Internship Spotlight: Jia Coffou, Gallo Wine Company

Jia Coffou '23 BSBA (Marketing and Business Management) was a Sales Leadership Development Program Intern at Gallo Wine Company in Los Angeles, CA.

What was the process of getting this internship, job, or summer experience?

I knew about this internship since I was a freshman and knew it was something I wanted to apply to for a long time before my junior year rolled around. I networked with students who had completed the same internship in summers prior and gained insight as to what qualities Gallo looks for in a strong candidate. I applied through Handshake and went through a rigorous series of interviews to receive the job offer. 

What was a typical day like?

The great part about this internship is that no two days looked the same! Every day brought new lessons, challenges, and perspectives that helped me gain a holistic view of what the company has to offer. For 3 weeks, I worked with sales representatives in the field and sold in Gallo Brands to various stores. The rest of the internship involved working with a variety of different leaders within Gallo such as District Managers, Area Managers, and General Sales Managers. The days were fast paced and challenging, but very fun and rewarding.

What was your favorite part of the experience?

It's so hard to choose a favorite because the entire internship was outstanding! I would have to say getting to travel to San Luis Obispo with the other interns to go wine tasting in Edna Valley was the highlight of the internship! It was so educational and fun and I get very close to the other interns as well. We finished the trip by going on a hike the next morning and then axe throwing!

If you worked on a big project, please describe it below:

I was tasked with doing a Brand Presentation on Black Box Wines, which is a premium boxed wine in Gallo's Portfolio. It is currently the #5 wine in the nation by volume sales, and it was my goal to present ways in which the company can bolster its success and take the #1 spot for premium boxed wine. It was self paced and I was assigned a mentor/Gallo leader to help me throughout the process, and she was very helpful and knowledgable. It was a 20 minute presentation that detailed a competitor analysis, sales strategy, point of sale pitch, and a plan to leverage a varietal of Black Box to enhance the brands overall success. I presented to Top Management within the company, including the Vice President of the company, general sales managers, and company directors. 

Did you feel supported by the company or organization you worked with? Please share what they did to help you feel included. This could include general inclusion as an intern, concerted efforts around diversity/equity/inclusion, or something specific in response to COVID-19.:

Gallo has one of the greatest company cultures that I've ever seen. Every employee strives for greatness, while welcoming every member of the team with open arms and ensuring that every single employee is not only enjoying their job, but is adding to it in some way. They do this through strategic team building, enticing incentives to encourage great performance, and core values that include kindness, teamwork, and perseverance. The entire experience was phenomenal from the second I stepped foot in the office to the day I left. I was taken care of by Gallo and pushed to my fullest potential.

If you or anyone you know is interested in pursuing a career in sales, Gallo is the company that will prepare you, train you to be the best, and help you excel out in the field! I would recommend networking with somebody who has done this internship before. I'd be more than happy to talk to anyone interested in this internship, as it was quite literally the best summer of my life! My email is jiacoffou@arizona.edu if you have any questions.