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Industry Summer Experience at General Mills!
Name: Joe Gendy (MBA 2013)
Position: Brand Management
Location: USA
Description of the job
I was a Brand Manager for Green Giant, a General Mills’ brand for frozen and canned vegetables, in the US and was based out of their corporate headquarters in Minneapolis, US for the entire 12-week internship.
I completed four projects, which ranged from: competitor analysis, new product development for wholesale chains, market testing on the ‘gate-keeper’ mums, and allocation of $200K budget for a new product launch.
However, for those coming in this year, the exact internship experience will depend on the priorities of your allocated brand and your location, which could be anywhere General Mills has a significant presence - for example, past years’ interns have worked in places like Hamburg, Toronto, Miami and Melbourne.
What you enjoyed the most
I really enjoyed my internship. What stood out for me was:
- The availability of resources at my disposal in the US E.g. I could call on a team of chefs to work on different recipes, or complete a full photo shot in the type of kitchens you see on cooking shows.
- The importance of my project to General Mills. E.g. my strategy and recommendations were discussed with the global CFO during strategic meetings.
- The ‘sharpness’ and friendliness of the people there. You work with others from all the leading business schools in the US. They are always happy to help!
What was the most challenging part
I came from a non-traditional background (Law), so there was a bit of work getting accustomed to the FMCG. However, I found courses at LBS, such as Brand Management and some of the core courses, along with a combination of formal and on-the-job training at General Mills, really helped.
What are the skills needed for the job
I believe that the two most important attributes for the job are:
1) the ability to work well in a team and
2) the ability to think critically.
Prior marketing experience is helpful, but not essential. It much more important to be able to think critically about a problem and come up with recommendations.
Any recommendations for people interested in this internship
Go for it! It was a wonderful experience.
Regarding the recruiting, I don’t think there is a magic formula – they look for a range of backgrounds. Last year, only one of the three LBS interns had marketing experience. But keep in mind General Mills is looking for ‘International Leaders’ who are able to work with their brands around the world. This is particularly important for the full-time role where you will do assignments in their international (non-US) regions.
The most important thing is that you show you are ready to learn, have an ability to work in teams and have a great attitude!
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