Working at AVI Foodsystems — Reviews by Employees

this job will get you no where in life

no respect

I worked for AVI 5 yrs. ago before they took over their competitor in Van Wert. All in all, The only thing I didnt like about the job was that the pay was horrible. After 1 yr. of perfect attendance with the company and bringing up their sales connsiderably,I recieved a 10 cent raise. Talk about a blow to the knees ! I was VERY disappointed,to say the least. I loved my customers and quickly became a part of "the family". My supervisor was an awesome lady. I could call her at any given time and she helped me via telephone to trouble shoot machines or anything else needed. She was a very patient person and never allowed me to feel like I couldnt do the job. The folks at Warren were awesome as well. I had problems daily with a particular male customer and was being threatened and belittled by him. One of the upper managment from Warren came to my location in Van Wert and quickly took care of that problem. The H.R. Mgr. from the company that I attended and one of the owners of the Co. came out an apologized to me for the bahavior of their employee. That employee no longer had a job with them ! So,there is good and bad with AVI. I left them for better pay and benefits, and now Im newly laid of with not much hope of call back. Would I go back and work for AVI ? Yes, I would. The pay isnt the greatest,but it was one of the most fun jobs I ever had. Make the best of what you have folks !

I have been with the company for a little over a year and I have to say that I am quite happy with my position at AVI except for the pay. I came to AVI due to the previous company I worked for went out of business due to the poor economy. I am making considerably less for all of my education and experience but I am taking what I can get because believe me finding a good paying job in this area of Ohio is next to impossible. I work hard and am often commended for all of my achievements. My working environment at headquarters is good and everyone is extremely friendly. I hope to excel and advance with the company and hope to be an AVI employee for many years.

I have had a very good career with AVI. I know the economy has been difficult to deal with. Some coworkers are frustrated because we are cutting back. Overall we are the best value and provide good service to our customers. I like my current position. People are pretty fair with me. Let's face it foodservice and vending service is not a glamerous job and it's hard work.

because i had to give an explanation

This is my account for working for AVI for almost 3 years in their culinary division and I feel that my time was the worst waste of my career, my family life and my continued career growth and professional success.
When I interviewed, I was told so many positive things that put a smile, cheek to cheek. I felt I had found a company with integrity, passion, state of the art food service systems and a back up team at corporate that would be there when we needed them. Boy was I ever fooled and misrepresented.
On the first day of work, I met with my management team and learned that every one of them was actively looking for work. They absolutely hated the company and the way they were expected to work and treat the employees they managed. That was a shocker for me, after just being told how great this company was and how they are a Family. The word family is used often with AVI, but let me assure you, this is not a family you want to be part of. Very soon into my first few weeks of working 65+ hours, I realized that I was spinning in circles, my wheels were constantly moving, but I was getting farther behind every day. The hourly employee’s moral was the worst in the industry, they were treated with such little respect that I quickly realized why so many called off sick, because they hated being treated like worthless, hourly employees, expendable was one word used in my presence. That is when realized that I was actually ashamed to part of this organization. For the first time I was embarrassed to wear my uniform as a representative of my industry.
The District Managers, Resident Directors and most of the General Managers I worked with are as bad as I ever encountered in my 20 plus year professional career. They had one direction from the top, do whatever it takes to make a profit, no matter who it may hurt to get there. I’m in the customer service, and hospitality business, not the walk over who ever I have to business.
AVI, you are in an arena that you are grossly under qualified to be in. Your ethics are disgraceful; your understanding of building relationships and your total lack of respect for the thousands of men & woman who look to you for their family’s financial security is shameful. For a company that’s named AVI Foodsystems, your systems are deserving of a failing grade.
This is just my opinion, but as I read more and more of the others who wasted a part of their lives working for this company, I feel my opinion should make you think twice when you interview for a position.

I agree with the other guy.This campany dose have some odd ideas of how to run a productive business.I dont think there are very many employee that have made AVI a carreer,they could improve morral and profit if they would just upgrade there system to the 2000 instead the 1980.This place is just a job for me,you have to keep your eyes openfor a better job because they are out there.

i've worked at avi for a long time and i love it here. i've always been a believer of taking control of your own life. after hearing about this website for so long, i decided ot come here and make my piece. i make good money for what i do. this isn't rocket science or curing cancer. i mkae more than the drivethru teller at mcdonalds and i would say my jobs less stressful. respect is good - you give what you get. some people think its owed to them, i don't agree. benefits are ok, not the best and not the worst. i have it better then a lot of people i know, but then i know some who have it better then me. i'm glad to just get benefits. job security is good, you don't mess around, you keep your job. work life balance is good, you need to find that yourself, not expect your company to find it for you. career potential seems to be good. ive done a couple of moves within avi, i'm nowhere near the top, but hard work can take you anywhere. my location is good, some people live further away, but i liveclose enough to where its not a bother. some of my coworkers are idiots but i dont' have to deal with them to mcuh. you have that anywhere you work. work environment i gave a 4 because its good, but im sure theres better out there and im sure there's worse out there. no complaints here. with all of my buddies getting laid off, i'm happy jsut to have a job.

