Meet our graduates 2022

Why did you apply for the Danish Crown Graduate Programme?

In these years, we find the world around us undergoing constant disruptive changes at an accelerating rate in all aspects of life - and our consumption habits are no exception, quite the opposite. Growing climate changes and rising consumer awareness on animal welfare pose new needs for what, and how we produce and consume foods, especially in relation to sustainability. Hence, my motivation for applying for the Danish Crown Graduate Program was twofold; feeding the future and doing so in a sustainable manner. For I believe that the most important aspect of change is that it starts within - and what better place to do so, than at a market leading company who have devoted their future strategy to reduce the carbon footprint of meat production.

Moreover, the structure of the program was of great appeal to me with an intensive two-year learning journey, featuring three eight-month rotations allowing for broad exposure across different business units and departments, while interacting with various levels of the organization. Hence, exploring diverse career opportunities and acquiring in-depth knowledge of various areas, while gaining insight into Danish Crown’s integrated and full value chain. The programme is tailored ambitiously on the career track of the individual, with rotations being decided to some extent under the influence of the graduate, leading to very unique career journeys. This also applies in relation to the rotation abroad, in which focus is on the challenges and opportunities faced internationally through the lens of Danish Crown – a rotation which I look very much forward to! Also, focus is on the personal and professional development with ongoing evaluations to build a strong pipeline of potential future leaders to drive the continuously change, in and across the organization.

Your background:

Originating from Poland with German/Polish roots and living in Denmark for the past fourteen years, currently in Aarhus. As a person I am very outgoing, and driven by a natural curiosity, which has been highly advantageous, whether it was when I had to learn Danish and adapt to the culture, living amongst various nationalities and cultures in a dorm during my studies, or my internship across different production sites in Sokolow, Poland. Additionally, it has been beneficially for my first rotation in Group Sustainability at the headquarters in Randers, as this is area of the business is growing immensely these years, requiring high agility and an openness to new knowledge and people.

I hold a MSc in Commercial and Retail Management from Aarhus School of Business and Social Sciences (BSS). The newly launched degree programme, which was co-funded by Danish Crown, provided me with a greater understanding of the challenges faced by the consumer goods industry across the entire value chain. This sparked a natural curiosity and desire for me to take part in solving these complex puzzles in real life. An opportunity which I have been fortunate to get at Danish Crown.

What does a typical workday look like for you?

My first rotation during the programme has been within Group Sustainability, where I have been allocated to the departments of Sustainable Farming, and Sustainable Reporting & Innovation, focusing on the core of the business strategy on sustainability. This is also evident in the pace of both departments, serving as a group function, and therefore facilitating the majority of the business units across the organization.

The fast-paced environment within the departments means that there rarely is a typical day. I am currently involved in a multitude of projects and various tasks serving as an integral part of the group strategy. This allows me to shift between different focus areas and assignments sharing the commonality of supporting our journey towards a sustainable future. There is always something new going on, and rarely a dull moment.

Although, no two days are alike, one thing is certain for sure, I am constantly learning by challenges that defy my knowledge and improve my skills.

What is the best project or task you have worked with so far?

Being only a couple of months into my first rotation in Group Sustainability, the best project I have worked on so far, has been focusing on Friland, and how to incorporate the aspects of biodiversity into the telling of the brand. Part of this project has revolved around conducting sustainability workshops with farmers, while working along with scientists researching within the field of biodiversity. The project has required many of the skills I believe to hold, and allowed me to acquire even more, especially on project- and stakeholder management. Also, the involvement of a commercial aspect has been exiting, as my educational background is founded amongst other on retail strategy and innovation, and consumer behaviour. This also allows one to see the value of the effort from initiation to execution.

What skills make a good Danish Crown graduate?

With the programme allowing for very unique career journeys the most important skills of a Danish Crown graduate include; the ability to adapt, the willingness to learn, and the eagerness to make a difference.

Since each rotation only has a duration of eight months, it is critical that you adapt to the constant changes in your surroundings, even if this means stepping out of you comfort zone. The learning curve is steep, so you have to pay attention and expect to have little or even no knowledge on the subjects. But as long you are curious, asking questions, and take time to listen to the answers, you are on the right pave. Lastly, be prepared to make a difference, it is expected that you take responsibility and act on what you say. Remember, the change needs to start within!

