The Food & Beverage Manufacturing industry remains a foundational part of the global economy, meeting essential consumer needs and providing employment to millions. Due to its continuous demand and absence of a typical “off season,” this industry requires a highly skilled and committed workforce capable of addressing its rigorous needs. Recent data and industry reports underscore the increasing significance of strategic hiring, competitive compensation, and upskilling within this sector.
In analyzing our 2024 data for Food & Beverage Manufacturing roles*, we identified several critical trends:
Rising Salaries in Key Roles
The average salary for positions in Food & Beverage Manufacturing is now approximately $110,596, representing a significant increase of 10.97% compared to what we saw in the previous year. This rise reflects the growing demand for top talent in this sector, and also perhaps speaks to concerns over labor shortages.
Upskilling as a Retention and Development Strategy
Amid the competition for skilled executives, more companies are focusing on upskilling as a method to retain current talent and prepare them for advanced roles. A recent survey conducted by Food Industry Executive indicates that nearly 70% of food manufacturing employees are open to additional training, yet companies face challenges like time and budget constraints. To address this, firms are implementing targeted development programs for roles in operations management and continuous improvement to build a robust leadership pipeline internally.
Leading Job Categories
We have seen high demand for the following talent in Food & Beverage Manufacturing:
- R&D (Food Scientists, Process Engineers, Expert Engineers)
- Production Supervisors & Managers
- Maintenance Supervisors & Technicians
- Continuous Improvement Directors, Engineers & Specialists
- Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) Managers
- Production Planners & Schedulers
- Plant Managers & Assistant Plant Managers
- Human Resources (HR Managers & Generalists)
- Quality Assurance Managers, Supervisors, Specialists
- Food Safety Managers, Supervisors, Specialists
- Maintenance Leadership Directors, Managers & Supervisors
- Plant Engineers
- Project Managers & Engineers
- Warehouse Managers & Supervisors
Consumer and Regulatory Pressures Influencing Demand
Roles that directly address consumer safety and regulatory compliance are seeing heightened demand. Positions in Quality Assurance (QA) and Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) are increasingly critical as regulatory scrutiny intensifies, especially around food safety standards and sustainable production practices. According to DLA Piper’s August 2024 report, organizations are under pressure to implement more rigorous inspection and traceability practices, requiring leadership skilled in navigating complex compliance landscapes.
Direct Hire Opportunities Dominate the Market
An impressive 94.7% of Food & Beverage Manufacturing job openings are direct hire roles, indicating a strong need for permanent talent within the sector.
Geographic Hotspots for Talent
Over the past year, Planet Forward has seen demand for Food & Beverage Manufacturing professionals primarily concentrated in major metropolitan areas across Illinois and Wisconsin, with significant job openings also noted in Minnesota, Georgia, California, Missouri, Texas, Pennsylvania, New York, Iowa, and Arizona.
Increased Investment in Digital Transformation Skills
A critical trend for 2024 has been the prioritization of automation and digital transformation skills at the leadership level. A recent survey published by Aptean found that food and beverage organizations adopting industry-specific business intelligence (BI) tools experienced a 66% growth in revenue compared to those with no advanced analytics systems. Executives equipped with these capabilities are highly sought after, as companies aim to improve efficiency through real-time data and predictive analytics. This shift reflects a need for leaders who can leverage data to optimize production and supply chain logistics, a factor becoming indispensable in an inflation-sensitive environment.
Comprehensive Staffing Solutions for Food & Beverage Manufacturing
Planet Forward stands as a premier partner for staffing solutions in the Food & Beverage Manufacturing space. We offer a full spectrum of services, including contract staffing, staff augmentation, contract-to-hire, and direct hire, tailored to meet the unique needs of this dynamic industry. Our team brings deep expertise in recruiting across key areas such as Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Research & Development, and Plant Leadership.
Areas of Specialization:
- Project Management
- Plant Engineering
- Warehouse Management
- Production & Plant Leadership
- Engineering Management
- Purchasing & Commodity Buying
- Logistics & Supply Chain Management
- Food Science & Research & Development
- Sensory Science
- Maintenance & Total Productive Maintenance
- Regulatory Compliance, Quality Assurance & Control
- Continuous Improvement Initiatives
Our team of specialized recruiters takes the time to understand our client’s specific needs to provide the perfect candidate. In an industry with a high demand for skilled talent, our global recruiting and delivery model is crucial.
Founded in 2009, we are an award-winning supplier and partner with a wide range of companies, both in scope and growth stage across North America.
* Note: Data for 2024 covers the period from November 2023 through October 2024. Data for 2023 covers November 2022 through October 2023.
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