Food Job Blog: The inside track on Food Recruitment and Careers

In your honest opinion, regardless of price, would you rather buy a branded product or an own label product?

I know from personal experience branded products are perceived to be the better product - but is this true?

What is it that makes us buy a product? Some people go for price. Some go for quality, whereas others will go for quantity or value for money. Is own label the way forward? The question that comes to mind is - will we have a choice in the future?

Certain brands conjure up images of luxury whereas others you will steer clear of. If you know that a particular brand is a "good" brand you are more willing to try their new product than the new product of an own label. You know the brand so therefore it must be the same as their other products, the packaging looks nice, the product is right in your eye line and you do not need to teeter on the edge of a shelf to reach it! The vibrant display makes you want it. "Wow look at those people (actors) having a great time eating this product". Why is it that these things are important to us? If those people are buying it then I should! How absolutely absurd. Usually branded products are far more expensive and everything tastes the same. Have we really turned into a "safe" culture that lacks a sense of adventure?

Own label are the products that most people buy out of necessity. Why is that? If you were to put two products next to each other that were still in the packaging how many people would choose the own label? However, if you then look at it in another way and look at the products out of the packaging, which product would look and taste better?

Do we buy certain brands because of our friends, families, people in the play ground? If so then are we all only ever going to eat the same things?

The European Commission (EC) has put forward proposals to ban animal cloning in food production and sales for at least five years. However, the import of cloned food products to the EU has been given the green light.

The announcement that animal cloning will be banned for five years has been welcomed by the food industry as a whole, due to concerns over public health and animal welfare if the practice was to become widespread. However, many animal welfare, farming and food job groups have criticised the EC's decision to allow cloned meat products to be imported to Europe.

Peter Stevenson, the chief policy advisor at Compassion in World Farming, has said:

"We welcome the ban on European cloning and the commission's concern about the welfare implications of cloning,"

"But we are very disappointed that imports of cloned semen, embryos and food products are being allowed. We don't accept that it is impossible to trace the origins of cloned meat products.

This last sentiment was echoed by David Cotton, the chair of the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers, who also said that the confusion over which new technologies farmers can and can't use needs to be cleared up.

Food Technology magazine, the official publication for the Chicago-based Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), has released a list of the six 'mega-trends expected to influence food product development.

The list, published in the September edition of Food Technology, was compiled by the IFT with the help of a number of market research companies including HealthFocus International, Frost & Sullivan, Mintel and The Nielson Company.

Trends

Food job professionals take note; the following six trends could have a serious impact on food product development and market demand in the next few years.

1. Lower salt. Health concerns (i.e. high blood pressure) have fuelled the demand for low-sodium products, especially those targeted at children.

2. Weight management. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), around 1.3 billion people throughout the world are overweight or clinically obese. Market research has found that 64 per cent of American consumers are demanding foods which help them maintain a healthy weight, whilst over half of those asked want metabolism-boosting products.

3. Preservative, additive, lactose and gluten free foods, as well as the banishment of MSG and high-sugar corn syrup in food and drink products.

4. Niche flavours - such as umami (the 'fifth taste'), spice-infused ice cream and chewing gum and flower flavours, for example - entering the mainstream market.

5. Functional foods 'naturally rich in...' or containing 'natural goodness' that offer health benefits such as lowering cholesterol.

6. Organic products encompassing minimal ingredients.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is planning to hold a meeting over a highly contentious issue this month - whether genetically engineered salmon should be the first animal of its kind to be sold as food.

The results of this consultation will have a significant impact on the food industries of both the UK and the US, as well as for those in food jobs at every stage of the food manufacturing process.

The Veterinary Medicine Advisory Committee will convene for the FDA meeting - scheduled to take place on September 19th - 20th 2010 - to review current scientific data and compile recommendations on whether GM salmon is fit for the dinner table. The FDA will also hold a public consultation on the issue on September 21st, which will be crucial to whether plans go ahead.

