Working For Us
Planet Organic was the first certified organic food retailer in the UK. This certification is provided by the Soil Association, the not-for-profit body that governs all things organic in the UK and who developed the world’s first organic certification system in 1967. They certify over 80% of organic produce in this country.
Planet Organic is leading the global trend towards eating healthily and we pride ourselves on being the first to provide the latest healthy eating products, including being the first organic juice bar and the first to sell wheatgrass. We ensure that our products are organic or natural and sustainably sourced and produced.
Our company values are the same ones as when we were founded in 1995 and are the reference point for everything we do. The first is that we promote healthy living in the communities in which our stores are situated. We sell food that is as little processed as possible; high in nutrients and fibre which is free from artificial ingredients and preservatives. We support organic farming, alternative therapies and have campaigned against hydrogenated fats for years.
That is not to say that everything we sell can viewed in isolation as being healthy. We provide a range of products that encourage a healthy, balanced diet and way of living. We think long and hard about what we sell, how it has been grown and how far it has travelled. Our buyers scrupulously read every label of the products we sell. We only offer free range, naturally raised drug free, humanely treated meat. We didn’t remove GM from our own label products as we always said “no”.
We work by real organic principles that is that healthy soil leads to healthy plants that leads to healthy animals and healthy humans. We only sell British meat and have a British first buying policy and local however we will look further afield to provide the range that consumers demand.
This has given us a competitive advantage: as an example, back in 2001 there was a serious outbreak of foot and mouth disease where animals across the country had to be slaughtered. People became distrustful of conventionally farmed meat, so our meat sales went right up as people know they could trust the meat sold here.
We provide our customers with excellent, healthy and wholesome products via friendly, helpful and knowledgeable staff – a shopping experience that should be fun, educational and rewarding.
If you love baking, we have many different kinds of organic flour from quinoa to kamut. If you love eating pasta, we have spelt, kamut, buckwheat and amaranth pasta. We have the right products for those with food allergies and sensitivities. We are at the cutting edge e.g. teff flour, raw foods and coconut water.
We want to be a market leader and financially successful however we always commit to being fair, honest and responsible as a business in all we do. We were the first retailer to stop using plastic bags and replace them with biodegradable corn starch bags. We now use recycled paper bags, for which we charge 20p. You don’t have to check that your chocolate is child traffic free because organic chocolate doesn’t use child labour.
We respect our staff, our customers and all of our suppliers and partners. Our commitment to our farmers, bakers, producers, manufacturers and other suppliers enables us to maintain high standards. We provide meaningful work in a pleasant and safe setting.
We look for what we call ‘Planet Players’. Planet Players have a natural ability to deliver service in a way that makes people feel at home. They are able to wow and delight our customers in thoughtful and unexpected ways.
When you work at Planet Organic you know that we are a company that makes a positive contribution to the world that we live in. Our agenda is to continue to be at the forefront of the health revolution and to promote organic food and sustainable agriculture. We promote local food where we can and eating seasonally. And we mean it: we do what we do because it is the right thing to do, not because it’s the right thing to say.
We hope you’ll get satisfaction from working in a positive environment with ethical values. You’ll be contributing to promoting healthy lifestyles within the community, educating our customers by sharing your knowledge and recommendations. You’ll be advising our customers on the benefits of eating wholesome, organic food and using natural products to enhance their lives. Hopefully you’ll benefit from what you learn here too!
These are some of things people said about their experience of working with us:
- "The organisation is growing and it’s a place where you’re not a number, you’re a person."
- "I was impressed by the team, the customer service and the ethos."
- "I like the prospects, the opportunity for career advancement and the ability to improve my organic knowledge, to discover and learn."
- "It’s a similar job to the one that I used to do but done in a better way, I really trust the products."
- "I have the ability to change things quickly; it feels more like a family."
- "I had worked for a really big retailer and I didn’t feel I was utilising my skills or that I had enough autonomy and when I came in for an interview I was blown away by the passion of the people who worked here."
