McCain Foods
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    McCain Foods
    (45 reviews)
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    Company Reviews

    Working at McCain Foods

    2.845 ratings in total
    5
    7
    4
    10
    3
    8
    2
    6
    1
    14
    82%
    Rate salary as high or average
    42%
    Employees recommend this employer to friends
    Work/Life balance
    3.0(45 ratings)
    Career development
    2.7(45 ratings)
    Benefits & perks
    2.2(45 ratings)
    Management
    2.5(45 ratings)
    Working environment
    2.9(45 ratings)
    Diversity & equal opportunity
    3.0(45 ratings)
    Ratings for McCain Foods are shared as-is from employees in line with our community guidelines

    Reviews

    Showing 45 reviews sorted by most recent
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    1.0
    Finance
    Mar 2026
    Melbourne VIC 30002 to 3 years in the role, current employee
    Underresourced and constantly moving goalposts
    The good thingsNew office space is quite nice. Many nice coworkers
    The challengesRestructure has left the business too lean. Everyone is feeling quite negative in the office.
    2.0
    melbourne commercial team
    Mar 2026
    Melbourne VIC 30043 to 4 years in the role, former employee
    Lots of learning but also lots of burnout
    The good thingsSome people are really genuine, most others are not.
    The challengesIt is very fast paced and the teams are lean, days are crammed with endless meetings, and often very late or very early global calls.
    1 person found this helpful
    3.0
    Commercial
    Feb 2026
    Melbourne VIC 30007 to 8 years in the role, former employee
    You learn a lot, but it all comes with a price. You need to be resilient if you want to work here.
    The good thingsThe people is what make this place great; life long friends that bond through the hard work involved. Depending on what category you are representing you will have lots of exposure and a true 360 role, which will set you up for whatever comes next.
    The challengesIt's big business and you are at the end of the day a number. They talk a lot about 'We are family', but actions speak louder than words and what they do/have done to employees goes beyond human decency sometimes. The turn over in some teams is immense and with it comes that whoever is still there will need to pick up the pieces. Your career doesn't progress unless you know the 'right' people in the business or work on big projects that are highly visible and in favor of global strategy. It's a slow moving beast and you are required to be hands on, but will get a lot of push back from Senior Management Team. Flexibility was great in COVID times, but it now starts to get dialed back and attendance in the office is required, especially if you want to be promoted.
    2 people found this helpful
    1.0
    Maintenance Role
    Jul 2025
    Ballarat VIC 3350Less than 1 year in the role, former employee
    You have been warned, tred carefully when entering a workplace that doesnt encourage you to succeed and nurture you into a very challenging role. HR will not be on your side. Get on the wrong side of someone here you will find out quickly what its like to be unhappy in your job. Its a pity theres not a thing you can do about it. Workplaces are protected species. Find somewhere else to work is my recommendation.
    The good thingsProduction staff are highly skilled and the work is really fast paced, highly skilled workforce in general. If you want a challenge and to upskill theres no shortage of work and you will learn a lot with great support from production and some team members, i emphasise some.
    The challengesWhat should be a team based environment is far from it, there is a clear heirarchy even amongst team members with simular skillsets that belittles your skills amongst your crew, this company does not have your best interests at heart, they do not give you directive and certainly will not listen to you and help you settle in. The expectations of you will be high and if you do not meet these expectations be prepared to be told about ALL of your short-comings. Withheld information will set you up to fail. Its a shame this business does not nurture their new employees so they want to stay instead they give them all the reasons to want to leave. Unfortunately a few bad eggs ruins the entire experience of working here, management have the team feeding them information of every little mistake you make. What could be a great place to work is tarnished by this. They do not follow their enterprise agreement at all/ safety is not priority
    4 people found this helpful
    4.0
    Sales Team Member
    Jan 2025
    Melbourne VIC 3000Less than 1 year in the role, current employee
    Great people, nice place to work.
    The good thingsGreat people, flexible working options, good working environment.