What was it like being a new employee at Danish Crown?

Overwhelming in the most positive way, one could think of! The implementation of the new strategy is rooted in every aspect of the organization, and it is amazing to experience the enthusiasm and pride shared by all my new colleagues. It is impossible not to be affected even more than I was before I started in the job. Especially, my colleagues and the collegiality have been focal for my start as a graduate in Danish Crown, as I have been well received in my department, and the ‘We’ culture is clearly prominent in everything we do and how we work.

How do you experience the community among you fellow graduates?

Despite coming from different backgrounds both educationally and culturally, it is obvious that we all are share the ambition on creating a more sustainable future. Especially, the diversity of the group brings different perspectives and ways of observing things into the conversations we are having. The group dynamic is great and the respect amongst each other is greatly valued, as it allows for the sharing of experiences and advice across the group, also in a non-professional manner.

What is the best thing about working/being a graduate at Danish Crown?

The best part about working as a graduate at Danish Crown? The versatility of the tasks that I have been assigned during my first months in the organization, whether it has been to gather and structure ESG key figures for the Sustainable Reporting & Innovation department, facilitate a biodiversity workshop revolving around our Friland farmers’, or stand on a field surrounded by livestock somewhere in West Jutland. In settling whether this has to be attributed to the fact that I am new in the organization, or that no two days are alike at Danish Crown, I am certain it has to be the latter.

Tell us something that others might not know about you?

Although I love when the sun is shining and the weather is warm, one of my favourite seasons of the year is autumn. For during autumn, the forest floors are filled with various fungi, some more delicate than others. The joy of walking in the woods following light rain is nearly incomparable to anything else during the season - that should however be to gather lots of different mushrooms for preservation. That is cultural heritage from my Polish ancestry which I hold very dear.

Why did you apply for the Danish Crown Graduate Programme?

The past 5 years, I have studied at Aarhus University, and the different courses and experiences from different student job-positions have sparked my interest for many business areas. Despite this, I’m not completely sure which direction, I want to pursue career-wise. That’s one of the reasons why I was attracted to the Danish Crown Graduate Programme, where I can try 3 different positions within 2 years. These 3 rotations might open my eyes to new business areas or show areas I do not need to explore further. No matter what, there is great learnings to gain career-wise and a possibility for personal development that you will not find in other positions.

Furthermore, I have lived in Ireland for six months during my bachelor’s, which really sparked my curiosity for an international environment, different cultures and people. Through the Danish Crown graduate programme I will have a rotation abroad, and have the opportunity to explore an international environment further.

Your background:

I have a Master of Science in Commercial and Retail Management from Aarhus University. One of the reasons for choosing this masters was the large companies behind the education, where Danish Crown is one of the Founding Partners. This displayed a demand for young graduates like me.

What does a typical workday look like for you?

Danish Crown operates in a fast-moving industry – especially in these times, and this plays a large role in my teams’ tasks and projects. My current team is called Nordic Strategy and Business Development, which is a part of Commercial Nordics. Here, no days are alike since we assist with several business development projects depending on what is needed on the Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, and Finnish markets.

What is the best project or task you have worked with so far?

After the onboarding process, the projects slowly started to come – and now suddenly, there are a lot of things to keep track of. I have mainly been focusing on projects on the Danish market, since this is biggest market and the showroom for the rest of the company. I have although just started a project with the Finnish team, which is very exciting and hopefully will give a lot of insight in how the Finnish market work and provide me with a more international perspective of the business.

What skills make a good Danish Crown graduate?

Curiosity and an open mind. As a graduate, you only have 8 months in each rotation. A curious approach, the ability to ask questions, when things doesn’t make sense, is crucial to ensure a steep learning curve. Being a graduate at Danish Crown is about learning, and therefore, a good advice is to accept as many projects as you can manage in order to challenge yourself and get the most of each rotation.

A further skill to master is patience. As a graduate you are thrown into a department as an extra resource, so it is important to be patient, learn the department and the team and trust the process when it comes to projects and tasks.