STORES
Within each store we have the following departments:
FOOD-TO-GO
This is a fast-paced and dynamic department. It involves a lot of customer interaction and you need to be able to operate effectively under the pressure of conflicting demands, particularly during a busy lunchtime. You will be serving our freshly prepared organic food to customers (which is taken away or eaten in store), making coffees, preparing fresh juices and using a till. You’ll need to be knowledgeable, informing and advising customers on the benefits of the food and juices. You’ll need to feel comfortable building relationships with customers and recommending products that they might like. Food to Go is not for the faint-hearted! However, you will be working within one of the most important departments in the business. Good people in this department get noticed quickly.
GROCERY AND CHILLED
In Grocery you’ll be helping with stock-takes, ordering products, dealing with suppliers, receiving and checking deliveries, stocking shelves and making sure the shop floor looks great. You’ll be sharing your knowledge with customers, answering queries and making recommendations. You might be asked to help out elsewhere too, so you’ll need to be flexible. You’ll also help on tills.
PRODUCE
This department takes a particular attention to detail and a pride in presentation. You’ll be responsible for creating attractive, immaculate displays of fresh fruit and vegetables. You’ll be ensuring that the quality of produce on display is excellent and ensure that you order the right quantities of stock. You’ll be advising customers so you’ll need to know what is in season.
TILLS
Our tills people are the last point of contact with our customers so it’s really important that they leave with a positive impression. You’ll need to feel comfortable engaging with our customers, welcoming them in a friendly way with eye contact and a smile. You’ll feel at ease making conversation where it is appropriate. Equally, you’ll need to be fast, efficient and pro-active in calling for assistance on tills when needed to deal with queues.
HEALTH AND BODYCARE
This department requires specialist knowledge. To work here you’ll need to have, or be working towards, a qualification in naturopathy, homeopathy, nutrition or other related subject. You’ll be advising customers on the benefits of supplements, organic skincare and bodycare products. These people are the experts of our stores.
E-COMMERCE
This department processes orders through our website for home delivery. You’ll be advising customers, picking, packing and co-ordinating deliveries. This department is based in our Westbourne Grove store.
HEAD OFFICE
Our Head Office is based above the Westbourne Grove store in Bayswater, London. A variety of departments operate from here including: Buying, Marketing, Finance, IT and Human Resources.
What we offer:
- Highly competitive salary packages
- Good holiday allowance
- Supported training initiatives
- Dedicated employee assistance programme
- Access to our Lifesystle Savings/Training and Well-being Portal
- Access to benefits through PAYE – providing access to corporate discounted insurance, health
- Cycle to work scheme
- Farm and supplier visits
- Barista of the year competition – winner receives a free holiday!
- Company Pension scheme
- Planet Party
- Mystery shopper bonus scheme
- 25% discount at all our stores
- Lifestyle Portal
- Access to a dedicated and continually updated high street discount platform
- Access to free training courses
- Dedicated well-being platform
- PAYE benefits – Voluntary access
- Voluntary medical insurance
- Life Insurance
- Partner and Spouse Life insurance
- Health Cash plans
- Health screening
- Critical illness cover
- Dental cover
- Access to discounted gym memberships
- Discounted car leasing
- Dine club membership
- Kids pass getting you discounts to many UK attractions for you family
Managers:
- Competitive annual salary
- Discretionary bonus scheme
- Cycle to work
- Access to our exclusive Tech/Wearable/tablet scheme
- Exclusive corporate PAYE benefits you can select through your pay (insurance/Health/activities and more – see above + tech scheme)
Store Managers and senior leaders:
- Competitive annual salary
- Company private medical insurance
- Discretionary bonus scheme
- Cycle to work
- Access to our exclusive Tech/Wearable/tablet scheme
- Exclusive corporate PAYE benefits you can select through your pay (insurance/Health/activities and more)
Check out our ‘Find a Role’ section to take the first step to starting a healthy, sustainable career with us, or take a look at our Retail Academy apprenticeship scheme and other internship and work experience opportunities too.