Meet the Team: Gail Edwards, Sales Operations Manager

If you’re in need of a big mugful of inspo, you’re in the right place. Meet a Peet’s team member who inspires us with her dedication and passion and learn a little more about what it’s like to work here. Let’s dive in.

FIRST THINGS FIRST
My name is Gail Edwards and I currently live in Oakland, California, but I am originally from New York. I am an Operations Manager in our Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) division, supporting the Direct Store Delivery (or DSD—we love an acronym) Field Teams and building out processes as we evolve our market strategy. 

TELL US ABOUT THE START OF YOUR PEET’S JOURNEY
I started with Peet’s in 2016, and my entire career has been in CPG. Beginning with Demand Planning and working to integrate then-partner brands Stumptown and Intelligentsia into the DSD network. I built forecasts to support the rapid growth of these brands on shelves at grocery chains across the nation. I worked cross-functionally with phenomenal teams at Peet’s and was able to work firsthand with the internal teams at these amazing brands. 

HOW DID YOU GROW FROM THERE?
I became the Commercialization Manager within DSD Operations, managing item lifecycle for the field teams and supporting our Route Sales Representatives with item and transactional efficiency. In addition, I managed all Point-Of-Sale planning, distribution, and allocations for Marketing programs. Currently, I am a Sales Operations Manager, focused on Display Planning for direct distribution.

WHAT’S THE TEAM LIKE?
I enjoy working and collaborating with all the passionate and generous professionals at Peet’s. Questions are encouraged; successes and challenges are shared. It’s a rich culture of learning and support. And never a dull moment!

SO … WHY PEET’S?
I was inspired to bridge my CPG and Supply Chain experience with a local brand that I already had a fondness for and who’s product I could be passionate about. I was challenged to learn the uniqueness of the different brands and given the opportunity to be a part of watching the overall DSD business grow with my contribution. 

LET’S END ON A FUN FACT
I love live music and theater. The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre visits UC Berkeley’s Zellerbach Hall annually, and I try to attend as often as I can.