Sales Manager
Resume:
ANDREA ANN OLSEN
***** ** ******** ****. ********, WA 98006
abigba@r.postjobfree.com
SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
Food Service Manager with 20 years of experience in operations management, marketing and sales of specialty food
and beverage products and services.
Areas of expertise include recipe analysis and development, menu planning and ingredient procurement, production
oversight and safety compliance.
Accomplished in seeking our and securing appropriate vendors; building and maintaining vendor relationships.
Skilled at identifying and implementing efficiencies to reduce food and labor costs. Tracking, documenting and
presenting budgets.
Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal. Experienced at crafting relevant communications for staff,
customers, media, directors, and executive leadership.
Able to ensure compliance with and adherence to ServSafe, HACCP, FDA and established company safety initiatives.
I am passionate about offering excellent customer service, building community, and ensuring that sales and project
objectives are exceeded.
EXPERIENCE
FOOD & BEVERAGE CONSULTANT. Seattle, WA
OWNER, OPERATOR SAVOIR FARE CATERING November 2008 to Present
Collaborate with company owners, directors and managers to analyze procedures, products and marketing objectives
in the restaurant, beverage and specialty food business place. Deliver project outlines to launch game changing
product innovations, strategies, and sales projections. Support implementation with on going consulting services,
progress reports and sales analysis.
Savoir Fare Catering specializes in on site catering for events ranging from 12 – 60 persons. Meals are prepared with
scratch cooking methods and use of local ingredients. Demonstrate expertise in ability to be responsive to special
dietary requirements, notably; gluten free, vegan, vegetarian, diabetic, and postpartum.
ORGANIC TO GO Seattle, WA
Purchasing and Recipe Development Coordinator May 2007 to November 2008
Responsible to provide operations support to the Senior Director of Purchasing, Transportation Director, Director of
Production and Controller for this multi channel business model including Retail, Corporate Catering and Wholesale
Operations. Oversaw Nutrition Facts labeling and nutritional analysis to ensure accuracy and compliance. Secured
QAI certification and USDA certification as an organic retailer. Procured suitable products consistent with brand
requirements. Managed vendor relationships, invoicing, inventory and internal distributions. Researched and
performed proposed new product analysis encompassing flavor, visual appeal as well as cost impact. and portions.
Accomplishments
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Implemented extensive revision to recipe communication and in house production team compliance relative to
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ingredient consistency, portion controls, batch sizes, production and rotation of product. Touching all aspects of
company food service operations; catering, box meals, grab & go cafes with production kitchens in Seattle, Los
Angeles, San Diego and Virginia. (Sales 2008 $24MM.)
Successfully negotiated supplier relationships to improve pricing, delivery minimums, promotion support and
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new product programs to match seasonal rotation of menus. Leveraged volume by consolidating vendors (from
+80 to under 50) especially effective relative to our baked goods, cheese and dairy ingredients and snack products.
Key categories saw COGS decreased by 8% 14%, despite formidable food and transportation economic
challenges.
Recognized for excellent communication skills, both written and verbal. Crafted instructions designed for
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customers’ purchasing Holiday meals to be “baked off” at home as well as recipe execution and set up for retail
and catering divisions. Clarified and simplified recipes, to ensure consistency of product, supporting wholesale
operations providing organic fare to 170+ foodservice outlets.
BON APPETIT (aka BAMCO) Redlands, CA
Assistant General Manager Sept 2006 May 2007
Responsible for the supervision of all venues and dining facilities serving students, faculty and the public at the
University of Redlands. Supported extensive catering activities, Café, “Grab & Go” bistro, and white table cloth
dining facility. Hands on involvement with “back of the house” operations through co ordination of equipment and
facility requirements, vendor relations and purchasing, menu design involving a high frequency of rotation. Supported
the Executive Chef and kitchen leads in daily meal production, as needed (600 – 900/day.) Responsible to oversee
front of the house activities, customer concerns, meal display, portion controls and safe food handling procedures.