AquaBounty Technologies Inc

The salmon in question is developed by Massachusetts-based AquaBounty Technologies Inc, who claims that the salmon is able to avoid the disease and pollution commonly associated with salmon raised in fish farms, and can also grow to market size and weight twice as fast.

Opposition

Food safety experts and consumer rights advocates are against the idea of selling GM salmon as food as the side effects of eating the fish are still unknown, and there is no evidence to show that it is safe.

The recent controversy over milk and meat from the offspring of a cloned cow entering the UK food chain has sparked off heated debate about artificial food. The latest opinion comes from the UK government's chief scientist John Beddington, who believes that we will be eating artificial meat by 2050 due to the increasing population.

Beddington has led a team of leading scientists in conducting a major academic assessment of global food supplies in the future. The results of this study were published by the Royal Society, and some may find their predictions shocking.

According to the study, there won't be enough food supplies to adequately feed the world's growing population - estimated to reach 9 billion by the year 2050 - without destroying the earth's natural resources. This is despite recent advancements and increasing numbers of food job specialists working in the fields of nanotechnology and genetic modification.

The study estimates that due to water shortages, climate change and increased food consumption, hundreds of people may go hungry in 2050. Although the 21-page publication obviously proposes numerous other ways of improving this outlook, one suggested solution is that we start to eat artificial meat grown in vats. It may not sound appetising, but it may be necessary if our growing population is to survive.

According to the latest rumours, supermodel Kate Moss is to make a radical new career move into the food industry with her own range of specialty jams.

The idea of 'Kate's Damson Jams' may sound preposterous, but Moss, 36, is apparently very serious about her exciting new food job. A source close to the supermodel recently told The Sun newspaper:

"It started as a hobby, but she's taking it a lot more seriously after glowing feedback from friends and family,"

"She's hoping her plum conserve will be a hit with the public."

All the ingredients for a successful jam range are in place for Moss:

• financial backing from billionaire friend Sir Philip Green,
• a unique selling point and marketing campaign (it's made by Kate Moss, the world-famous supermodel and household name) and
• Moss' impressive business acumen - in addition to her modelling career, Moss has launched her own lines of clothes and fragrances in the past

Surprisingly, Moss may also possess the technical skill needed to come up with a popular homemade jam. She is reportedly planning to take cookery lessons from celebrity chef Jamie Oliver in order to perfect her recipes.

It's a well know 'food last in recession first out' for the obvious reasons; we all have to eat. Today's consumers continue to be discerning with high expectations, everyone has their own view on food - the impact of holidays are further a field, the never-ending food related TV programmes become more detailed and sophisticated. This drives manufacturers and retailers to explore new and innovative recipes.
You only have to chat with your local dry cleaner who will tell you times have changed and the stains they have to remove from garments is not what it used to be. With this in mind it's a great time for a skilled and talented Chefs to explore New Product Development as a career option. It really isn't a career for the feint hearted and certainly not a soft option for any Chef. There are the obvious benefits of being able to balance home and work life but there will be late nights and pressure, albeit in a different package from evening service. As a New Product Development Chef (NPD Chef), not only will you need to have a real understanding of ingredients, culinary techniques and food trends you will need to possess a working knowledge of cuisines European and Globally. You'll be challenged to think differently, constant evolution of product ranges, how to deliver a point of difference.

Last year a number of leading retailers cut a launch window it appeared to be mainly about product refreshing but now its all about new innovation - looking further a field for new food ideas across every category; sandwiches, soups, sauces, ready meals, salads, meats and desserts. The product options are endless. A wander round any supermarket or food store it is easy to detect new packaging formats and fantastic product ranges. As a Chef it's a great time to be considering New Product Development as a next move, consumers will always eat out but the success of the dine in offers, started originally by Marks & Spencer have spread to all supermarkets demonstrate the popularity of prepared foods. The exciting product ranges in all stores are created by talented and skilled Chef who have served their time in Rosette and Michelin starred establishments, they work in NPD kitchens all over the country (and the world) researching, trialling, tasting, refining and presenting then working with factory teams to ensure that consumers keep returning to make repeat purchase. Consider, as a Chef do you have the patience, know how and determination to work with demanding retail clients to make a real impact on food retail shopping.

