FMCG Graduate Programs in Australia: What Each Employer Publishes and What to Copy

Employers designing a graduate program often look at what large employers publish, and FMCG graduate programs in Australia are a ready set to study. The pages these companies publish show how long a program runs, whether graduates rotate, who can apply and how candidates are selected. This guide sets those details side by side for seven programs, then pulls out the practices a business without a graduate budget can copy if it is working out how to build a graduate program.

One rule applies throughout. Every program detail comes from the employer's own graduate page as it read on 20 October 2026, and nothing is ranked as best. Two of the seven programs are not taking applications at the moment: according to Asahi Beverages' graduate page applications are closed, and Mars says on its graduate program page that applications reopen in 2027 for the 2028 program. Treat the list as a set of graduate programs to benchmark for design, and check each page before you quote an intake to anyone.

Key Takeaways

• Bega Group publishes a detailed rotation design: a 2-year program with three 8-month rotations, a dedicated rotational manager in each function and a buddy.
• P&G's Sales graduate role has no rotations at all, and its page promises accountability from day one, so rotation is a design choice rather than a given.
• Mondelez, Asahi and DuluxGroup each publish a staged selection process, while the Bega, Mars and P&G pages show no assessment stages.
• Eligibility wording ranges from Fonterra's credit average of 65 to Mars streams that list "open to all degrees", so published eligibility rules run from strict to open.

How these FMCG graduate programs were chosen

Each program had to meet three tests. The employer's own graduate page had to open, it had to describe the structure of the program, such as its length, rotations or streams, and it had to be a food and beverage graduate program in Australia, or one from a consumer goods business. Seven met that standard: Bega Group, Mondelez, Fonterra, DuluxGroup, Asahi Beverages, Mars Australia and the P&G Sales graduate role.

Two labels matter. DuluxGroup makes paints and consumer products, and its graduate page names Dulux, Selleys, Cabot's and Yates among its brands, so it is consumer goods rather than food. Coles is a supermarket retailer, so it counts as retail and FMCG-adjacent. According to Coles' talent programs page, pre-registration is open now and applications open in 2027, with structured rotations and mentoring described.

Nestle's NextGen program, PepsiCo and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners are left out of the comparison. Check each employer's own page for current details before you benchmark against them.

The seven programs side by side

The table keeps to the wording each page uses. A cell that reads "not published on the page" means the page does not say, which is different from the employer having no rule.

• Bega Group - Program name on its page: RISE Graduate Program; Length or rotation structure: 2-year rotational program; three 8-month rotations; Streams: Engineering; Finance; Information Technology; Procurement; Logistics and Planning; Sales; Marketing; People and Capability (subject to change); Eligibility wording: Not published on the page; Selection stages published: Not published on the page
• Mondelez - Program name on its page: Taste the Future Graduate Program; Length or rotation structure: Length not published on the page; Streams: Sales; Finance; Marketing; People and Culture; Manufacturing and Logistics; Digital Services; Eligibility wording: Permanent residency or full-time work rights in Australia or New Zealand; Selection stages published: Four steps: application with CV, cover letter and transcript; online assessment and video interview; assessment centre; verbal then written offer
• Fonterra - Program name on its page: Graduate Program; Length or rotation structure: 18-month program; Streams: Commercial; Supply Chain; Automation Engineering; Eligibility wording: Final year of undergraduate studies or within 2 years of graduating; credit average of 65 or higher; Australian or NZ resident or citizen; Selection stages published: Not published on the page
• DuluxGroup (paints and consumer products) - Program name on its page: Graduate Program, with a Graduate Development Program; Length or rotation structure: Role rotations; length not published on the page; Streams: Business; Engineering; Information Technology; Marketing; Research and Development; Supply Chain; Finance; Eligibility wording: Full Australian or New Zealand working rights; Selection stages published: Eligibility form; motivation application form; online testing and video interview; virtual engagement centre; in-person interview and case study
• Asahi Beverages - Program name on its page: Graduate program; Length or rotation structure: 12 to 15-month options; Streams: Sales; Marketing; Revenue Management; Business Insights; Data Science; Supply Chain; Logistics; Eligibility wording: Australian or New Zealand citizen (or permanent resident) who graduated within the last two years; Sales is open to any degree discipline; Selection stages published: Five steps: application; online cognitive assessments; one-way video interview; assessment centre; offer
• Mars Australia - Program name on its page: Graduate Program (2028 program); Length or rotation structure: Length not published on the page; Streams: Sales and Marketing; Supply Chain; Engineering; Procurement; Research and Development (Australia); Multi-Function (New Zealand); Eligibility wording: No eligibility rule shown; preferred backgrounds listed by stream; Selection stages published: Not published on the page
• P&G (Sales graduate) - Program name on its page: Sales Graduates; Length or rotation structure: No rotations; Streams: Sales (Business Development Manager role); Eligibility wording: Not published on the Sales page. P&G's Australia and New Zealand jobs page says it generally considers Australian or New Zealand citizens and Australian permanent residents, and does not sponsor employment-based visas; Selection stages published: Not published on the page

Read two entries with care. Fonterra describes an 18-month program, but a graduate quote on the same page mentions rotating within a stream over a 2-year period, so the 18 months is the employer's own statement and the 2 years is one graduate's account. Its support list also mentions "rotation supervisors", and the Automation Engineering stream describes rotating through teams at manufacturing sites.

Open and closed status moves quickly. DuluxGroup's page says applications for its 2027 program are open now, and its FAQ says initial applications open in July. Bega's page refers to the 2027 RISE program. The Mondelez, Fonterra and P&G pages show no application window, so none is stated here.