Led training for service staff, supporting management team in human resource issues. Extensive responsibilities in
cash management. Review and analysis of sales projections vs. actuals, food costs, P & L statements, and coordinating
efforts with upper management team to ensure budget requirements were met.
Accomplishments
Developed and led nine programs to improve Bon Appetit’s commitment to scratch cooking, utilizing organic
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(locally purchased when possible) ingredients. Coordinated successful local purchasing programs, namely the
Orange Conservancy, moving our dairy supplier away from a national company to a local dairy.
Recognized for outstanding commitment to campus efforts towards increased composting. Served as the point
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person for the U of R Environmental Studies program to collaboratively develop improvements to Bon Appetit’s
composting and trash management efforts. Estimated saving $2500/year in the reduction of trash removal and
reducing the contribution to land fill by 20+ tons per month.
ALASKA AIRLINES Seattle, WA
Product Manager, Food & Beverage, ) November 1997 May 2006
Managed the daily performance of catering partners serving 30 in flight catering operations in the US, Mexico and
Canada. Responsible for Quality Assurance audits and reports to ensure partners adhered to menus, recipe
specifications, on time delivery of meals, food preparation procedures. Hub kitchen prepared and delivered 6,000 –
8,000 passengers and flight crew meals/day. Assigned to a three person team collaboratively managing $60MM
budget. Researched and responded to customer and crew correspondence relating to product quality, service
procedures, suspected allergic reactions and errors in recipe preparation and/or provisioning. Prepared reports
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containing information relative to budget forecasts, project timelines, proposals for new service, products and/or
procedures as well as brand management. Recipients of information included: Director of Inflight, Executive
Leadership, VP of Marketing, Board of Directors, and Marketing Department management team. Direct reports:
Design Chef, Coordinator of Menu Specifications, and 24 Catering Supervisors. Traveled frequently to engage in face
to face interactions with customers, vendors, MVP Advisory Board, suppliers, chefs and kitchen management.
Accomplishments
• Proven skill at negotiating with vendors; leveraging volume, implementing “one off” promotions, seeking out
manufacturers seeking high exposure to promote new products. Successful programs included; delivered savings of
$320,000 during first year of newly negotiated contract with Jennie O, saw savings of $110,000 during an 8 month
long collaboration with Washington State Potato Commission, revised main cabin dessert specifications to save
$280,000/yr.
• Project manager for Alaska Airlines implementation of “Buy on Board” meal service. Branded “Northern Bites.”
Impacted the in flight experience for 12,000 passengers daily. Our meals and snacks for purchase program was
recognized as outstanding, far more successful than that of any of our competitors both in customer satisfaction and
financial improvement to our budget goals.
• Received “Visionary Award,” for the Marketing Division in 1998, recognizing extremely unique and meaningful
contributions towards achieving our Company objectives of excellence in service and customer loyalty.
• Initiated and led projects supporting the evolution of our brand, response to economic challenges and response to
competition. Notably: Created meal and service specifications for entirely new in flight requirements; Trans
Continental, Mexico market, Eastern Russia, non stops to Florida.
• Demonstrated perseverance and savvy to procure unique ingredients and extend our brand, particularly with State of
Alaska food purveyors. Positioned Alaska Airlines with a competitive advantage, offering passengers a unique in
flight experience. Examples of regional foods procured include: “Denali Ice Cream,” “Skillet Breakfast with
Reindeer Sausage,” “Matanuska Maid Yogurt” breakfast parfait, “Chiganik Salmon entrée,” and “Yukon Jack's
Toffee.”
• Excelled at up keep, organization and system wide communication of 2,000+ recipes and menu specifications for
first class and main cabin service as well as in flight crew. Tasked with creating cost effective recipes and product
concepts while ensuring meals and snacks remained compatible with company objective to provide satisfying and
delicious ( sometimes memorable!) meals. Demonstrated a keen ability to remove waste, un warranted complexities
of recipe execution; eliminating vague, incomplete, and/or erroneous ingredient information.
