The 9 traders of a food trader
This profession is not something you are taught at school. You need flying hours for that,
but also aptitude. Because it calls on traits and skills
that you can partly learn, but mostly have to do with talent.
Responsibility
You’re not afraid to take responsibility, in fact, bring it on! At Kühne + Heitz, you take charge of your own market of customers or suppliers. You can think of yourself as an entrepreneur within the company, with real responsibility from day one. And of course, you’re supported by a team of professionals in sales, finance, and logistics.
Persistence
Your challenge as a food trader? To keep pushing for the very best outcome in every deal. In other words: turning this week’s “no” into next week’s “yes.” That takes a competitive mindset and real determination. In short: a winning mentality.
Stress resistance
A trader thrives in a dynamic environment. Which customer is offering the best price, and which supplier delivers the best product? How do you bring it all together to secure the best deal? It all comes down to timing and skill. The key is being able to switch gears quickly and not shy away from a bit of multitasking.
Eagerness to learn
In the trading world, change is the only constant. Product and sales markets are always evolving. That’s why this is not a job you learn from textbooks, but in practice. By learning from your fellow traders and by following your own curiosity. In this line of work, you’re never done learning.
‘On top of things’
You need to be there – and want to be there – whenever the market and your customers call for it. With the help of our IT systems and relevant insights from your colleagues, you’re always up to date on what’s going on. This makes you the go-to expert in your market.
What do you do as a food trader do in a day?
Analytical
As a food trader, you need to truly master the game of supply and demand in the market. You have a sharp sense of how to get – and stay – on your customer’s radar. This role calls for intuition, quick decision-making, tactical insight, and perfect timing. That’s how you close the best deal at the right moment, while also building a strong foundation for future opportunities.
Mr./Mrs. Worldwide
The whole world is your playing field! You can effortlessly adapt your negotiation style and communication to your customer or supplier and their cultural background. Speaking multiple languages definitely gives you an advantage.
Guts
A trader also explores uncharted paths. At Kühne + Heitz, the opportunities are endless. Spot a business opportunity in Costa Rica? Or want to set up new trade in Taiwan? Go for it! If you can back up your plans properly, we’ll work with you to make it happen. As you can imagine, that takes courage.
Teamplayer
Our business is competitive. Even though you operate independently, you understand you always need another person to close a deal. Colleague, customer, or supplier: you want to close deals that makes every one of them happy. Therefore, at Kühne + Heitz we are all teamplayers who know each other’s qualities, offer help when necessary and celebrate together when we’re successful.