Product manager Jill Grigg worked with Tupperware long before she officially joined the company in 2004. As product manager for Whirlpool’s cooking division, Jill worked in partnership with Tupperware on various co-promotional activities and became familiar with the company and its products. “Cooking and Tupperware go hand in hand,” says Jill. “So it was a natural fit.”

Jill joined Tupperware as a marketing assistant and was involved in promotional forecasting and product orders. Within 12 months, she moved into the role of product manager and has the challenging – but ultimately rewarding – job of ensuring that selected products are manufactured and delivered on time.

“Once we decide our product plan for 12 months, I deal with the factories to get the product produced and delivered for the launch date,” explains Jill. Tupperware products are produced around the world – the biggest manufacturer is Korea and others include Mexico, Belgium, Portugal, Greece, South Africa and the USA. Products are also sourced from some third-party suppliers. Jill says product delivery can take a couple of weeks from manufacturers in Korea or China and six to 10 weeks from Mexico or Europe, in addition to the six month lead time required by all suppliers.

Planning ahead is key to successful product management. Jill and her team work eight to 12 months in advance on the product line-up for seasonal introductions and six to 10 months in advance for promotional product ranges.

So, how does she know which products will be popular? “Much of my planning is based on overseas trends,” says Jill. ”The marketing team works globally so we get a lot of very useful information from places like Europe, for instance. Things such as colour trends are communicated and, with that information, we make decisions on what direction we’ll take.”

One of the greatest challenges of her role is working within tight timeframes. “It’s often due to our distance from everywhere else and the time it takes to get product here, which can be difficult,” says Jill, adding that delays are often encountered at Christmas when timely delivery is crucial. “At Christmas time, products can be delayed because ships may not sail direct. Ships may go to another port, then offload their cargo, put it on to another ship, then that ship waits to be filled up. If there are delays there, then we can expect delays here.”

Jill cites the reaction of the Salesforce as one of the best parts of her role. “It’s very exciting. It’s a good thing to see how excited they get when we launch new products.”

Jill adds that the reaction of the Salesforce can be a good indication of a product’s future consumer popularity. “Successful sales are another positive thing about my job – it’s great when products are well received. It’s another rewarding part of my job. When the consumer wants to buy a particular product, all the planning and sourcing pays off.”

A mother of two adult sons, Jill describes herself as an avid cook, so she knows first hand the benefits of Tupperware. She says one of the best things about Tupperware is its lifetime guarantee. “Not many others back their products with that kind of guarantee anymore. But Tupperware is a quality product, which the company stands behind. You’ve got it for life.”

Although Jill finds it difficult to name her all-time favourite Tupperware product, she says her kitchen wouldn’t be the same without the Modular Mates®. “Because I love cooking, I’m always in the pantry looking for stuff and the Modular Mates guarantee freshness,” says Jill. “And the other good thing about them is I can always see when anything needs to be replenished.”