Pay Rates in Food & Beverage Processing

Compensation in Food & Beverage Processing, 9th Edition - 2006
Survey Summary

PUBLISHED: July 2006

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The following summary of the 417-page Compensation in Food & Beverage Processing, 9th Edition survey report of 99 benchmark jobs from Abbott, Langer Association Surveys. describes the highest and lowest paid job characteristics, and the national median total cash compensation for 37 benchmark jobs, and the factors affecting salary (Regional Differences, Type of Product, Size of Organization, Total Annual Revenue, and Supervisory/Managerial Responsibility).

The composite highest-income practitioner in this field (salary plus cash bonus and/or cash profit sharing) is the President of a firm that processes or prepares poultry, dairy products, fruits & vegetables, nuts & seeds, or wines/brandy/brandy spirits. The company has over 100 employees; grosses over $100 million in annual sales; and is headquartered in or near Tampa/St. Petersburg, Richmond, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Detroit, or Springfield/Worchester (MA), or outside a metropolitan area studied in Texas, Indiana, or Missouri. While the median President in this group has a total annual income of $151,665, the highest-income individual reported in this group makes well over $1,000,000.

Far toward the other end of the income spectrum, one of the lowest-paid workers in food and beverage processing is a Production Laborer. This employee has a median annual income of $19,593 and works for a firm headquartered in or near Chicago, Detroit, or Washington (DC), or outside a metropolitan area studied in Montana, Arkansas, Texas, North Dakota, or Connecticut, and prepares macaroni/spaghetti, poultry, fruits and vegetables, or bread/cake/related products. The lowest paid in this group make under $17,000 per year.

These composites represent the briefest possible "boil-down" of the voluminous data provided regarding current salaries and cash bonuses and/or profit sharing, and numerous demographic variables provided by 45 food and beverage processors. The end results of the survey appear in Compensation in Food & Beverage Processing, 9th Edition - 2006, a 417-page statistical analysis of compensation for over 19,800 employees in 99 benchmark jobs. Copies of this report are available for $925.00 through our On-Line Order Form or from Abbott, Langer Association Surveys, 1725 I Street NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20006 (Telephone: (877) 210-6563, Fax: (877) 239-2457).

In addition to the incomes of the benchmark jobs already discussed, the median total cash compensation nationally of some of the other 97 benchmark jobs included in the survey report is:

Chief Corporate Financial Officers	$199,620
Chief Marketing & Sales Executives	$165,311
Directors of MIS/dp	$134,519
Product/Brand Managers	$121,147
Vice Presidents Manufacturing/Production	$119,488
Chief Human Resources Executives	$118,260
Plant Managers/Superintendents	$102,896
Regional Sales Managers	$95,456
Computer Systems Analysts	$81,148
Plant Engineers	$72,338
Research & Development Managers	$70,250
Manufacturing Managers/Superintendents	$69,387
Facilities Managers	$68,000
Quality Assurance/Control Managers	$66,299
Purchasing Managers	$66,289
Warehouse Managers	$61,371
Computer Network Administrators	$59,794
Sanitation Managers	$52,610
Blending/Mixing Supervisors	$45,000
Food Technologists	$43,000
Packaging Line Supervisors	$41,894
Office Managers	$40,320
Machine Repairers, Maintenance	$39,821
General Production Supervisors	$38,184
Shipping & Receiving Supervisors	$35,513
Customer Service Representatives	$31,833
Material Handlers	$29,538
Secretaries	$28,278
Clerks	$26,500
Warehouse Laborers	$26,164
Packaging Equipment Operators	$25,461
Payroll Clerks	$24,981
Account Clerks	$24,523
Labelers	$23,000
Quality Assurance/Control Technicians	$21,040
Packers, Light	$19,079
Processing Equipment Operators	$18,373

Naturally, these nation-wide pay rates vary by region, state & metropolitan area, gross annual sales, size of firm, type of product, and supervisory/managerial responsibility involved - all demographic variables for which data are provided in the complete report.

Regional Differences

Overall, incomes in the food & beverage processing industry were highest in the Pacific and north central states and lowest in the southwestern and southern states. The Rocky Mountain, midwestern, and northeastern states had median incomes between these two groups.

For the administrative group of employees, the highest incomes were found in the north central and Pacific states, with the lowest in the southwestern, southern, and Rocky Mountain states. The midwestern and northeastern states fell in the middle.

The best incomes for the sales/marketing employees were in the north central, northeastern, and Rocky Mountain states. The lowest incomes were in the southwestern, Pacific, and southern states, with the midwestern states in the middle.

MIS/dp employees received the highest incomes in the midwestern, southern, and southwestern states and the lowest incomes in the Pacific, Rocky Mountain, and north central states. The northeastern states were in the middle of the range.

For the financial group of employees, the highest pay was in the midwestern, north central, and Pacific states, and the lowest was in the southern, southwestern, and northeastern states. The Rocky Mountain states fell between these two groups.

Clerical workers received the highest pay (in descending order) in the midwestern, northeastern, north central, Pacific, Rocky Mountain, southern, and southwestern states.

Material acquisition/control/movement employees were paid most in the Pacific, north central, and Rocky Mountain states and least in the southwestern, midwestern, and southern states. The northeastern states fell between those two groups.

