Newbie here. Could anyone help me with companies that hire for food sampling in stores? Thank you

I think Sam's Club hires their food samplers directly, but not sure. I know that Pat Henry Group occasionally has food sampler demos for certain brands, but it's usually only during the holidays. They do have other merchandising projects throughout the year, however.

I've never worked with them, but Front Row is one that I have seen those types of jobs on.

Front Row has a bunch of sampling shops at a major big-box store on the weekends. There's also sampling shops posted on the Merchandiser by Survey.com app

You in the US or Canada?

US

Knew a company in Canada that did this, doing a little research seems they've gone bankrupt.

Try Big Orange. They contract IC's. I do other work for them but, they have food samplings. [bigorangeproductions.com]

Thank you! I will look them up

Do you like or dislike these? I like the work but seems the environment is not good. Store mgrs seem put out and other samplers there are down right hateful. I wouldn't think this is from competition though since we all 4 were working but 2 were all up in everyone's business and even being rude in front of customers. What is your experiences?

I stopped doing them. I did not enjoy preparing the food which could get to be complicated About half the time there was no kit or no product including one time there was an expired product. Store managers were usually ok. One time I was told to use the store microwave which I had to clean first as someone had spilled coffee in it. On the few times I worked with others, they were usually there. I can also remember getting money to buy my product and then having it included as part of my pay. The last one I did I needed to prepare a complicated receipe using the store's equipment. There was someone who was supposed to be working with me who never showed. Then I was accused of taking someone's picture without their permission. The helpful store asked the person if it was me giving them my name. The person replied that it was me although I did not wear a name tag. The demo company was called and stated that they did not require pictures. When I work demos now, it is for non food products.

I’ve done these for awhile, and overall, I do like them. I’ve worked with Big Orange and their sister company, Samplers. Sadly, I lost a bunch of demo work with them because their local store chain in my area recently suffered huge financial setbacks. They have a couple of booking agents I like a lot, and the store managers and associates I worked with were always very good to me. I’m currently doing demos with Front Row, and I absolutely adore Georgia—she’s scheduled/managed the demos for which I’ve been booked. Each store location has its own culture, and there are a couple of associates I don’t love as much as I do the others , but I think they all understand that I’m there to work and not interfere with their work. Similarly, I’m not there to interfere with the work of other demo reps/brand ambassadors. It’s pretty rare that we’ve got competing products. Generally, I find they’re the best to ask for pictures for reporting, since it’s likely they need them, too. The demo kits are iffy—usually that’s about the store not getting them/not placing them near/in the demo closet. I suffer from event kit envy when I see all the fancy brand ambassador tables so nicely decked out and merchandised, and mine is all bare! With this store and this company, most items are purchased out of pocket with reimbursement within 7 days (you also get paid within 7 days, which is quite nice).

However, with what’s happening with Coronavirus, I’m worried about the future of my demo gigs. I know a lot of stores have canceled them altogether; mine haven’t, but I fear they’re going to become untenable.