Product Specialist - Salads & Exotics

More about the role

As our Product Expert – Salads & Exotics, you will be our go-to champion for product quality, technical insight, and category knowledge. Working closely within our Technical & Product team, you will help guide seasonal product transitions, support quality intake standards, and provide engaging, hands-on learning for our operations and intake colleagues. In this role, you will build warm, collaborative connections across key supply chain partners - including procurement, At Source teams, and site teams - to ensure we consistently offer exceptional produce.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Champion food safety, quality, and product integrity across our blueberry and grape ranges.
• Provide supportive seasonal guidance, training, and skill-building for technical intake and packhouse teams.
• Oversee product freshness checks, shelf-life studies, quality reviews, and technical intake validations.
• Partner collaboratively with Procurement, At Source teams, Technical Managers, and Site Operations to explore category trends and nurture strong supplier relationships.
• Help ensure our product specifications and site guidelines align smoothly with safety standards, BRC expectations, and internal best practices.
• Use product insights and data to continuous improve quality, streamline intake processes, and solve technical challenges constructively.

More about our perks

• Generous holiday entitlement
• Discretionary bonus scheme
• 15% discount in our supermarkets and convenience stores from the day you join us
• Additional 10% discount card for a friend or family member
• Genuine career progression and development opportunities - read more about our Leadership School here
• Subsidised staff canteen
• Free parking
• Competitive pension and life assurance
• Healthcare / Wellbeing benefits including Aviva Digital GP
• 'MyPerks' with discounts at high street shops, cinemas and gyms, and lots more
• Optional payroll charity donations
• A range of family-friendly policies including 26 weeks maternity and adoption leave along with neonatal and fertility leave

More about you

• Relevant experience or a degree in science, food technology, chemistry, microbiology, engineering, manufacturing or business

• Knowledge of safety, legality, compliance and quality across supply chain and produce range

• Previous experience/knowledge of high risk coupled with thermal processing knowledge/experience

• Strong analytical and decision making skills

• Excellent communication skills and solution focussed problem solver

• A proven track record of people management and delivering strong results through a team in a people management role

• Excellent communication skills

• A can do attitude and a strong work ethic