What to copy without a graduate budget

None of these practices needs a cohort of fifty or a dedicated graduate team. Each is a published choice that scales down.

• Bega Group: a named buddy and a technical manager. According to Bega Group's graduate page, graduates get a dedicated rotational manager for technical development in each function and a Bega Group buddy to help them settle in. A smaller employer can name one manager for skills and one peer for everyday questions, with or without rotations.
• Mondelez: an assessment centre and a written offer. The application journey on Mondelez's Taste the Future page includes an assessment centre with a group case study, a presentation and an interview with hiring managers, then a verbal offer followed by a formal written offer covering remuneration, benefits and start date. Copy the written offer, and invite requests for reasonable adjustments at any stage, as the page does.
• DuluxGroup: tell every applicant the outcome. The page promises each applicant a written or verbal notification on the outcome of their application, and aims to reply within 2 weeks of submission. Closing the loop costs little and protects your reputation with people who may apply again.
• Asahi Beverages: staged testing. Asahi's five steps run from an application and online tests to a video interview, with the assessment centre fourth. A smaller version keeps that order with a short skills test, a structured interview and one work task.
• P&G: accountability from day one. According to P&G's Sales graduate page, the company does not offer rotations and gives graduates accountability from day one. If your graduate will do one job, say so plainly and give real ownership early.
• Fonterra: plain eligibility rules. On Fonterra's graduate page, the three eligibility rules sit in one place, and the employer says it looks for fresh thinkers instead of specific degrees. Publish your rules where candidates will see them before they apply.
• Mars: streams open to all degrees. Four of the six Mars streams list "open to all degrees" as the preferred background, while Engineering excludes Civil Engineering and Research and Development prefers science or engineering degrees. State a preferred background per stream rather than a blanket degree filter.

Dropping a degree filter means you need another way to judge ability. A skills test matched to the role is one option. One practical option is Righteo: in its skill tests library you can describe a role and see matching tests. Its guide to graduate hiring methods covers aptitude tests and soft skills in more detail.

Where the programs differ

Rotation is the clearest split. Bega Group publishes three 8-month rotations, DuluxGroup mentions role rotations, Coles mentions structured rotations and P&G says it offers none. Fonterra's page mentions rotation supervisors but no schedule. The Mondelez and Mars pages describe projects, mentoring and development plans rather than a rotation schedule.

Degree requirements split too. Fonterra says it looks beyond specific degrees, Asahi's Sales stream is open to any degree discipline, and Mondelez invites undergraduate and master's graduates across six functions. Bega Group's page states no degree rule.

Work-rights wording differs as well. Mondelez accepts permanent residency or full-time work rights, DuluxGroup asks for full Australian or New Zealand working rights, Fonterra and Asahi name citizens and residents, and P&G's jobs page says it does not sponsor employment-based visas. Check Home Affairs guidance for employers before you copy any of these rules.

Selection stages show the biggest gap, and a pattern. Mondelez, Asahi and DuluxGroup each combine online testing and a video interview with an assessment centre or case study, while the Bega, Mars and P&G pages show no stages. As AI is changing graduate hiring, steps that test a candidate directly carry more weight than a written application alone. For further reading, see Righteo's HR and pre-employment resources.

Related Resources

• AI is changing graduate hiring
• Graduate hiring methods for junior talent
• Skill tests library
• HR and pre-employment resources
• Bega's RISE graduate program page
• Fonterra's graduate program page
• Asahi Beverages' graduate page

Common Questions About FMCG Graduate Programs in Australia

1. Which FMCG employers run graduate programs in Australia?

Bega Group, Mondelez, Fonterra, Asahi Beverages, Mars Australia and the P&G Sales graduate role all publish graduate pages. DuluxGroup does too, though it makes paints and consumer products rather than food. Coles, a supermarket retailer, shows pre-registration for 2027. Check each employer's own page for current details, because streams and status change.

2. How long do FMCG graduate programs run?

Bega Group describes a 2-year program with three 8-month rotations. Fonterra describes an 18-month program, and Asahi Beverages offers 12 to 15-month options. The Mondelez, DuluxGroup, Mars and P&G pages do not publish a length, so check with the employer before you compare them on duration.

3. Do FMCG graduate programs require a specific degree?

Not always. Fonterra says it looks for fresh thinkers instead of specific degrees, and four Mars streams list "open to all degrees". Asahi's Sales stream is open to any degree discipline. Technical streams differ: Mars Engineering accepts all engineering degrees except Civil, and Research and Development prefers science or engineering degrees.

4. Can a small employer copy a graduate program without a big budget?

Yes, by copying the structure rather than the scale. Name a buddy and a technical manager as Bega Group does, keep standard checks ahead of any longer assessment in the order Asahi publishes, and put the offer in writing with pay, benefits and start date as Mondelez does. Each takes planning rather than spend.

5. Are these graduate programs open for applications now?

Asahi Beverages shows an "Applications closed" banner, and Mars says applications reopen in 2027 for its 2028 program. Coles shows pre-registration, with applications opening in 2027. DuluxGroup says its 2027 program is open. The Mondelez, Fonterra and P&G pages show no window, so check them directly before you quote an intake date.

Pick Two Practices and Check Each Page

Choose two practices from this list that fit the size of your intake, such as a named buddy and a written offer, and write them into your next graduate round. Then open each employer's page yourself before you quote an intake date, because open and closed statuses change. Keep a one-page note of what you copied and why, so you can see later whether it helped.