Avi foodsystems: Not really sure how to descibe it. The starting pay rate has gone up the past few years. It was frustrating for those of us who had worked there several years, and the new hires were making 3 dollars more an hour than we were. Eventually they did come around though, and give us the same pay. I guess we should be grateful for the raise, but at the same time, if we have more experience shouldn't we get payed more than those who just started?

Respect: Not a whole lot of that going around. A job well done goes unappreciated, while if and when you do occasionally mess up you will be sure to here about it. Even though you may be 20 miles away at your next stop, you will have to go back and take care of an outdated pastry or overpriced milk, while your supervisor sits on his rear at the branch doing "paper work". A very negative tone seems to be set at the branch I worked at. I tried to stay positive, but it was hard to do.
Benefits: Actually not bad considering the price of insurance these days. They also have a 401 K plan you can get involved in. The only thing lacking is vacation. Often we were short handed and sometimes your "scheduled vacation" will have to be put on hold till further notice. Also you have to work a long time to get extra days of vacation.
Job Security: Not too bad if your a hard worker. They can't really afford to lose people, because of the high turn over rate. Avi goes through employees like no company I have ever seen. So if you are one of the few who last for more than 9 months to a year, more power to ya. I think it is a stepping stone job, for smart people who are just beginning a career, but is a job where you can easily fall into a rut in that you are so consumed with it, you have no time to look for an alternative.
Work/life Balance: Depending on what job title you have, this may be different. Route drivers at our branch started at 5 and usually got done around 2:30, give or take. Waking up that early you have to get a good afternoon nap or go to bed way early. For the supervisors it was salary pay. Which meant they could work you much longer hours, and pay you the same. Route supervisors started at 5 and ended around 4, sometimes later. Most the time the drivers were gone by that time, but branch managers and V A supervisors, who didn't start till 7 or 8 sometimes, would like to have there supervisor meetings at 2:30 or 3. So when you got out of there, and drove home it was 4 or 5. Leaving you about 4 or 5 hours with your family before you had to go to bed at 9, so you could start again at 5 the next day. Thank God we usually had the weekend off to regain some energy.
Career Growth: It's there, if you want it. Who would want to work 11 and 12 hour days as a supervisor though, when you can get payed as a route driver and make the same amount in 42 hours a week. No wonder everyone is grumpy.
Location: For me the location kinda sucked, but that was my own choosing. When gas prices were upward of 4 dollars though it was not cool driving 30+ miles to work
Co-Worker Competence: Most the time the route drivers knew more than there supervisors. Most of them had been there longer than there supervisors. A lot of times the supervisors were from a different vending company, and thought they knew what they were doing, but AVI does alot of things old school. Honestly the branch would probably run smoother with no supervisors. There is occasionally a need there I guess, but they should just leave the good route drivers alone. Don't keep raising the bar higher and higher until people break. They don't give very good raises if at all, so what is the incentive?
Work Environment: For the most part the equipment you use is ok. The trucks are usually well maintained. The coolers are a problem though. They can't be safe in the summer months. The cheese on the food usually melts before it gets in the machines. YIKES. You basically create your own work environment once you leave the branch in a route truck. If your clean and organized, your day goes a lot better than if your not. Some times stuff happens like at any job. You just gotta role with the punches and go on.
The things that made me want to get out at AVI, was mainly family time. 4 or 5 hours a night is not enough if you are a married person with kids. Also the pay is not enough to support a family without some side work or some kind of supplemental income. The benefits were ok, but not affordable, because you needed your entire pay check to survive.
AVI is a good stepping stone job, if you want to gain experience dealing with customers, and people in general. It may be a good job for a college student who can take afternoon classes too. Just don't get stuck there thinking it will get better eventually. It is what it is. Take it or leave it. Just don't fall into the rut cause it's easy to do. Before you know it your stuck there 8+ years and never know what might have been.