What was it like being a new employee at Danish Crown?

I started my graduate journey with an introduction week with all the other graduates from my batch together in Randers. This was a great way to start the adventure, where we got to know each other through different cases, introductions to the overall Danish Crown organization and socials initiatives.

Afterwards, I started in my current team, where I had a very informative onboarding process in my department, with introduction meetings focused on the Nordic markets and the different business areas, which I would be in contact with doing my first rotation.

How do you experience the community among you fellow graduates?

The community is amazing, and it is very important!

Being a graduate is a unique opportunity, and you are a part of a community with people who are in the exact same situation as you. This means, that there is a special understanding amongst my fellow graduates and I, where we share joys and tougher times. I can’t think of a better way to start many years of working full time. 

What is the best thing about working/being a graduate at Danish Crown?

All the different opportunities! As a graduate in Danish Crown, you get to try three areas of the company, which gives you an understanding of the business, which otherwise would have taken many years to get.

I am also very happy about the support system the graduate programme provides. You have the graduate community, a mentor, and a buddy – all ready to help and assist your journey in Danish Crown.

Tell us something that others might not know about you?

When I grew up, we didn’t have that many TV-channels, which meant, that I just watched what was being send on TV2 in the afternoon. I have therefore seen a looot of Friends and I can now recite almost every line in every episode. Something, I’m actually kind of proud of.

Why did you apply for the Danish Crown Graduate Programme?

My journey in Danish Crown started one year before entering the Graduate Programme having applied for an internship in the company within the Commercial Finance department. It was through the internship I was presented to the Graduate Programme and got hooked on applying. The main reasons for me sending the application were first of all due to the work environment within the company. People here are very helpful and accommodating and on top of that I was given a lot of responsibility which all helped me grow both personally and professionally. Secondly, I saw it as a prime opportunity to find my passion in an organization with so many different opportunities in terms of positions and job functions, here I can get insights into all aspects from both the commercial and the operations side. Lastly, I was also very lucky to work in a department which had a graduate back then, meaning I got to realize some of the many features that the program offers.

Your background:

I was Born and raised in Aarhus, but Ringkøbing is my origin, if that even makes sense. In terms of education, I finished my master’s in economics at Aarhus BSS. Before coming to Danish Crown, I worked in Føtex, Salling Group for 9 years on the floor in different positions within the Fruit & Vegetables department. I am 25 years old.

What does a typical workday look like for you?

As a Business Developer in ESS-FOOD I am meet with various of different tasks and many projects to investigate. To a large extend it includes research and being curious about the subject at hand. The assortment of tasks varies from financial reporting providing insights and transforming data into information using Excel features and SAP to doing strategic and market analysis for new markets or product categories. This all includes a lot of stakeholder and project management. The department of business development consists of 2 people to support the entire business of ESS-FOOD, being a former graduate and myself. Daily we have catchups and meetings concerning the different projects we have rolling to align on next steps both regarding delegation and cooperation of everyday tasks.

What is the best project or task you have worked with so far?

Given my background in economics I really enjoy finance and therefore I would also say that making ESS-FOOS’s “Year End Report” has been something else due to the new characteristics and so many new and different aspects to consider coming from Commercial Finance in Randers. I learned a lot doing this process about the data in ESS-FOOD and how we should use it to show the business in the correct manor. The presentation included a slide deck of 24 slides with different visuals explaining the business and its performance ranging from sales, purchase to shipping in the different markets.

What skills make a good Danish Crown graduate?

So far, I would say curiosity, openness and having a proactive nature. You are going to interact with a lot of different people across the organization and it gives a good opportunity to create some valuable connections and meet a lot of new knowledgeable people in their respective areas that you can learn a lot from.

What was it like being a new employee at Danish Crown?

It has been very exciting transitioning into the graduate position. The intro week was splendid and a lot of fun integrating with your fellow graduates under amazing conditions. Danish Crown really thrives to give you insights into as much as possible. We experienced the slaughterhouse in Horsens and visited a farmer to mention a few. For the first training we are going to the factory in Vejle. We also had a private event setup by the older graduate batch inviting the new one for a get together and a night out in Aarhus. This was great as you straight away felt as a part of the community. This also counts for the company as a whole, the guys in ESS-FOOD has been really good at taking me in and being welcoming from the get-go even though your rotation only last for 8 months.

