services

Profile

I have 15 years’ experience in the food industry, with a proven track record of project and team management through leading the development and launch of commercially successful product innovation across multiple product areas. I’m a confident communicator, and I thrive in a fast paced environment. Most importantly I’m very passionate about food, quality and sustainability and driving forward innovation.

Work History

 

August 2022 – Present: Food Consultant and Industry Expert

 

Projects:

• Extruded Protein Cereal: Setting up supply with new manufacturer to deliver existing product range. Re-developing the product to be in line with HFSS targets, increasing protein levels, and bulk density as well as flavour improvements. Building a process plan and technical improvement plan with manufacturer to ensure standards are improved at the factory site as well as ensure consistency of the product. 

• Functional Protein bars: Built product range of 6 high fibre, protein bar SKU’s from scratch for start up brand. Included full market research and benchmarking, packaging and legislation, nutritional’s and also trained and offered advice for setting up the business from the kitchen table. 

 

May 2021 - Present: Co-Founder, Pickle & Squash

 

Achievements:

• Built recipe box subscription company aimed at families, co-creating the marketing strategy and website build. 

• Achieved excellent PR coverage including top 3 recipe boxes reviewed by BBC Good Food, Cosmopolitan, Mother & Baby, Evening Standard and won gold award with Made for Mums 2022

• Implemented operational procedure to pack complex compilation of packages for deliveries as efficiently as possible

• Created around 300 recipes to specific budget, nutritional targets and packaging requirements. Writing the recipes for menu cards including weaning guides for each and executing the food styling and recipe photography

• Built loyal customer database of email subscribers, social media followers and repeat product subscribers

Oct 2020 – May 2021: Maternity Leave

Nov 2017 – Oct 2020: Head of Food & Innovation, Pip & Nut

 

Achievements:

• Built NPD and EPD pipeline and managed the full process from concept to launch of all limited editions and core nut butters

• Built the NPD strategy and 10 year pipeline, validating concepts with insight and research, built critical paths to identify key timings, and identified project team and resource required to deliver

• Identified opportunity and built business plan for chocolate nut butter cups, led project team, sourced a manufacturer to partner with and worked with them to create the recipes. Following this, worked with the factory continuously to improve technical standards, and improve the products shelf life considering the technical challenges and complexity associated with chocolate science and fat migration

• Built the Product & Innovation team from scratch, responsible for recruiting, managing, and coaching the NPD technologist and project manager

• Designed and project managed the NPD kitchen and facility, negotiating budget to be allocated for required R&D equipment

• Worked with all 3 nut butter sites to improve quality controls and food safety to ensure Pip & Nut have a tight control of product quality and specs

• Built technical and quality strategy, complaints procedure, product recall process, and put micro and food safety measures in place with all 4 sites

Responsibilities:

• Leading the Product and Innovation team & strategy

• Using trends and insight to identify new categories and product ranges for the business to launch in 

• Building business cases, identify risks and ops, secure through insight and deliver from concept to launch the new categories

• Leading the technical strategy and implementing measures to ensure the products made are safe and to the best quality possible

• Participated and presented to customers on new business proposals when needed

• Managing Innovation and technical budget

Feb 2014 – Nov 2017: Product Developer, Pret a Manger

 

Achievements:

• Mentored junior product developers and managed kitchen assistant, training and coaching to improve their skills of product development, project management and kitchen management respectively.

• Worked in the management strategy team as innovation team lead for post 5pm sales

• Senior developer on project team for Pioneering Veggie Pret concept. Delivered range of new products and ranges for the most successful concept launch, demonstrated by 70% surge in sales. 

• Led cross functional project team for Christmas launch, to deliver significant innovation and highly acclaimed media coverage – increasing sales by 25% LFL.  Proudly this was the “most successful Christmas launch” claimed Clive Schlee

• Developed core range of vegetable juices, fruit juices, shots, smoothies, and nut mylks.  Total value: £15m annual revenue

• Developed an annual calendar of monthly special sandwiches including development of new ingredients – sauces, chutneys, proteins etc.  including bestselling wrap (over £5m annual revenue)

• Managing innovation with supplier, delivered new range of sweet snacks, adding incremental sales of £3m (annually)

Responsibilities:

• Identify innovation opportunities through utilising sales data and lead category project team to deliver concepts through to launch

• Own commercial recommendation on products by liaising with ingredient purchasing team and suppliers, ensuring new ingredients sourced are commercially viable, and the addition to the limited Pret larder is validated

• Working with the strategy team to validate innovation concepts through insights and consumer research and researching market to ensure Pret remain ahead of trends and competition

• Present innovation recommendations, along with supporting commercial data and insights, to senior directors for sign off

• Set quality standards and manage the training of staff with suppliers to achieve consistent product quality

• Training team members in Pret shops on new products and processes and managing quality post launches

