Avara Foods
Development Technologist
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Development Technologist
New Product Development Technologist – Avara Foods
Who Are We?
You may not have heard of us, but there’s a good chance you’ve enjoyed our products.
Avara Foods is one of the UK’s leading food businesses, supplying chicken and turkey to the country’s major supermarkets and well-known restaurants.
We own and manage our entire supply chain—from farms to factories, right through to the customer door—which means there are diverse roles covering a range of functions. Our network includes:
- Major processing sites across England and Wales
- An agricultural network of over 350 farms, spanning from North Yorkshire to the South Coast and Wales
Purpose of the Role
As a New Product Development Technologist, you will support the Product Manager in developing and delivering NPD (New Product Development) initiatives for your business unit. You will report directly to the New Product Development Manager and collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including Technical, Operations, Commercial, Planning & Procurement, to identify requirements and manage schedules for product delivery.
Work Environment
- Predominantly office-based, with factory visits required
- Refrigerated, noisy workshop conditions in certain environments
- Monday to Friday, 08:30-17:00 (excluding overtime due to trials)
- Regular travel to suppliers, customers, and manufacturing sites expected
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Key Responsibilities
Market & Product Concept Development
- Research markets and technologies to create new product concepts for Retail and Food Service sectors
- Organise internal and external benchmarking sessions
Product Management & Costing
- Develop and refine product concepts with suppliers to meet customer requirements and briefs
- Prepare product costings to ensure profitable launches
- Manage and update the internal NPD system for new launches
Customer & Launch Support
- Support customer presentations with complete documentation
- Lead NPD meetings with cross-functional teams to ensure all tasks are completed ahead of launch
Technical & Quality Assurance
- Collaborate with Technical and Operations to organise and execute:
- Production trials
- Shelf-life assessments
- Organoleptic testing (including occasional weekend work)
- Cooking instruction verification
- Nutritional sample analysis
- Validate product costings through production trials
- Ensure product compliance with specifications and agreed quality parameters during launch
Requirements
Essential
- Experience in developing and launching new products with retail/food service customers
- Experience in food product development within FMCG (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods)
- Ability to manage critical project paths and coordinate internal teams for successful launches
- Knowledge of functional characteristics of food ingredients
- Strong understanding of product development processes from concept to launch, including adherence to Retailers’ NPD systems
- High-level initiative and independence
- Computer literacy
- Methodical approach with attention to detail
- Full UK driving licence (essential for travel)
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Desirable
- Qualification in Food Sciences or a related subject area
- Experience in meat/poultry product development
- Awareness of food labelling and ingredient regulatory requirements
Benefits
Join Avara Foods in a supportive and progressive environment where your contributions are recognised and rewarded.
Core Offerings:
- Competitive salary
- 31 days holiday
- 6% pension
- Private medical insurance
- Life insurance
- Wellbeing resources & lifestyle benefits
If you’re ready to work in a dynamic environment with talented colleagues who deliver exceptional results, we’d love to hear from you.
We commit to being an equal opportunities employer.
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