How do you experience the community among you fellow graduates?

I feel we have a good relationship both in our own batch and across. As mentioned above, the intro week was well planned and good in connecting us. Also, the communication across batches created the get together early in the process of being a graduate which was a really nice way of getting to know one another.

What is the best thing about working/being a graduate at Danish Crown?

The steep learning curve and the many new tremendous connections I have due to this program. Feeling like you progress everyday as the weeks go by is so important in combination with having it socially good at your workplace – and I really feel like I have had that in all the departments that I have been in across the organization so far.

Tell us something that others might not know about you?

I can spray saliva with the “under-side” of my tongue, nice skill. Not a party trick though.

Why did you apply for the Danish Crown Graduate Programme?

I knew that I wanted to join a graduate programme after graduating from the university, because it gives you a unique opportunity to develop both professionally and personally. It is a great way to kickstart a career, as you get a lot of support and the chance to try out different business areas. My passion is marketing, but I wanted to be more commercially oriented and get a complete understanding of a company.

I choose to apply for the graduate programme at Danish Crown since it is a very ambitious company. I really wanted to be a part of the journey of generating valuable and sustainable food solutions and being a part of building the legitimacy for the industry going forward, which is something I personally find both exciting and important. I also heard from a lot of people that Danish Crown has a kind culture and that you as a graduate would be entrusted with large responsibilities, which I saw it as a great advantage. Furthermore, I have worked and studied in foreign countries before, so the international perspective was also important for me.

Your background:

I am 25 years old and from Denmark.

I have a bachelor of Economics & Business Administration and a Master of Marketing (cand.merc) from Aarhus University, Denmark.

What does a typical workday look like for you?

I am currently working at the HQ located in Randers, Denmark, in the Global Categories. My day starts with driving to work and getting breakfast at the office. In general, my day contains what you will expect from an office job. But the days vary a lot, as some days are filled with meetings, e.g., pitching new products for the sales team, aligning with the markets etc., whereas other days you can get things done, e.g., gathering insights, working on your projects etc. I also work approximately 1 day a week from home, which provides good flexibility during the weekdays.

Generally, I work on some defined projects with my key colleagues and support them with ad hoc task in their daily work. But I have also been quite fortunate be a part of the global category, where I can get an international perspective on the business, e.g., sometimes we visit our factories in Germany and the different DC offices around Europe.

What is the best project or task you have worked with so far?

I have been giving the responsibility of running several exciting projects. But I would say that the most exciting and challenging task is that I have been given the responsibility to develop a new process for how to continuously follow up on the markets business plans. In connection to this, I will attend the follow-up meetings and have the responsibility of it working effectively so the agreed initiatives will be delivered. I believe this provides me with a commercial and international perspective on the business as well as stakeholder management. Moreover, I also work on other exciting tasks, as launching new innovative products, looking into the future meat packaging, develop new concepts etc. Therefore, the tasks have a great split between marketing, commercial, category, and innovation, so I learn as much a possible during my rotation.

What skills make a good Danish Crown graduate?

In general, I believe that it is important to be agile and prepared for change, as you will work in different departments and go abroad in one of the rotations, not knowing where you are going until approx. 3 months before. Furthermore, it is important to be openminded, have a positive attitude, be curious to learn new things, and not be afraid to ask all the “stupid” questions. Being a graduate is also about being a team player and create strong relationships throughout your rotations, as you will gain a strong network across the organization to have support and opportunities throughout and after the graduate programme.

In the beginning of the rotations, it is very important to be patient, as it will take some time to get to know the company, colleagues, and ways of working before you can dive into bigger tasks, which might be a challenge when you are newly graduated and just want to start working! But it is also important that you are not afraid to say out loud that when you are ready for those projects and more responsibility.

What was it like being a new employee at Danish Crown?

