Moving from UK FMCG to US consumer packaged goods (CPG) can accelerate a commercial career, but the market is organized differently. The core skills transfer: customer management, category insight, negotiation and brand building. What changes is the vocabulary, the retail landscape, how pay is structured and, above all, the route to working legally in the US. This guide covers each.
The vocabulary changes first
| UK FMCG | US CPG | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| FMCG | CPG | Same industry, different label |
| Key account manager | Account manager / national account manager (NAM) | NAM is the more common US title for a large retail customer |
| Head of sales / controller | Customer team lead / director of sales | US customer teams are often based near retailer headquarters |
| Assistant brand manager | Associate brand manager (ABM) | ABM is a common entry point, often for MBA graduates |
| Category controller | Category manager / category advisor | Captain and validator roles on retailer shelf resets |
| CV | Resume | US resumes are usually shorter and omit personal details such as date of birth |
| Salary + car allowance | Base + bonus + benefits | Health insurance and 401(k) match are major parts of the package |
Different customers, different scale
In the UK, a handful of grocers dominate. Worldpanel by Numerator data for the 12 weeks to 17 May 2026 put Tesco at 28.2% of the grocery market and the top six grocers at over 80% between them. A UK key account manager often manages one of those national customers directly.
The US market is broader and more regional. Alongside the national mass, club and dollar channels, regional grocery chains can be very large in their own territories. Customer teams are frequently built around a single retailer and located near its headquarters, and roles tend to be more specialized: a sales role may separate the account lead, the category analyst and the supply chain liaison into different jobs. UK candidates who have run an account end to end often find that breadth is valued, but they need to show they can work inside a larger, matrixed team.
What US employers look for
- Clear evidence of growth: dollar sales, share, distribution and profit, with your contribution separated from the team's
- Comfort with retailer data: point-of-sale and retailer data portals, syndicated data and shopper insight
- Category thinking: the ability to grow the retailer's category, not just your brand
- Influence in a matrix: examples of moving supply, marketing and finance without direct authority
- Relevance to US channels: if you have no US experience, show how your UK channel experience maps across
How pay is structured
US base salaries for commercial roles are typically higher in dollar terms than UK salaries in pounds, but the package works differently. The BLS median for sales managers was $148,270 in May 2025, and $156,150 in manufacturing. For marketing managers it was $166,790. Those are broad, all-industry groups, so use them as anchors rather than targets. Bonus is standard; a company car is less common than in UK field roles; and health insurance, retirement match and paid time off vary widely and must be valued when you compare offers. Our US CPG salary guide has role-by-role figures.
The visa question comes first
This is the part UK candidates most often underestimate. Most US employers will only consider candidates who already have the right to work in the US, or roles where they are willing and able to sponsor. Common routes for UK commercial professionals include:
- Intracompany transfer (L-1): moving within the same company group after working for it outside the US. Often the most practical route for people at multinationals
- Treaty investor or trader employee (E-1/E-2): available to employees of a qualifying UK-owned US business in a supervisory or executive role, or with skills essential to the business, under State Department rules
- H-1B specialty occupation: subject to an annual cap and lottery. A presidential proclamation in September 2025 added a $100,000 payment to many new H-1B petitions for people outside the US, initially for 12 months, so check the current position
- Existing status: a green card, US citizenship, or a spouse's status that includes work authorization
How to plan a UK-to-US commercial move:
- Check your route. Work out which visa route, if any, is realistic for you before applying for roles.
- Talk to your current employer. If you work for a multinational, an internal transfer is often the simplest path.
- Translate your CV into a US resume. Use US titles, dollar equivalents where helpful, and quantified results.
- Target the right roles. Customer teams for retailers you know, or brands entering the US that value UK experience.
- Value the whole offer. Compare base, bonus, health insurance, retirement match, relocation and cost of living.
- Use a recruiter who works both markets. They can tell you which employers sponsor and which roles are realistic.
Brands crossing the Atlantic
Some of the best opportunities come from UK and European brands launching or scaling in the US. They need people who understand how the brand was built at home and can translate it for American retailers and shoppers. Those employers are also more likely to support a transfer or an E-2 route. Our US CPG recruiting and UK FMCG recruitment pages explain how we work across both markets, and our sales and key account and brand marketing specialisms cover the roles most often involved.
UK-to-US CPG careers: common questions
Yes. FMCG is the term used in the UK and Europe; CPG is the US term. Both describe food, beverage, household and personal care products sold at high volume through retail. Job titles differ more than the work does.
It is difficult. Most US employers hire people who already have work authorization. The realistic routes are an intracompany transfer, an E-2 role with a UK-owned US business, or an employer willing to sponsor.
Often, especially UK and European brands expanding in the US, and multinationals that move people between markets. You need to show how your UK channel and customer experience maps to US retailers.
Dollar base salaries are typically higher, but benefits such as health insurance and retirement match form a large part of the package. Compare total value and cost of living, not headline pay.
Yes. Use a US resume format: shorter, results-led, with US job titles and without personal details such as date of birth or a photo.