Following extensive discussion, the European Parliament has voted against the use of new product 'meat glue' in food manufacturing. The decision to block EU approval of meat glue additives came down to a lack of benefits and misleading information for consumers.

What is meat glue?

The revolting sounding name of this new additive is fairly apt for what it is. Made of fibrogen and thrombin found in the blood plasma of cows and pigs, this meat glue additive is designed to bond separate pieces of meat from different sources together. It can be used on anything from meat and poultry to fish and seafood, creating new products such as salmon wrapped in bacon etc.

The additive has been approved by top food job officials at the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for use in food manufacturing, but it is not the health aspect of meat glue that is the problem. Member of the European Parliament Arlene McCarthy has explained how meat glue may be used to mislead consumers into paying more for lower quality products. She also said:

"At a time when consumers are increasingly demanding more detailed information about where the food products they buy are from and how they are processed it is not right that most people remain unaware of 'tricks of the trade' such as this."

The brand new KFC chicken sandwich released in the US is whipping up a great deal of controversy, especially after it was revealed that the 'Double Down' burger is exceedingly high in salt and fat.

The basic concept of the Double Down chicken sandwich is that it contains no bread; instead, the cheese, bacon and sauce filling is sandwiched between two deep-fried chicken burgers. A nightmare to eat and even more of a nightmare for your health, the Double Down burger has been found to contain a massive 32 grams of fat and a person's whole daily requirement in sodium.

At around 540 calories, dieticians have said it isn't the unhealthiest kind of fast food available, as McDonald's Big Mac and Whopper are worse. However, the Double Down - on a limited run of six weeks - has received vehemently negative criticism on nearly all quarters. It has been called a 'salt bomb' by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University, 'alarming' by the Los Angeles Tomes and worst of all from the San Francisco Chronicle:

"a vile meatwich crammed like a grenade with sodium, sugar, fat and chemicals."

Despite this barrage of criticism, staff in KFC food jobs have reported that the Double Down seems to be selling well with most customers mainly buying it out of curiosity.

The sandwich isn't available in the UK, but KFC can expect a new wave of controversy if it is ever released over here. This would be more bad press for the company, who have recently been fined around £19,000 after cockroaches and mice were found at their flagship Leicester Square outlet in London.

Health food specialists Holland & Barrett have launched a search to find at least 500 new products to add to their festive range for Christmas 2010. The company - along with another health food retailer Julian Graves - are putting on a special event in Coventry next month, inviting all speciality food manufacturers to participate.

The event will help Holland & Barrett source new and exciting products to be sold at their 900 outlets in the UK and Ireland. They have space for 500 innovative new products, and they are hoping to find them during their Coventry competition. Director of Marketing for NBTY (the group who owns Holland & Barrett and Julian Graves amongst others, employing hundreds of people in food jobs) explains how the search will be carried out and new products implemented:

"No supplier is too big or small, and there is potential for all types of product. The team is tasked to list as many new products as possible over the coming months and we pledge full in-store marketing support to enhance success."

Any food manufacturers wanting to submit their products to the competition should head over to Coventry's Ricoh Arena on Thursday 13th May.

In an £80 million greenhouse complex on the Isle of Thanet in Kent, cucumbers are being harvested as we speak. This is unusual because the month of January is completely out of season for harvesting crops such as cucumbers, but using state-of-the-art technology and sustainable growing techniques, the innovative project named Thanet Earth manages to grow crops such as these nearly all year round.

Amongst other crops, Thanet Earth is able to grow a steady supply of cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes, which are ready for harvesting any time between January and November. This is because of the hydroponic growing technologies employed at Thanet Earth, who use a computer-controlled drip feed system, outstanding light levels, and the considerable height of the giant greenhouses to ensure that crops are both safe and of high-quality. These techniques also mean that crops are ready for harvesting only a month after they have been planted, an unprecedented growth time.

