted me the most was wine culture; a chance to travel and study and eat and drink well.

 



"We have been extremely successful recruiting top talent with BevForce. Their work ethic, speed, social network, and diligent approach with integrity guarantees a successful outcome when it comes to beverage recruiting."

Steve Luttmann

Leblon Cachaca





"With the tremendous growth of Palm Bay's spirits portfolio, in particular Skinnygirl and Aperol, we have been relying on BevForce's rapid response team who provide us with excellent candidates in record times."

Alain Barbet

Palm Bay Spirits





"I wanted to thank you for all your help in the job hunt, and also for taking the time to sit down with me to discuss what kind of position would best fit my goals and talent. Your guidance was invaluable."

Alex Berkowitz

Kindred Spirits 





"Banfi has had a very positive experience working with BevForce's job posting board and Elite Recruiting. We look forward to working with the BevForce.com team for our future recruiting needs."

Elise Pavone

Banfi Vintners





"I have started to look over all the resumes that have come in [from BevForce].
I must say I was skeptical at first, but this was well worth the money."

Scott Vaccaro

Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.

 






"Just wanted to thank BevForce for…well…being BevForce an incredibly valuable one of a kind resource for our industry! I was able to land my new job as Key Account Specialist through a BevForce posting!! I am now with a great company, in a full salary position doing exactly what I love! Your company is MUCH needed and appreciated by people like me!"
 
Jonathan Brathwaite
Key Account Specialist
Toast Spirits




"Congratulations on your [Movers & Shakers] newsletter.  Very concise yet full of good info.  I routinely refer clients with personnel needs to your site because I know they will be treated professionally and promptly.  Keep up the good work."

 

Vincent O’Brien, Nixon Peabody





"We are very impressed with your level of professionalism and the quality of the candidates you are sending our way."

Russian Standard

 





"It was a great experience working with you. You succeeded where two other recruiters failed."

Job Seeker





"My job search has been an extended one and needless to say a frustrating experience.  The economy and the state of our industry is enough to frustrate most people.  But what truly frustrates me is the way many of the recruiters operating in our industry treat those of us who are searching for positions. It seems short sighted to me especially with candidates who were hiring managers in the past and may very well be in the future. In my eyes you separated yourself from the pack with that brief call."

Job Seeker  





"I really like your site and services and have already recommended bevforce.com to others.  Your site clearly provides a benefit to folks like us that don't want every walk of life applying because they think it would be cool to work for a brewery.  We would definitely use your service again."

Blue Point Brewing Company





"We are very pleased with the work BevForce has done for us, thank you very much."

Innis and Gunn





"We are getting a huge response to this posting [on bevforce.com]. Thanks for everything!"

Next Level Marketing





"I don't know even where to begin to find the right words to thank you for all that you have done for me. I sincerely appreciate all of the time and effort you put into helping me seal this deal. As you said "good things come to those who wait"! And patience did pay off. Every time I felt ready to give up you kept me motivated in keeping my eyes on the prize and looking to the future. I am happy to say that the future is definitely looking very bright all in thanks to you and your confidence in my abilities!!!!"

Job Seeker





 


Privacy Statement | About BevForce | Contact Us | Tell a Friend | Advertise | Terms of Use | Affiliate Partnerships | Home | Sitemap
Copyright © 2012 BevForce. All rights reserved.