Cargill’s cocoa & chocolate business has reshaped its sales team, to create a more customer-driven operation under the leadership of newly-appointed sales & marketing director Emiel van Dijk.
Van Dijk, who joined from Cargill’s European refined oils business, led the reshaping of the sales function. He explained: "This initiative has been driven by our belief that by getting closer to our customers we can create genuine partnerships to make them even more successful.
"This new structure allows us to increase our engagement with customers, to understand and meet their needs more fully, with greater agility and efficiency."
The 75-strong sales team – which includes a number of new appointments – is now organised in seven geographical clusters rather than on product lines. This brings the sales team physically nearer to customers, facilitating closer relationships. It also enables each sales person to have a more in-depth understanding of specific market requirements.
"A further benefit for customers is that they will now be served by a single person offering our total product portfolio – from butter and liquor to cocoa, chocolate, and coatings and fillings," concluded Van Dijk.