Meet a HARIBOjaner: Kim Mosdal & Christoffer Kristiansen

Meet Kim Mosdal (on the left) and Christoffer Kristiansen (on the right), two HARIBOjaners working as Representative Sales at HARIBO Lakrids A/S in Denmark.

We had the pleasure of speaking with Christoffer and Kim, eager to share insights into their daily routines and collaborative efforts. Their experiences highlight the vibrant team culture at HARIBO, where freedom under responsibility empowers them to adapt to challenges while maintaining a focus on customer satisfaction.

How and when did you start working at HARIBO?

Christoffer: For me that’s a special case, as I joined HARIBO for the first time in 2019 and stayed until the end of 2021. After taking a few months to explore new opportunities, I rejoined HARIBO in beginning of 2022.

I missed the action in HARIBO, and here I can plan my own day. It’s about having freedom under one’s own responsibility. We are responsible for our respective districts, and if we don’t achieve our goals, we must hold ourselves accountable. While our managers supervise, they empower us with that responsibility. I find this both exciting and enjoyable.

Kim: I joined HARIBO in December 2022. I had been looking for something new, and I heard from a former HARIBO colleague that there was an opening in my district. Since I knew many of the customers/shops already, I thought it sounded like an exciting opportunity. As I applied, I thought to myself, ‘If there is a brand in Denmark that stands out, it is HARIBO.’

What does your role entail?

Christoffer: In short, our job is to ensure that HARIBO is visible, to maximize sales in the stores and making sure that the shelves look as good as possible. Additionally, there’s a lot of other work behind the scenes related to figures, reports, and various metrics.

Essentially, the store staff become part of our colleagues as we see them daily or weekly.

Kim: Yes, it’s also about maintaining relationships with each of the shops. We follow up on all the agreements made in each individual store and ensure they have the HARIBO products they need for the consumers. You must always be adaptable because things can change at any moment.

What is your most influential and memorable moment in your HARIBO career?

Christoffer: If we take something recent, it’s clear – building a Halloween castle! It was, of course, a lot of fun to make and we were 5 colleagues taking us about 4 hours to build.

We create new and fun exhibitions all the time, and there’s a bit of internal competition. Of course, we are colleagues, but everyone wants to outdo each other by having the most eye-catching display, the tallest, or the best placement in the store.

Kim: I undoubtedly think about our recent Halloween castles, where we also had to be adaptable. Suddenly, we had to modify a castle because it was too tall for the shop ceiling. But it was fun, and there were also colleagues from our office in Vallensbæk involved, which allowed us to share insights directly, and gave them a chance to experience what it’s like to be a Sales Representative.

What do you like the most about working at HARIBO?

Christoffer: You always have to be adaptable and ready. Something always changes, whether it’s new plans, a store calling to offer a new spot, or whatever else might come up.

And then, of course, HARIBO is a strong brand. I think we can all agree that we love working for HARIBO and put in 120% every day. I aim to bring that Childlike Happiness to each store visit. When I leave, they should feel, 'Wow, that was fantastic!”.

Kim: There are high expectations - not only from HARIBO’s side but also from the stores’ side. When they get a visit from us during the week, we have their full attention, and that also means a lot of freedom. But with that freedom comes a lot of responsibility to live up to. So, I have to make sure we deliver on the share of sales they expect from us.

Christoffer: We also have sales meetings four times a year and occasional training sessions. These gatherings provide valuable insights and renewed energy, fostering a strong sense of HARIBO team spirit. For example, Kim shares ideas that I can apply to my accounts, allowing us to support and improve each other’s skills.

Kim: The last event was the Nordic Sales Conference, which united all the Nordic countries. It was rewarding to connect with familiar and new colleagues while gaining insights from Sweden, Finland and Norway.

The training sessions feature external trainers who focus on sales techniques and effective selling strategies for HARIBO. These sessions are beneficial, encouraging open discussions about challenges. If I face a challenge with a store, I can share my experiences to help colleagues like Christoffer. We adapt our approaches for the different customers and utilize various models.

How would you describe HARIBO as workplace?

Christoffer: As a field sales rep at HARIBO, I really appreciate the clear line of communication from our Sales Rep team to the top management. If you need support, you can easily reach out to anyone—whether it’s HR, marketing, the country manager, KAM or others.

We’re well-equipped to succeed here. It’s a lively, fun environment where it’s always busy—but in the best way. You can actually see things moving forward and making an impact.

Kim: As long as you meet expectations, there’s a great deal of freedom in HARIBO. I feel like everything is set up for you to succeed, and from there, it’s entirely up to you to make the most of it.

If you can take on that responsibility and deliver, I can’t imagine a better place to work.

What’s your favorite HARBIO candy?

Christoffer and Kim: Vampyrer and Vampyrer Sour –  Vampyrer is something we both remember from childhood, a classic that brings back good memories.

What does the future look like?

Christoffer: The Christmas season is coming up, which is always exciting for us, as we want to maintain the spaces we currently have in stores after Halloween. It means our sales arguments need to be stronger and more concrete.

Kim: The stores need to make space for red cabbage, gingerbread cookies, and Advent calendars. This is where we need to emphasize the importance of HARIBO products all year around, demonstrating that it’s valuable for the concrete store.

We look forward to celebrating the joy and spirit of the Christmas season.