An FMCG graduate program intake is the round of hiring an employer runs for its next group of graduates, and an employer's page may show "Applications closed" between rounds. FMCG stands for fast-moving consumer goods: the packaged food, drink and household products that sell quickly through supermarkets. A closed page is not the end of the road. Several employers offer a way to register your interest, and a simple routine keeps you ready when the next round opens.
This guide covers when to apply only: closed and reopening intakes, pre-registration, talent communities and opening months. How applications run and who qualifies are separate questions. Programs, streams and dates change, so confirm each detail on the employer's own page before you apply. Chandler Personnel does not run, recruit for or place people into these graduate programs; apply on each employer's own page.
Why graduate application dates can change from year to year
Graduate application dates are set by each employer, and an employer can change them from one year to the next. The pages in this guide show four different positions: closed, reopening in a stated year, opening in a stated month and showing no window at all. DuluxGroup says its graduate program has an annual intake, but even an annual intake gives you a pattern to watch rather than a date to rely on.
That spread is why a date copied from last year's article, or from a third-party list, is a poor guide. Treat any date that is not on the employer's own page as unconfirmed, and write down which page you took it from.
Pages that say closed or reopening later
Asahi: closed when checked
On Asahi Beverages' graduate page, the status showed "Applications closed" when checked, so check the page for the next intake before you plan around it. The page gives no reopening date, which means you cannot count backwards from a deadline and should return to the page itself.
Mars: reopening in 2027 for the 2028 program
According to Mars Australia's graduate page, applications will reopen in 2027 for the 2028 program, and the page invites readers to register their interest. The page names a year but no opening month, so treat 2027 as the year to watch rather than a date to plan around.
Graduate program pre-registration and talent communities
Pre-registration and talent communities are the two sign-up routes the pages in this guide describe. Both let you tell an employer you are interested before applications open, and neither replaces an application.
Coles: pre-registration
Coles is a supermarket retailer, so it is listed here as retail and FMCG-adjacent, not as a food maker. According to Coles Group's talent programs page, pre-registration is open and applications open in 2027.
The page's FAQ says pre-registration is open across a range of career streams, and that you register your interest in the stream you are interested in so Coles can let you know when applications open. That means choosing a stream before you register. Coles' graduate streams page lists the streams, so read it first.
Bega and Mondelez: talent communities
- Bega. Bega's graduate page carries a "Join Our Talent Community" link and an apply link for its RISE Graduate Program, but shows no application dates.
- Mondelez. Mondelez's early careers page for Australia and New Zealand also carries a "Join Our Talent Community" link and shows no application dates.
Annual intakes and opening months
Two entries show how little a page may say about timing.
- DuluxGroup. DuluxGroup is a paints and consumer products group, not a food or beverage maker. Its graduate page says applications for its 2027 program were open when checked, that the intake is annual and that initial applications open in July. The page gives no closing date, so check it before you plan around it.
- Nestle. The streams and a document checklist are listed on Nestle's NextGen page, which shows no application dates, so check the page for the current intake.
A simple tracking routine, and what to do while you wait
A routine does not need an app. A note on your phone or a spreadsheet is enough.
- List and save. Write down each employer you are interested in and save the link to its official graduate page.
- Register where offered. Use pre-registration or the talent community link if the page has one.
- Record what the page says. Note the wording ("closed", "reopens in 2027", "initial applications open in July", "no window shown") and the date you checked.
- Set reminders. Use the opening month where a page gives one, and otherwise pick a regular day to look at each page again.
- Compare on each visit. If the wording has changed, update the note and act on the new position.
While you wait, keep studying, keep your CV and academic transcript up to date, and keep an eye on the employer's page. If you also want paid work in the meantime, Chandler Personnel supplies labour hire and permanent recruitment for food production sites, and its pages describe food production work and the process worker role. That is ordinary paid work, separate from any graduate program.
A post on the seasonal hiring calendar for Victoria sets out the public holidays and school terms that repeat every year, written from the employer's side. The candidate questions page has general information for Chandler candidates and is not about graduate programs.
Related Resources
- Mars Australia graduate program
- Coles Group talent programs
- Asahi Beverages graduate program
- Nestle NextGen graduate program
- Food production work
- Seasonal hiring calendar for Victoria
- Candidate questions
Common Questions About Tracking Graduate Program Intakes
1. When do graduate applications open in Australia?
Each employer decides. Mars says applications reopen in 2027 for the 2028 program, Coles says they open in 2027, and DuluxGroup says initial applications open in July. Asahi's page showed applications closed when checked, and Bega, Mondelez and Nestle show no dates, so confirm on each employer's own page.
2. What is graduate pre-registration?
It is a way to register your interest before applications open. According to Coles' talent programs page, pre-registration is open across a range of career streams, and you register in the stream you are interested in to be notified when applications open. It is not an application, so you still need to apply when the round opens.
3. What is a graduate talent community?
It is a sign-up list an employer keeps for people interested in working there. Bega's graduate page and Mondelez's early careers page both carry a "Join Our Talent Community" link. Each employer decides what members receive, so read the sign-up page before you rely on it to tell you about graduate intakes.
4. Can I apply after the closing date?
Do not assume so. Where a page shows "Applications closed", as Asahi's did when checked, the route is shut until the next intake, and the pages in this guide do not describe late applications. Register your interest if the employer offers it, and check the page for the next round.
5. What should I do while I wait?
Keep studying, keep your CV and transcript current, save each employer's page, register where you can and note the date you last checked. You can also take on paid work in the meantime, which is ordinary work and separate from any graduate program.
Track Intakes Instead of Guessing Dates
A closed page tells you where an employer is in its cycle, not whether you have missed your chance. Mars points to 2027, Coles to 2027, DuluxGroup to July and Asahi to a page that showed closed, so the sensible response is to track what each page says rather than guess. Choose the two or three employers you care about most, save their official pages, register your interest where a link is offered and set your first reminder today.