• Oversaw photo shoots for in flight magazine, media materials and training materials to present our “buy on board”
products, beverage programs, and trans con meal service. Led program to distribute meal production photo
specifications and production details supporting meal provisioning; distributed to 30+ food service operations.
NEW PRODUCT STRATEGIES Seattle, WA
Outside Sales Representative & Marketing Consultant January 1996 October 1997
Marketing and sales of innovative food products to up scale grocery stores, natural food markets, restaurants and
neighborhood farmer’s markets. Products represented include organic cold pressed olive oil, specialty relishes,
tapenades, artisan cheeses, butters and spreads (VC Buck California Foods brand and CIBO Specialties brand.
Owner/Operator – Savoir Fare Catering. Providing on site catering for private entertaining, fund raising events,
holiday parties and business meetings.
Collaborated with “Full Circle Farms” a local CSA. Provided artisan organic breads which I baked.
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GRAND CENTRAL BAKERY Seattle, WA
Manager – Wholesale Operations June 1989 – December 1995
Managed the wholesale and retail operation for this artisan bakery. Operating divisions included a café, retail deli,
catering service and wholesale business, employing 60+ persons. Responsible for strategizing wholesale customer
growth, sales, delivery as well as addressing human resource issues, and PR & Marketing needs. Trained staff to
ensure customer loyalty and satisfaction and well as efficiency training to accomplish profit goals and sustainable
growth.
Accomplishments
• From zero wholesale customers in 1989 to 60+ in 1991, demonstrated an ability to acquire business, offer excellent
customer service, and strategize the organization and to implement systems to support our rapid wholesale growth.
• Built wholesale sales to 1.2 million, acquiring 120 customers; restaurants, grocery stores and deli’s.
• Recognized by Sunset Magazine as the bakery with the West’s Best Sourdough Loaf; our Solemio Loaf; which I
developed specifically for Chef Scott Carsburg’s “Settebello” restaurant.
• Developed and implemented in store product promotions increasing customer purchases ranging from 35% 45%.
• Contributor to the development of product line, brand development, packaging (logos re work), signage and other
PR materials, including “Nutrition Facts” brochure, recipes, storage and end use suggestions for our line of baked
goods.
CAFÉ AU LAIT Seattle, WA
Sales Representative, Wholesale Specialty Coffee and Tea October 1987 – June 1989
Developed the Northwest Market for this Los Angeles based coffee roaster. Acquired accounts in Washington,
Oregon and Idaho collaborating with vendor partner S.E. Rykoff. Acquired key accounts, including Salish Lodge,
Mayflower Park Hotel, and Salishan Lodge. Responsible to present product information with sales to team and to
coach them in product benefits to acquire accounts and close sales.
SBC – aka “STEWART BROTHERS COFFEE” Seattle, WA
General Manager – Pike Place Market store. September 1984 – September 1987
Oversaw retail operations of this high visibility location generating $50K in annual sales. Hired, trained and
supervised staff of 20 partners. Responsible to manage the inventory of coffee, tea, supplies and related products.
Tasked with creating an annual budget and to track and report performance relative to P&L, projections and variance.
EDUCATION
UNIVERSTIY OF WASHINGTON Seattle, WA
Bachelor of Arts degree. School of Art & Design. Textile Design & Art History.
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING / EXTENDED LEARNING
• Cooking courses at the London “Cordon Bleu” Cookery School for 4 months. Courses included maintenance and
proper use of kitchen tools, classic sauce preparation, braising, soufflés, boning techniques.
• Trained in HACCP compliance, procedures, reporting, and oversight.
• Well versed in LEAN manufacturing objectives and translation to food production environments.
• Cooking instruction sponsored by PCC (Puget Consumers Co op.)
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• Served as a board member for Seattle Public Schools “Menu Options” committee.
• Certified by FDA for completing Food Safety Compliance course – Airline/Cruise Industry.
• ServSafe Certified.
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