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Invisible man While most people have not heard of ConAgra, the company is one of the world's largest food sellers, second only to Philip Morris. ConAgra markets approximately 4.5 billion packages of food products every year and owns more than 70 brand names, including Healthy Choice, Orville Redenbacher's products, and Peter Pan. Founded in 1919 by Alva Kinney, who brought together the operations of four Nebraska grain mills under the name of Nebraska Consolidated Mills (NMC), ConAgra now operates in 35 countries. In 1999 its employee count tallied over 82,000. The company was on an acquisition binge until the mid 1990s, when it began its first major reorganization in 1995. It closed 29 mills and meat processing plants and sold its chain of Country General convenience stores. Today, ConAgra is to trying increase efficiency by combining the resources of its companies through an initiative called "Operation Overdrive". Let them eat cake In the 1950s in an attempt to increase the demand for flour, NMC created Duncan Hines cake mix, aimed at making baking more attractive and accessible. Unfortunately, Duncan Hines failed to rise into a delicious financial product, so NMC dished it off to Procter & Gamble in 1956, using the money to continue to expand its flour and feed production. For the next decade NMC ignored the trend towards prepared foods, instead focusing on the ingredients that made them possible; NMC also expanded into animal feed and poultry production. The Latin way In 1971, the company changed its name from NMC to ConAgra, derived from Latin meaning "with the land." After a series of financial difficulties in the decade that followed, ConAgra went into the 1980s with an aggressive plan of acquisition, turning it into the entity it is today. Between 1980 to 1990, ConAgra acquired Banquet Foods, Singleton Packaging, Peavey Company, the Imperial Foods poultry division, Armour Food Company, Del Monte frozen foods (Morton, Patio, Chun King), E.A. Miller and Monfront of Colorado, Swift Independent Packing Company, Beatrice Company, and Lamb-Weston. By 1991, when ConAgra merged with Golden Valley Microwave Foods, ConAgra had gone from a $1 billion company to a $20 company in little over a decade. Predatory instincts In the early nineties, ConAgra continued to swallow up smaller competitors on the corporate food chain, with $500 million in ventures and acquisitions in 1993 alone. Since that time, however, ConAgra's acquisitive zeal has diminished. ConAgra began its first major reorganization in 1995, closing 29 mills and meat processing plants and selling its chain of Country General convenience stores. Today, ConAgra continues to adjust to its role as the parent corporation to a wide variety of independent operating food companies. Its current goal is to increase efficiency by combining the resources of its companies, without disabling the autonomy that has enabled those companies to be so successful. Omaha, somewhere in middle America 1998 was newsworthy year for ConAgra. It combined its grain and commodity services operations to form the ConAgra Trade Group. The new unit, which will operate out of Omaha, Nebraska, is headed by joint chief operating officers, Gregory Heckman and Fred Page. Meanwhile, the already rotund company grew fatter with margarines and a cholesterol-free egg product from Nabisco Inc. Nabisco agreed to sell ConAgra $480 million in brand names, including Touch of Butter, Blue Bonnet, Parkay, and Egg Beaters. No, not Bachman Turner ConAgra CEO Bruce Rhode made a startling discovery only three months after taking the job in September of 1997. He found that managers of ConAgra subsidiaries were not buying products they needed from other ConAgra companies, but rather, they were buying from the competition. Thus was born "Operation Overdrive", an effort to smooth out operations within the company by ensuring that each division was communicating effectively with others. With a company as large and as diversified as ConAgra, Rhodes reasoned, it would be ludicrous to not share resources. It was also part of a new corporate culture at ConAgra, "If you have no big goals, you tend to reach only for what you have to," said Rhodes. The restructuring cost workers 6,700 jobs as 15 plants were closed, a move that Rhodes hopes will save ConAgra $600 million a year.
"Normally, there are several people to interview with for most positions," and on average, an interviewee goes through "five interviews before being offered a position." During a typical interview process, candidates will "meet with human resources, then with two managers, and then with a team of three employees, who ask a round of team-oriented questions." Stress levels of interviewers will vary, based "more on the person you are interviewing with than on anything else." Due to ConAgra's overwhelming size, there are "numerous opportunities" available year-round. While ConAgra does recruit on many campuses, most "hires are based on experience." Positions are often filled through "local papers" as well as through "referrals from friends." With a wide variety of divisions and companies operating independently of one another, ConAgra has a highly decentralized hiring practice. The state of Nebraska is home to over 6,000 of the company's employees. In addition, the headquarters in Omaha houses ConAgra's corporate offices, an employer of about 300 people, and ConAgra Frozen Foods, one of the company's largest operating facilities. Consult the company's Web page, located at www.omaha.org/con_pr.htm, for information on openings in Omaha as well as links to ConAgra's subsidiaries.
With, not against Despite its "tremendous size," ConAgra works hard "to listen to new ideas from each employee" and to foster "a high level of trust throughout the company." "Business casual is the standard," and flex hours function in most departments. "ConAgra is deeply rooted in Midwestern values" and its employees have a "strong work ethic" that has enabled much of its success. The social network consists of "company picnics and holiday parties." Sources enjoy "a great degree of freedom" since ConAgra's "corporate philosophy is that "each Independent Operation Company (IOC) is responsible for itself." In other words, all companies "report earnings separately and the corporate office will very rarely interfere with a company's operations." ConAgra's corporate strength, assess insiders, is its "ability to focus on new and emerging talent in business." Come and watch the ConAgra employees compete Some entry-level employees note that the prospect of promotion sometimes fosters a "competitive climate" that is "detrimental to morale." While most company plants are located in "out of the way" areas, the "well-appointed surroundings" at headquarters provide some compensation. The 30-acre "campus" along the Omaha waterfront is so aesthetically pleasing that it is considered a legitimate tourist attraction. Opportunities aplenty There is "increasingly more and more opportunity" for advancement from within. ConAgra is a widespread corporation, so opportunity may involve relocation. Fortunately, employees with families may enlist ConAgra's aid with "real estate companies" and "school districts." Spouses of employees can also ask "ConAgra's consultants to revamp their resumes" so that they, too, can find employment at the new locations. Diversity trial Omaha is not known for its diversity, but "ConAgra is a government contractor and has a strict affirmative action program in place." Despite (or perhaps because of) its rural locations, ConAgra's "always trying to promote diversity with its recruiting programs." There is "a major initiative going on right now in diversity," and the ConAgra Board of Directors does contain two female members, though no minorities. Forward, march! ConAgra is an "aggressive, profitable" and "extremely stable company with consistent financial goals." These consist of "at least 14% return on equity each year" and an "increase in stockholder wealth," says one contact. Another thinks "ConAgra is a forward-thinking company that focuses on maximizing returns for investors."
Human Resources
Agway;Archer Daniels Midland;Cargill;Nestle; Philip Morris More Company Profiles For more career information, go to Vault.com ©2000, Vault.com Inc
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