• Management of Assistant Product Developer

Oct 2011 – Feb 2014: NPD Manager, Ella’s Kitchen

 

Achievements:

• Launched a range of seven toddler tray meals, exceeding sales expectations and bringing in £2m annual revenue

• Launched a range of baby cereals, project managed installation of new packaging line into factory, and developed innovative packaging as well as product, on time and on budget

• Implemented new EPD process used for switching factory on 14 SKUs, giving annualised saving of £370k, as well as product improvement to suit consumer needs and improved shelf life

• Developed new innovative technique to extruded snacks and launched snack range using this technique

• Implemented new benchmarking process and trained staff to coordinate and manage

Core responsibilities: 

• Run innovation ideation with marketing teams to propose next innovation to launch

• Run monthly NPD meeting with senior stakeholders for innovation updates and sign off 

• Project manage cross functional teams to ensure all parties are aligned and to deliver on time and to budget 

• Working with suppliers, running kitchen trials, factory trials and launches with suppliers to develop best in class products

• Liaising closely with financial director to formulate and manage P&L’s throughout development process to ensure profitable launches. 

Nov 2010 – Oct 2011: Travel to South and Central America (career break)

Sept 2009 – Nov 2010: Convenience Field Sales Representative, Kellogg UK

 

Achievements:

• Highest performing salesperson in London sales team, for FY 2010

• Achieved 97% of target distribution and range location for core SKU’s

• Won national incentive for gaining visibility on Special K 

Core responsibilities: 

• Working for the convenience field sales channel in central London, responsible for driving sales of Kellogg’s snacks and cereals to independent and multiple formats. 

• Managed over 100 customers and identified new opportunities within prospect and current accounts

• Contribute to ensuring the team’s efficiency, provided solutions to problems encountered and assisting management of the team

Aug 2007 – Sept 2009: NPD Project Manager, Leathams Plc

 

Achievements:

• Launched 9 new SKU’s into major retailers managing the projects from concept to launch

• Launched SunBlush® Tomatoes into Tesco Finest range and into major retailers under SunBlush brand

• Innovated a new brand and launched a range of products under this brand

Core responsibilities:

• Managed development of ambient and chilled projects from concept to launch (NPD and EPD) ensuring management of cross functional teams to deliver product launches on time and on budget

• Analysed trends and sales data to recognise development opportunities and innovation

• Managed crossfunctional teams, to ensure alignment with logistics, technical and buying, for project deliverence

• Responsible for marketing products ready for retail, including coordinating recipe development, styling and product photography for pack copy and advertisements. Briefing and liaising with design and advertising agencies

• Supporting the Senior National Account Managers and attending meetings with the Buyers/Developers/Chefs of major retailers, manufacturers and food service customers, and continually building on these relationships to optimise the account’s potential

May 2006 – May 2007: New Product Development Technologist, Del Monte Fresh

 

Core responsibilities included:

• Developed and delivered to launch; Food to Go; (pasta salads, cous cous, rice salad and dips for all major retailers

• Analysing trends to recognise development opportunities and innovation through competitor analysis and liaising with retailer development teams

• Ran product trials and launches through clear and effective communication with factory and development team workers, and implemented trial management systems to ensure compliance

Education

 

2003 – 2006: University of Leeds

Qualification description

Degree qualification

BSc (Hons) Food Bioscience

2:1

Completed modules include: HACCP, Microbiological and Chemical Food Safety, Product Development, Food Analysis, Ingredient Interactions In Foods, Industrial Processing Operations, Food Allergy, Chocolate Science, Nutrition, Food Processing: From Farm To Shop, Nutrition, Functional Foods, Food Marketing, Flavanoids

For my dissertation project, I developed an immunoassay for detecting α-livetin in food samples for accurate labelling of foodstuffs in accordance with legislation for allergies.  From the 16 week independent lab work, I was able to master and perfect numerous lab practical skills to a high level of accuracy, and my results were chosen to support the European project REDALL and were presented at an international conference in Vienna in November 2005

1999 – 2003: Lutterworth grammar school

Qualification description

Grades

4 A levels: Chemistry, Biology, English Literature, Music, AS Mathematics

B-C

Interests

I am extremely passionate about food, and spend most of my spare time either eating out in restaurants or cooking in them myself. Most recently I did a stage at The Dairy in Clapham, I’ve ran pop up supperclubs, helped friends on street food stalls. 

I also have a love of music, both listening to and playing instruments. I’m am also keen on keeping fit cycling to work or running half marathons. 

 

Travel

I have a passion for travelling, and have travelled independently within South East Asia, India, Central and South America, Eastern and Western Europe. Visiting coffee and tea plantations, wineries, bustling food markets and attending cooking classes to develop my knowledge of foreign cuisine. 

References:   Available upon request.