Dietatec’s new sales team member Nina Joukainen has a strong background in the catering business and sales with an international touch. She has seen the catering world from a perspective of a kitchen professional. During her sales career, Nina has learned much from different industries but the HoReCa has always had a special place in her heart. Before joining Dietatec’s team Nina’s worked in Dietatec’s sister company Dieta, first in 2007 and again in 2019.
From a kitchen professional to sales expert
Dietatec’s newest sales team member and a key account manager Nina Joukainen has a very strong background in the catering business as a kitchen professional and later on within sales, customer service, and marketing.
Nina had her first catering job when she was 19 years old and living in Germany. The next four years passed by swiftly as the world of the catering business had charmed the young professional. The passion for the business took Nina to run a bachelor’s degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management. The degree opened plenty of new opportunities. “Right after my graduation, I started in the position of a restaurant manager. Then my path has taken me from the cruise ship to even running a restaurant”, Nina reminisces.
Little by little Nina’s job description changed from being concretely in the kitchen and service to more and more administrative tasks. When she had her first child it seemed a relevant point to start from a clean table. The interest in the hotel and restaurant management was still there - and then she found sales. “For me, it seemed a very clear path. My work had partly consisted of sales for a while and I had enjoyed it. So I decided to apply for an interesting post and got it”.
After that decision, Nina has created her career for instance within accommodations, events, food industry, and exports. Then, she also got into Dieta Group first time.
The path takes back to Dieta Group
Nina’s current key account manager’s position is not the first time she’s worked in Dieta Group. Nina was recruited in Dieta, Dietatec’s sister company, back in 2007 as a marketing assistant. After being years elsewhere Nina came back to Dieta in 2019 and started as a key account manager, whose specialty was in the field of the kitchens of daycare centers and nursing homes. She and her team cooperated with construction companies and kitchen operators to find and develop practical solutions for their needs. Then, the opportunity to work in an international environment in Dietatec occurred.
“When I was offered a position as a key account manager as a part of Dietatec’s growing sales team I couldn’t be more excited! I liked working in Dieta back in the years and the products were familiar for me. Dietatec’s attitude towards exports and the way we work with our customers is something I appreciate. Last but not least the Dieta products are the kind of we all can stand proudly behind”, Nina says happily.
Besides Nina’s able to utilize her skills in her current position as a key account manager in Dietatec, the other elements of the job are bringing joy to the daily work, too. Nina enjoys the flexibility and variation between days that the internationality and the job in a small company create - actually, there are no identical days at all. But the ones that inspire and delight the most are customers, the partners.
“Our partners differ from each other a lot which makes all of them one of a kind. It’s wonderful to get to know and to work with all of them. Helping them, bringing something new and useful to their projects, and seeing them succeed is the goal we aim at and work for together”.
Counterbalance for intensive and social work is important
The key account manager’s days are busy. The eventful and social work needs something as a counterbalance and for Nina, it’s something that keeps her busy in a calming way in her free time.
“It’s important to do something own after the workdays and on weekends to recover. For me, it can be motorcycling, music, or outdoor activities like skiing in the winter. Also, we have our own cottage on a small island in a lake and we spend most of the spring and summer there. There we have a lot of work to do but in a good way!” Nina tells with a smile.
