Meet the Team Monday!
We are starting with our fearless leader James Pippin!
How long have you been in the CPG world?
My first job in the CPG world was in sales and marketing at New Belgium Brewery in 2002! I had never had a beer before (at 23!), and when I got into the second round interview, I decided to get a pizza and a six pack of fat tire to figure out what I was getting myself into. Since then, I've worked in multiple startups, one that hit $54M in revenue before it was sold (I was personally responsible for $18M), as well as vending, grocery checkout systems and technology, wine, and more.
What's your area of expertise and territories you manage?
Whole Foods is my main account, but I also work on regional accounts with Beth in Washington and Oregon.
What's a brand you wish you repped and why?
I already get to represent a bunch of my favorites, but I do love a great paella or risotto so the ANETO NATURAL line of broths and the Matiz canned seafood come to mind. In beverage, I'm a pretty avid Humm Kombucha drinker, and no evening is complete without a little cheese tray at our home and Rogue River Blue Cheese often is a feature!
Piece of advice you would give brands?
Plan to succeed incrementally and find the enjoyment and passion in your work. Build your connections with consumers and retailers one at a time, and put your full heart into each. They will feel it, the market will feel it, and pretty soon people will be coming to you.
Favorite Grocery Store to shop?
Hard to pick a favorite, but I love Top of the Hill in Renton, a local produce forward grocer that runs great promotions, has terrific produce and meat, and a smaller footprint. PCC, Lazy Acres Natural Market, the West Hollywood Pavilions, Bellingham Coop, and Huckleberry's in Spokane all make the list too!
When you're not working what do you enjoy doing?
Raising a hilarious son, 6 chickens, growing herbs and vegetables in our urban garden, and woodworking!
#meettheteam #teamleader #founder #sales #cpg #cpgleader #foodandbeverage
Retail, Foodservice & Wholesale SME / Produce Industry Veteran / Relationship Builder / Writer & Columnist / Connector
6moRouses Markets has absolutely carved out a unique place within the markets where they operate. As a former long time associate / manager / director, there are three ocassions when it was evident that the company brand was known beyond the borders of the bayou in which the company was founded. 1996 opening the first location in the NOLA market - Metairie (store #14) 2001 opening of the first Northshore location - Covington (store #20) 2014 opening the first of 5 Alabama locations in a 30 day period. (Store #50) Theodore Separately, opening 17 stores which were former Sav A Center stores in five weeks in 2007...seriously that experience was the most exhausting yet, fulfilling period I can recall in my 32 years with the company. In each case I can vividly remember the reactions of customers when we opened the doors. I truly believe we didn't fully understand how the reputation of the company had grown outside of the marketplace of Houma and Thibodaux long before we arrived in those respective markets. For those of us who were there, will have their own stories to tell...for me it was inspiring to be part of. Well done Rouses