For maintenance & repair employees, the Rocky Mountain, Pacific, and southern states provided the highest incomes. The southwestern, midwestern, and north central states paid the lowest incomes, with the northeastern states in the middle.

The laboratory group of employees received the highest pay in the Rocky Mountain, southwestern, and Pacific states and the lowest pay in the midwestern, north central, and northeastern states. The southern states fell between those two groups of states.

For engineering/technical management employees, the highest incomes - in descending order - were found in the midwestern, north central, northeastern, Rocky Mountain, southern, and southwestern states.

Engineering employees were paid best in the north central and Rocky Mountain states and least in the southwestern and southern states. The midwestern and Pacific states were in the middle of the range.

The highest pay for the technical group was found in the northeastern, Rocky Mountain, and midwestern states, while the lowest pay was in the southwestern and southern states. The Pacific and north central states were between those two groups of states.

Plant/manufacturing/production management employees were paid the best in the midwestern, Rocky Mountain, and northeastern states, and the least in the southwestern and southern states. The Pacific and north central states were in the middle range.

Income of the production/packaging supervision group was highest in the Rocky Mountain, Pacific, and midwestern states, followed by the north central, northeastern, southwestern, and southern states.

The production group of employees received the highest income in the Pacific, north central, and Rocky Mountain states and the lowest in the southwestern, southern, and midwestern states. The northeastern states were in the midrange.

Quality assurance/control, regulatory affairs and documentation employees were paid the highest compensation in the Rocky Mountain, north central, and midwestern states. The southwestern, southern, and northeastern states paid the lowest, with the Pacific states in the middle.

In descending order, the inspection group received the highest compensation in the southwestern, southern, and midwestern states.

Type of Product

Overall, the compensation received by the groups of employees varied widely by type of product. For instance, the administrative, sales/marketing, and financial groups of employees were paid best in firms producing bakery products.

The MIS/dp, engineering/technical management, production/packaging supervision, and inspection groups of employees received the highest compensation from producers of dairy products, while the clerical group of employees was paid best by producers of fluid milk.

Producers of fruits & vegetables (excluding juice/juice drinks) brought the highest income to the material acquisition/control/movement and quality assurance/control, regulatory affairs & documentation groups of employees.

For maintenance & repair and plant/manufacturing/production management employees, producers of grain mill products provided the highest compensation. The production and engineering groups of employees were paid best by beverage manufacturers.

Laboratory and technical employees received the highest compensation from producers of other foods and kindred products.

Size of Organization

For most employee groups, the size of the organization and compensation did not correlate well. For example, for the administrative group, companies with 100 to 499 employees paid a median annual income of $82,992, compared to $41,378 paid by companies with 5,000 employees of more.

Total Annual Revenue

For the administrative group of employees, the highest incomes were paid by firms with annual revenues of $24-$99.9 million. In general companies with an annual revenue of under $25 million or $1 billion or more paid their administrative employees least.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibility

Overall, the highest incomes were received by employees with the most supervisory/managerial responsibility. For instance, those in the administrative group who supervised one to four non-professional employees received a median income of $41,378. However, compensation rose 695% (to $328,930) for administrators who supervised 50 or more professionals and non-professionals.

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Buy the 419-page survey report, Compensation in Food & Beverage Processing, 9th Edition - 2006, described on this page for $925, with charges for shipping & handling. The report is IN STOCK and can be shipped out within two business days. The mean, median, 1st and 3rd quartile, and 1st and 9th decile data for base salary, bonus/commission/profit sharing, and total annual cash compensation are reported for many demographic variables, including geographic location, type and size of employer, etc. To purchase the report, use our On-Line Order Form, call (877) 210-6563, , fax, or write per the information at the bottom of this page.

45 organizations supplied current compensation and demographic information for the survey report.

• Ag Processing, Inc.
• American Dehydrated Foods, Inc.
• American Fruit Processors
• Azteca Foods, Inc.
• Bright Harvest Sweet Potato Company
• Brooks Food Group, Inc.
• Bueno Foods
• Burnette Foods, Inc.
• Clos Pegase Winery, Inc.
• Columbia Beverage Company
• Corn Products, Stockton Plant
• DAD's Products Company, Inc., DAD's Pet Care
• Daisy Brand
• Dakota Brands International, Inc.
• Danisco USA, Inc., Sweetener Division
• Dean Foods
• Didion Milling, Inc.
• Dina Mia Kitchens, Inc.
• Frederick Brewing Company
• Guida's Seibert Dairy
• J. R. Simplot Company
• Kar Nut Products Company
• Lawrence Foods, Inc.
• Leonard's Bakery, Ltd.
• Malt-O-Meal
• Maple Leaf Farms
• Nelson Ricks Creamery Company
• Paramount Fruit Processing Company
• Pasta Montana, L.L.C.
• Pepsi Bottling Group, Eastern Virginia Division
• PGP International, division of ACH Food Companies, Inc.
• Pilgrim's Pride Corporation
• Popcorn Factory, subsidiary of 1800flowers.com
• Publix Super Markets, Inc.
• Ray Brothers & Noble Canning Company
• Rudolph Foods
• SIG International Iowa, Inc.
• Sweet Street Desserts
• Tri-City Meats, Inc.
• True World Foods, International, d/b/a Shining Ocean
• United States Distilled Products Company
• Vitasoy USA, Inc.
• Watts Brothers
• Winchester Farms Dairy
• Windsor Foods