As a new employee, I think Danish Crown has a very welcoming culture. My fellow graduates and I started with an introduction week, where we were introduced to all parts of the organizations, visited a farmer and a production site, working with the leadership principles etc., which was a good starting point for understanding the sometimes quite complex organization. In the first weeks within my department, I had 1:1 introduction with all important stakeholders, which gave me an overview of the tasks and the ways of working. You also have a buddy and a mentor that supports you, which is nice. Additionally, I have 4-years’ experience from working in a similar food company, which has been a huge advantage, as it can be a little complex sometimes.

How do you experience the community among you fellow graduates?

In the first week, we got to know each other quite well, also through team building activities. This provided us with a great community, where we do things together in our spare time. Furthermore, we also support each other in the working days with technical questions, monthly check-ins, and sparring. I believe it is an advantage that all graduates have different backgrounds and experiences, so that we can challenge and support each other.

What is the best thing about working/being a graduate at Danish Crown?

The best thing is that you as a graduate get to try out different business areas and being challenged with tasks that you did not imagine yourself working with. 

Tell us something that others might not know about you?

In my spare time I like to be creative and do activities as painting, building furniture, and sewing my own clothing. Something only a few people know about me is that when I was 10 years old, I actually won the Danish championship in drawing within the category “Drawing Ninja”, which had five different drawing disciplines. However, I am not quite as good now, as I was back then.

Why did you apply for the Danish Crown Graduate Programme?

As probably any other graduate, I thought that this programme would be not only a great opportunity to learn the business, but also help learn what business areas best fit me. As this is my first full-time position, I am very ecstatic to learn about the company and the working environment at Danish Crown, since we will have an opportunity to have three different rotations in different business units including one rotation abroad. The meat industry is constantly challenged by different stakeholders, but sustainability efforts of Danish Crown and the strong Corporate Sustainability was another big factor in choosing Danish Crown, since my educational background is very closely related to the subject. I have always thought that changes made towards sustainable business practices in big companies have a quite big influence on total development.

Your background:

I am Lithuanian and I came to Denmark to study for my Professional Bachelor's degree in Nature and Agricultural management, where I chose Environmental management as my specialization at Business Academy Aarhus. Later on, I have decided to take a Master’s degree in Environmental and Resource management from University of Southern Denmark, where I have successfully defended my thesis in June 2022 and graduated.

What does a typical workday look like for you?

There is no day that is same at my rotation. I started in the EHS & Sustainability department, where my tasks are sometimes shared with Group Finance. On my first day I was already introduced to my task where I had to do an analysis of newly upcoming CSRD standards, which also takes up most of my time at the moment. I am also involved in the EcoVadis assessment. As part of these projects, I get to communicate with different stakeholders within the organization and contribute toward better data availability between different business units. I also got involved helping with data validation, which was more unusual than the primary tasks that are delegated to me, but it was a great experience to be a bit outside your comfort zone and take responsibility for sustainability data.

What is the best project or task you have worked with so far?

One of the best experiences was to be a part of the hectic three week CSR data validation process. There I got to spend my first data validation week in Group Finance, where it was great to see how the department is run, furthermore I got to meet great people who were extremely welcoming and I got a chance to be responsible for changes in the system and also the validation process. This experience was valuable, because it showed me what am I capable of. I also got to communicate with relevant stakeholders and it prepared me for the following weeks in Group Sustainability. The second and third weeks felt more calm and natural, since I had already done the hard work in Group Finance. It was great to have people coming over to me and asking questions regarding some of the data points from last week's validation, where for the first time I felt being a valuable asset to the company. Furthermore, It was great hearing the recognition from my Line manager and Group finance, that they were happy to have me. I do believe that being recognized for the efforts on projects or tasks makes it THE BEST that I have worked on.

What skills make a good Danish Crown graduate?

I would say being willing to learn, adaptable and a team player are key skills in order to make a good graduate. When starting on the first rotation, it is important to have an open mind and be willing to learn while starting to work on a project, since some of the tasks will be outside your comfort zone. The tasks of the project will most likely also have a deadline, so it is important to make time in your calendar to adapt to the situation, without overstepping inner boundaries of how much a person can carry.  It is also important to be an engaging team player and not be afraid to ask for help on tasks while supporting the team at the same time.