This exciting project is a major leap forward in the field of food technology, a development that will be welcomed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), who recently expressed serious concerns over food shortages in the future.

These concerns have led to a concentrated focus on sustainable growing techniques in order to meet future demand, which will in turn to lead to a wealth of new food job opportunities opening up in the fields of food science, food technology and agricultural development.

Due to the current global economic recession, the majority of food manufacturers reduced the amount they were investing in product development food jobs. However, according to The Oxford Research Agency, it is predicted that as consumers start to spend money again, thoughts will again turn to investment in greener, eco-friendly technologies.

Due to a positive outlook for 2010 after the instability of the previous year, The Oxford Research Agency are encouraging manufacturers to take advantage of the opportunities created by an increase in consumer confidence to reinvest in innovative technology.

This will also mean good news for those currently undertaking specialist training courses for food jobs in the fields of food technology, food science, and product development. As an increasing number of graduates are choosing this career path, it sets the food industry up well for the future. This is because not only will it be able to cope with future demand for increased volume and sustainability of food products, but it will also help graduates due to the availability of specialist food job opportunities.

In terms of brand and product development, the grocery think-tank IGD expects to see the following by the year 2012:

• 37 per cent more consumers will be buying locally produced foods on a regular basis
• 34 per cent will be buying a larger number of fair-trade products
• 15 per cent on consumers will buy more organic products

Fact - it's common practice for graduates who have been fortunate to have had an industrial placement for however short a time to be interviewed before those who have not ... no matter how good their grade!

Every graduate we have met who has taken part in an industrial placement considers the experience invaluable for a number of reasons. It has allowed them to put their studies into practice and to experience first hand the demands of working in the food manufacturing sector. And in many cases it allowed the graduate to decide which career path to follow; technical, manufacturing, process or NPD.

One thing for sure though is that many students have found it an challenging task to secure a placement in the first place - the main reason they are told is due to lack of resource. Catch twenty-two time as we need to encourage graduates into the food industry, get them excited and involved early on, showing them that the food manufacturing sector can be a highly rewarding career with long term opportunities.

We all are aware the pool of talent for the food industry is tight, therefore employers need to be more realistic, if you want 'the cream of the crop' you're going to have to get involved ... as little as a month long placement gives graduates the edge ... so spare some time and invest for the future and those employers that do will have the best graduates to pick from.

Ask most final year students or graduates where they want to work and the chances are they will say one of the big corporates like P&G, BT or until recently, one of the big banks. If they want to work in the food industry they will say one of the major brands like: Mars, Kellogg's, Cadbury Schweppes or Heinz. Yet this flies in the face of what most of them say they want from their first job in food. Sure, you will get to work with major global brands but how much influence will you have on product development? You have to ask yourself: how many new products do Heinz Baked Beans go through in the average year?

Increasingly, I believe graduates should also look at the own-label chilled product manufacturers who develop new lines for Tesco and M&S. While a global brand might carry out a dozen or so new product developments in a year, these companies could develop up to 800. You may say OK, that's fine for the guys in new product development but I have a degree in manufacturing science and I want to make a difference. Well you won't be Just in Time to teach Heinz much about the latest in Lean Manufacturing techniques. They have been at the cutting edge of real time manufacturing systems since the seventies. Own-label manufacturers may be more open to your ideas as they will be anxious to leapfrog a developmental stage or two in manufacturing know-how.

If it's a challenge you are looking for, how about managing a team of 100 people two years out of university? The non-branded chilled food market is as challenging as you like and backed by multi-million pound budgets and international networks, where you can learn the latest management thinking from around the world. And finally, if that's not enough there is always the thrill of seeing products that you developed or had a hand in the manufacture of sitting in the chillers of the major food retailers. After all, we all like to have our works of art on display for the whole world to see and, of course, to enjoy.