Food Industry Careers
Disciplines of the Food Industry
- New Product Development
- Production/Manufacturing
- Technical & Quality
- Sales
- Commercial
- Marketing
- Supply Chain The Supply Chain function focuses on the raw materials supplied into Food Manufacturers though the Manufacturing process and continued through to the distribution of the end product until it’s delivered to the customer.
- Engineering
- Interim Management
- Buying/Purchasing
- Human Resources (HR), Recruitment & Training
- Planning
- Graduates
- Hygiene
- Health & Safety and Occupational Health
- Finance
- Packaging
- Chefs
New Product Development; NPD means; “process”, “creation”, “concept”, “launch”, “product development” which is the creation of products, new and existing from concept stage through to launching the product in the retail market. New Product Development; NPD is a progressive function of any food manufacturing business and is an integral part of relationships between company and customer.
Production / Manufacturing means; “making”, “construction”, “assembly” or “invention” which is exactly what happen to food or fresh produce before it reaches our tables! Production / Manufacturing is the core function of any Food manufacturing business! This is where all food stuffs are prepared, cooked, wrapped etc before being delivered to supermarkets, other manufacturers for further production or foodservice.
The Technical Function of any food manufacturing company is integral to their success. Understanding the fundamentals of the Technical arena are key from the basics of HACCP, BRC and auditing to liaising with suppliers, regarding the product quality and performance of products and excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
‘The activities involved in selling products or services in return for money or other compensation, forming an integral part of commercial activity. It could be argued that it is the cornerstone of business as it is the meeting of buyers and sellers and all other areas of business has the goal of making that meeting successful!’ (Wikipedia)
‘The activities involved in selling products or services in return for money or other compensation, forming an integral part of commercial activity. It could be argued that it is the cornerstone of business as it is the meeting of buyers and sellers and all other areas of business has the goal of making that meeting successful!’ (Wikipedia)
By definition Sales and Marketing roles are business roles that truly influence the current and future direction of any business, and in deed without either will a business truly succeed?
Engineering plays an important part in food manufacturing processes. Machinery must be fully maintained to ensure full production at all times. Any loss in production time could lead loss of customers.
Interim Management is a growing sector of the Food & FMCG Industry market with many people turning from permanent jobs to a self employed basis which offers them variety and flexibility – most ‘interim candidates’ don’t work all year round and often take a well earned rest of a couple of months. Interim ensures the individual has flexibility to manage his or her own diaries and working patterns.
Buying, Purchasing and Procurement Departments are key to all companies. You must have excellent negotiating skills in order to successfully manage all supplier contracts and to maximise profit margins.
Most HR professionals are affiliated with The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development which has over 124500 members and is the leading professional body for those involved in the management and training of staff.
HR qualifications range from certificates such as CPP, through to full CIPD status and degree courses are also offered at BA and MA level in Human Resource Management.
Many Food Manufacturers have difficulties in predicting changes in their demand for products. Forecasting and planning in the food industry is challenging and companies are spending considerable time and resources improving the quality of the forecasting and planning processes to ensure the needs of their customer are met.
Many leading Food Manufacturers have Graduate Schemes in place as Graduates do play a key role in their growth. Graduate Schemes within the Food Industry cover most disciplines and provide a great understanding and are key to Graduates future careers within management.
Food hygiene legislation affects all food businesses, including caterers, primary producers (such as farmers), manufacturers and retailers.
Finance-related roles in the Manufacturing sector span all levels of experience and salary. As a graduate, you could enter a training scheme or work in an entry level role such as Purchase Ledger Clerk or Accounts Assistant. Once you have gained experience and/or attained a professional qualification, you could find yourself working as a Management Accountant, Plant Controller, Internal Auditor, Factory Accountant , Finance Director or Operations Controller.
Reduced packaging and sustainable packaging are becoming more frequent.
Food packaging is packaging for food. It requires protection, tampering resistance, and special physical, chemical, or biological needs. It also shows the product that is labeled to show any nutrition information on the food being consumed.
The kitchen team of any hotel or restaurant kitchen is known as the Brigade and most usually run in the 'partie' system where by Chefs are accountable for a specific area or function, in kitchen talk terms a 'section or corner' ie puddings and desserts will be run by a Pastry Chef or Chef de partie pastry.