What was it like being a new employee at Danish Crown?

It was really great start. We ate breakfast with all department and been introduced to each other. I also felt extremely welcome and could not wait for what the next day would bring. Of course, there was a lot of adjustments to Danish working environment, especially considering joining straight after studies and student work. I feel that being placed during a busy period for the department shows how things get done and how everybody is doing a great job working together.

How do you experience the community among you fellow graduates?

Since the onboarding week our group was quite open and it was easy to communicate within the group. Being one of the two graduates that do not speak fluent Danish, I did not feel excluded, which was really great. We also have monthly meetups, where we talk about our experiences, struggles and try to help and support each other professionally. Of course, some of the Graduates are more open about their experiences than others, since we are all very different. I feel that we are still trying to get to know each other and are learning to respect each other’s needs and boundaries. Furthermore, I hope that these relationships will grow into friendships over time, which is also a great opportunity. It is truly unique to be a part of the graduate network where we try to help each other's professional growth.

We also get support from last years graduates, which is also great, because we have somebody to talk to regarding different rotations or what might be challenging in the future.

What is the best thing about working/being a graduate at Danish Crown?

I think the best thing about being graduate is the support that we get within the company. We have a line manager, some even have two, for the day-to-day tasks and personal development within the department. In addition, we have a mentor, who is an experienced person within the organization and can help with questions regarding the business and personal experiences in confidentiality. We also have a buddy (I was lucky to get two), who helps to understand what the graduate pragramme is, what challenges might occur and give emotional support, since they were in the same position as us a year ago. For all the practical knowledge, we also get an office buddy, who helps us by telling where the best coffee machine or printer is located. Lastly, we have our own graduate network, where we can reflect on our tasks and learnings together. It is a truly unique and giving environment to be working in.

Tell us something that others might not know about you?

I have played basketball for six years in my hometown Birzai. Back in 2012 my team and I have won gold in Lithuanian Pupils Basketball League (MKL) and many other, local basketball competitions.

Nowadays, I love driving my motorcycle and traveling. Whenever I visit my family in Lithuania, I go for a drive with my dad with our motorcycles if the weather is good and enjoy the beautiful nature. When it comes to travel, I really enjoy planning trips where not a single second is wasted on thinking “what should we do next?”, making me a very active traveler with an ambition to visit every European capital.

Why did you apply for the Danish Crown Graduate Programme?
I applied for the Danish Crown Programme, as it seemed to me to be more detailed, well-structured, and professional compared to the others. There was a clear vision with programme, and what Danish Crown intends to get out of it in the long-run. Besides, the ambassadors of Danish Crown were more down to earth fitting my personality really well. Besides, after working here for 2-3 months the cuæture has approved mt preliminary thoughts of an open “one-team” company spirit.

Your background:
Cand.Merc.IEC from Aarhus University (Aarhus BSS). So, a general (not specialist) business background.

What does a typical workday look like for you?
A couple of meetings to keep up with several projects running during my rotation. Between meetings, I prepare presentations, help building reports in Excel, and managing project processes for my colleagues.

What is the best project or task you have worked with so far?
Establishing an automatized reporting to control for negative contribution margins across our markets. This provides our sales team and business partners with a data-based tool to make the right decisions.

What skills make a good Danish Crown graduate?
Curiosity, proactivity, and motivation. The technical skills you learn along the way.

What was it like being a new employee at Danish Crown?
Both exciting and frightening, as you realize how big an complex a company it is. It takes time to understand all processes and ways of working not just in the general company, but also within your own department. To weigh up for this, people are super nice to help and guidance you along the way. If you ask nicely, everyone are pleased to help.

How do you experience the community among you fellow graduates?
Very good. We had an awesome introduction week both professional and socially. Besides, we keep in touch every month to share experiences and arrange trips and parties once in a while.

What is the best thing about working/being a graduate at Danish Crown?
The possibilities of learning and improving your skills. Both within a current position, but also if you want to acquire skills and competencies on other fields in other departments. Besides, the work/life balance fits me perfectly as no one expects a 80 hour work week.