    The challengesCross functional working can be challenging, a lot of staff with long tenure who seem to be resistant to change.
    1 person found this helpful
    1.0
    Marketing Role
    Mar 2024
    Melbourne VIC 30001 to 2 years in the role, former employee
    Terrible. Don't bother working here if you want to feel valued.
    The good thingsMost people are nice and want to do a good job
    The challengesNo process and lack of respect for marketing. Antiquated way of running a business, no access to accurate tools or process to do your job. Senior leaders want feedback but no intent to make change or listen to the challenges.
    2 people found this helpful
    4.0
    Internal Communications Specialist
    Oct 2023
    Melbourne VIC 3000Less than 1 year in the role, current employee
    Overall, my experience has been great. What I love most about this place is certainly its people. Everyone is easy-going and ready to give one another a hand when needed. Seeing that this is my first full-time role, I don't have past experience to compare to, but I would recommend this place to anyone looking to work in a friendly and inclusive environment.
    The good thingsEveryone here is friendly and my team members are supportive. People are also hardworking and results-driven. Flexibility around when you leave the office on in-office days. E.g. if you have personal matter to attend to, could always leave a bit early and attend to that.
    The challengesIt could be difficult to concentrate in the office sometimes with music playing and team members talking around you. Uncertainty about what my future at the company would look like.
    1.0
    Finance Role
    Oct 2022
    Head office in Melbourne is dominated by arrogant leaders
    The good thingscapable colleagues and good lunch options around
    The challengesSenior managers have no respect to staff. They demand a lot without providing support. Zero training/ professional development was organized. It is stressful and unpleasant to work there.
    6 people found this helpful
    5.0
    Head Office
    Sep 2022
    1 to 2 years in the role, current employee
    Able to have a real impact beyond the scope of your role
    The good thingsA truly flexible hybrid working model Autonomy and trust to do your role and take on new challenges and opportunities Supportive team environment and clear SLT vision for the future
    The challengesGlobal business often means late/early calls
    1.0
    Head office
    Aug 2021
    former employee
    I can’t recommend
    The good thingsThere are some people in the commercial team
    The challengesNo career progression Lack of engagement amongst team Toxic team culture and team members discouraged from adding to input Lack of trust towards management For a family owned company, the company is not family friendly Poor systems and procedures
    4 people found this helpful
    1.0
    Casual Operator
    Jul 2021
    Less than 1 year in the role
    Absolutely Pathetic
    The good thingsNothing, Management are a absolute joke. Ask them to fix somthing and nothing gets done,
    The challengesGetting up every day to come to work Not knowing when your working, they make you flip back and forth on day & night shifts
    2 people found this helpful
    2.0
    Worker
    Mar 2021
    5 to 6 years in the role, former employee
    Miserable.
    The good thingsFreedom to make your role what you want it to be
    The challengesLack of procedures or everyone doing whatever they want which causes issues, very hierarchical so difficult to get things done, the company and managers say they welcome feedback but they actually don't, and managers looking out for themselves with no care for their teams whatsoever leaving peers to look after each other.
    1 person found this helpful
    4.0
    Marketing
    Sep 2020
    3 to 4 years in the role, former employee
    Rapidly changing and evolving business, but still with that family feel to it.
    The good thingsReally great people, who collaborate and work well with each other.....there is a general willingness to change and evolve.
    The challengesLike any FMCG, resources to do everything you want.
    5.0
    Commercial
    Sep 2020
    A family business at its core, McCain truly cares about its employees, their safety and wellbeing, their personal development and career progression, and work-life balance.
    The good thingsPassionate and dedicated employees, career development opportunities, modern open plan office, inclusive environment, vision for future.
    The challengesFMCG industry-wide challenges, limited market in Australia/NZ.
    5.0
    Manager
    Mar 2020
    All Australia
    Real opportunity to be your best and have impact
    The good thingsOpportunity to be part of a privately owned global company. Highly motivated to succeed.
