Griebel talks about her 20-year career with Schwan’s
"Schwan's People You Need to Know" is an ongoing series of stories that share some of our employees' experiences as we celebrate our 65th anniversary and participate as a founding partner of the Minnesota Super Bowl 52 Host Committee.
Oct. 23, 2017 — Ellen Griebel has worked for Schwan’s for nearly 20 years, but she says she remains as passionate as ever about the company’s food and meeting the expectations of customers.“I love being able to be involved in many aspects of marketing and having the opportunity to influence many consumer-facing materials,” said Ellen, who serves as a merchandising marketing manager for Schwan’s home-delivery business. “I work with great teams to bring strategic plans to life and we continually learn and improve every day.”
Griebel first joined the company while she was attending college. At the time, she was working part time as a customer service representative. From there, she gained experience with the training and development team before transferring to Schwan’s Home Service marketing, where she has been for the past 12 years.
She recently took some time to tell us about her experiences at Schwan’s and her favorite foods and recipes.
Q: Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know about you.
A: I have had the opportunity to wear many different hats in marketing and, as a result, have gained experience in a wide range of roles from product innovation and development to customer acquisition to targeted marketing to running marketing campaigns. Currently, I am focused on product merchandising.
Q: Tell us why you think your job is one of the most interesting jobs in the company.
A: I get the opportunity to lead and contribute to the marketing and positioning of 300-plus, high-quality foods and build meal solutions and strategies that directly influence our customer base.
Q: What’s your typical day like at Schwan’s?
A: Every day is different, which is exciting. I prioritize my days and weeks to ensure I stay on task to meet deadlines. Typically, a day involves meetings, project work, addressing questions and having the opportunity to work cross-functionally with various team partners.
Q: What’s your favorite memory in all the years you’ve worked here?
A: I had the opportunity to film a segment for the television show “Unwrapped,” which featured one of our foods. It was exciting to be asked to represent the company on national TV and to talk about what I am passionate about — our company and our food!
Q: What are you most proud of when it comes to your career at Schwan’s?
A: Growing with our company over the years and being able to watch the evolution of our brand and adapting to consumers’ needs along the way. I have always been able to embrace change, which in turn helps me to grow and allows me to continue to contribute my key strengths in support of the company’s goals.
Q: Schwan’s is a founding partner of the Minnesota Super Bowl 52 Host Committee this year and the football season has begun. Are you a fan?
A: Yes.
Q: Which team are you hoping to see in Big Game?
A: The Minnesota Vikings, of course.
Q: What is your favorite Schwan’s® food to serve at your Big Game viewing party?
A: The Schwan’s Italian-Style Meatballs work great in a slow cooker with your favorite sauce. Schwan’s OMG Oh My Guacamole! is a fast and easy dip. I also love using Schwan’s Fully Cooked Bacon Slices or Schwan’s Fire-Grilled Chicken Breast Strips in dip recipes you can find on Schwans.com.
Q: What is your favorite Schwan’s product?
A: That is like asking me to pick my favorite child! If I must limit it to just one, the Schwan’s Signature™ Chicken Breast Fillets are my go-to staple product that my freezer cannot live without. It’s awesome grilled or baked — always tender and high-quality chicken!
Q: Have you mastered any recipes that you would like to share?
A: I love the Six-Cheese Tortellini for recipes as you can make it so many ways. It is great served warm, or cold as a side, and pairs well with many of our other foods. I love making it with our MicroSteam Roasted Pepper & Onions, some olive oil and seasoning and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese for a side dish in the summer. It also pairs great with our grilled steaks or chicken.
And one of my favorite quick lunches is to prepare the Fire-Grilled Chicken Breast Strips and Mini Bow Tie Pasta & Vegetable Blend and just add some chipotle ranch dressing (or your favorite sauce). You can chill in the fridge overnight and grab-and-go in the morning.
Q: What do our company vision and values mean to you?
A: They are what I base my career on. I have always believed that our heritage is something to be proud of, and we have a very authentic and unique story. It speaks highly that we can say that our vision and values have not changed course from our roots, and they still live on strong in our company today.
Q: How would you describe the culture of our company?
A: It is founded on passionate people who are willing to work together to make an impact.
