Continuing our Meet the Team series, we chatted with Peacock Salt’s Stock and Purchasing Co-Ordinator, Gemma Macmillan. As a team member with over 18 years’ service, we listened to Gemma talk about her role, her experience, and what she enjoys doing outside of work. 

Gemma’s role 

As Stock and Purchasing Coordinator (a role that Gemma otherwise likes to call chief plate spinner), she is responsible for the sourcing of new products, managing existing and new supplier relationships, and negotiating the best possible prices for Peacock Salt and its customers. 

On top of this Gemma also manages stock allocation and stock levels, ensuring the levels take into account demand, in line with sales trends across the year. Stock checks are a regular part of her schedule as well as investigating any anomalies.

Recently, Gemma also played a key part in the implementation of a new Warehouse Management System – a sizeable project but one that should make ongoing operations easier! 

If Gemma wasn’t at Peacock Salt, she’d be… 

…doing something with food! Be that a food blogger, a restaurant critic, or owner of a boutique café or bakery – all of them are at the top of Gemma’s ‘dream job’ list. 

A piece of advice for Gemma’s younger self

Having worked at Peacock Salt for 18 years – Gemma’s career kicked off with the role of Receptionist before she moved to the role of Order Processor, and then Customer Service Assistant – all of which made the most of her ability to multi-task. But eight years in, her organisational skills truly came to the fore when she accepted the role of Stock and Purchasing Coordinator, which she has now carried out for the last ten years. 

Asking Gemma what advice she would give to her younger self, at the start of her career she said: 

“Believe in yourself and prioritise work life balance. I’ve worked really hard to get to where I am now, and I have really grown in terms of my own self confidence.”

Life outside work 

Gemma loves to travel – setting herself the goal of visiting a new place every year if she can. Last year it was a trip to Iceland, which has long been on Gemma’s bucket list. 

Gemma also enjoys keeping fit and last year she joined a rowing club after taking part in a charity rowing challenge, here at Peacock Salt. Now, she’s regularly out rowing, she’s made lots of new friends, and thoroughly enjoys being out on the water! It’s pretty great exercise too!