    The challengesSystems are behind worlds best
    1.0
    Marketing
    Mar 2020
    1 to 2 years in the role, former employee
    Painful!
    The good thingsA nice "physical" working environment
    The challengesVery poor culture with very high turnover. Too many upper-level managers that have 0 idea of what they are doing.
    3 people found this helpful
    2.0
    Head Office
    Jan 2020
    former employee
    Wouldn't recommend working here
    The good thingsSome fantastic people at McCain which is the best part! You will be challenged and placed outside of your comfort zone - from this you will learn your strengths.
    The challengesTerrible senior leadership team who lack cohesion, strategic thinking and decision making. Incredibly unrealistic workload and even more unrealistic expectations set by the leadership team (constantly changing their minds). Only focused on the bottom line, no interest in developing people.
    4 people found this helpful
    1.0
    Worker
    Nov 2019
    Bewildering
    The good thingsFriendly atmosphere
    The challengesFor a company of this size, it’s highly disorganised. Management dysfunctional. Conservative mindsets and lack of clear direction.
    2 people found this helpful
    3.0
    putaway
    Nov 2019
    somewhat disappointed in the management's interpretation of a family orientated bussiness and the way they treat their employees.
    The good thingsthe money and the friendships l made
    The challengesthe hours and sleep(lack of )
    1 person found this helpful
    4.0
    Finance Department
    Nov 2019
    Less than 1 year in the role, former employee
    short but good
    The good thingswork life balance, family oriented culture
    The challengescareer development and progression
    3.0
    Production Forklift Driver an machines
    Sep 2019
    it was a challenge in most areas i work
    The good thingsgreat people to work with
    The challengeslearn to work on a lot machines
    2.0
    Marketing
    Sep 2019
    I wouldn't recommend working there to anyone
    The good thingsGreat brands and products
    The challengesPoor management, small budgets, long work hours
    3 people found this helpful
    2.0
    Supply Chain Team
    Aug 2019
    3 to 4 years in the role, former employee
    McCain have a long journey ahead to reach their cultural aspirations.
    The good thingsA lean overall team provides many opportunities to learn about other functions and be involved outside your core function.
    The challengesThe culture is still aspirational rather than lived. Not yet walking the talk. There is no leadership program to teach the skills of coaching, development, feedback or achievement principles.
    1 person found this helpful
    3.0
    Manager
    May 2019
    Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hide experience
    The good thingsSome really good workers and country people
    The challengesManagments in ability to move away from the seniority based mindset
    1 person found this helpful
    1.0
    Sales Representative
    May 2019
    All Australia
    Not a happy
    The good thingsSales reps were a great group of people
    The challengesReps were never listened to. Just do what your told and don't ask questions
    3 people found this helpful
    5.0
    Key Account Manager
    May 2019
    1 to 2 years in the role, former employee
    It was such an exciting working environment with international networks and exposures (Korea Sout East Asia Region), that allows you to work independent and target oriented.
    The good thingsOpportunity as Acting Country Manager during the absence of CM
    The challengesRemote office was fun, yet challenging.
    1.0
    Manager
    May 2019
    Look for a job elsewhere
    The good thingsThey are a stable business but don’t listen
    The challengesManagement and the culture
    3 people found this helpful
    1.0
    Planning Manager
    May 2019
    Good people but they need to change
    The good thingsThe people at the functional levels are great to work with
    The challengesThe culture at the top management level is not great
    1 person found this helpful
    4.0
    Quality Department
    Mar 2019
    If you're flexible, resilient and you drive results this is a good place to be in.
    The good thingsThe ability to be self directed in how you achieve result
    The challengesA lot of resilience and accountability are key to excel in a complex environment.
    2.0
    Reliability Manager
    Nov 2018
    1 to 2 years in the role, former employee
    Frustrating working in a micro-managed environment from the top down.
    The good thingsGreat bunch of people at the floor level
    The challengesVery inexperienced site Management, and unfortunately it shows.
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