Experience

ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre

• United Kingdom
• Food & Beverages
• 100 - 200 Employee

• NPD Technologist

  • Apr 2021 - Present



Dunbia Group

• United Kingdom
• Food and Beverage Manufacturing
• 500 - 600 Employee

• New Product Development Technologist

  • Aug 2017 - Apr 2021

  * Co-ordinating the product development process from brief through to launch (Gate Process) in compliance with Food Safety legislation for Sainsburys & Tesco. While supporting with other retail & food service accounts when needed: Asda, Morrisons, Lidl, Iceland, Amazon, JD Wetherspoon, Whitbread & Stonegate. * Products include: Fresh Meat (Steaks, Joints, Offal), Comminuted (Minces, Burgers, Meatballs), Value Added, Sous Vide, Party Food & Christmas Showstoppers. * NPD, EPD & migration of products from other sites. * Developing & managing relationships with the retailer & suppliers. Customer facing. * Pre-Covid, travelling to retailers for gate submissions & presenting. * Organizing & running NPD factory trials- trial reporting. * Organizing organoleptic evaluation & nutritional analysis, shelf life determination & cooking validations. Analysing routine data. * Strong sensory knowledge, attending taste panel weekly & conducting various panels: e.g. notable difference. * Document Writing: Factory Specifications, QAS's, Submission Forms, Trial Reports etc. * Sample preparation/distribution to customers. * Competitor bench marking sessions. * Working cross-functionally with culinary, technical, production & commercial teams. Liaising with the marketing & packaging departments on packaging innovations and developments, with the aim of marketing products in the best possible manner. * NPD/Technical Projects & presenting findings. * Training of New Staff. * Ingredient sourcing. * Using IT databases: Chilli, Q-Pulse, Evolve etc. * Working to BRC standard. * Problem Solving day to day. * Cost recording. * Keeping up with: latest market trends, new novel ingredients, new packaging concepts & new food processes. Show less



Mileeven Fine Foods

• Owning, Piltown, Co.Kilkenny

• Varied Role- Production, Quality, NPD, Marketing etc.

  • Jan 2017 - Aug 2017

  * Retail & Food Service Supplier: Sainsburys, Aldi, Lidl, Dunnes, Super Valu & private label. * Products included: Pure Irish Honey, Manuka Honey, Organic Honey, Honeycomb, Lavender Honey, Gift Sets, & Infused Honeys- Sarah's Wonderful Honeys (Pure Honeys infused with different fruits, nuts or spices.) * Conducted HMF tests (Purity) on all batches of honey entering production, positive released & documented the results. * Responsible for hourly temperature checks of the honey. * Responsible for confirming all packaging, batch numbers, best before dates, labels, allergens and other label info is correct before honey is dispatched, collected retention samples. * Worked on the production floor, set up machines & organized needed materials. * NPD & EPD (Worked on Sarah's Honey Range, reviewing current ingredients & recipes). * Conducted tastings/demos in local supermarkets to educate the public on honey & promote Mileevens' honey products. * Attended events, working on the stand, meeting & educating the public on the benefits of honey & upselling the products e.g. Bloom Festival Dublin, Good Food Ireland. * Social Media- Digital Marketing for the business, introduced Instagram to the business. * Assisted with Marketing activities. * Organized the sending of honey hampers to food instagramers/influencers to promote & advertise the brand & products. * Understanding the legislation around Honey Production & Labelling. Show less



Carers Plus

• Perth, Australia

• Care Assistant

  • Aug 2015 - Aug 2016

  • Worked at various locations with Mental Health, Elderly and Disability patients. • Developing individual care plans. • Assisting people with daily personal care e.g. showering and intimate care. • Administering medication. • Assisted at meal times. • Transferring residents using hoists. • Completing daily chores such as laundry, shopping and housework on behalf of the patient. • Organising leisure activities. • Worked at various locations with Mental Health, Elderly and Disability patients. • Developing individual care plans. • Assisting people with daily personal care e.g. showering and intimate care. • Administering medication. • Assisted at meal times. • Transferring residents using hoists. • Completing daily chores such as laundry, shopping and housework on behalf of the patient. • Organising leisure activities.



Fresh Finesse

• Food and Beverage Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Food Store & Shopping Centre Demonstrator

  • Jan 2015 - Aug 2016

  Fresh Finesse: Specialist food marketing professionals based in Perth, Australia, who help ambitious food producers transform fresh food products into priority brands & thriving businesses. * Conducted fresh food demonstrations: Set up stands & organized equipment. * Built relationships with food business owners, store managers & staff. * Promoted a certain food or food product. * Educated the public on the benefits of a certain food. * Organized food displays and presenting to the public/shoppers. * Communicated with customers, transferred knowledge, answered any questions. * Enticed consumers to sample the product and used my sales skills to upsell the product. Show less



Worked with several companies in WA: Secure Traffic, Quality Traffic Management, Traffic Force

• Western Australia, Australia

• Traffic Controller Supervisor

  • Jan 2015 - Jul 2015

  • Leading a team of up to 10 people, in setting up road traffic management plans, giving instructions and using my innovative to change or implement a plan. • Directing vehicular and pedestrian traffic around a construction zone, accident or other road disruption. • Ensuring safety for all those on the roads: emergency response teams, construction workers and the public. • Understanding traffic management plans and setting up signage and traffic control equipment. • Leading a team of up to 10 people, in setting up road traffic management plans, giving instructions and using my innovative to change or implement a plan. • Directing vehicular and pedestrian traffic around a construction zone, accident or other road disruption. • Ensuring safety for all those on the roads: emergency response teams, construction workers and the public. • Understanding traffic management plans and setting up signage and traffic control equipment.



Paris Texas Bar and Smokehouse

• Ireland
• Hospitality
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Waitress

  • Dec 2013 - Sep 2014

  • Opening of restaurant/bar and setting up for the day. • Welcoming customers, explaining the menu, up-selling specials and taking orders. • Working in the bar and whiskey bar, informing customers about different types of whiskeys and craft beers. • Cocktail Making • Constantly making customers feeling relaxed and welcome and always upselling and hitting targets. • Opening of restaurant/bar and setting up for the day. • Welcoming customers, explaining the menu, up-selling specials and taking orders. • Working in the bar and whiskey bar, informing customers about different types of whiskeys and craft beers. • Cocktail Making • Constantly making customers feeling relaxed and welcome and always upselling and hitting targets.



Knockdrinna Farmhouse Cheese

• Stoneyford, Co.Kilkenny

• • Worked as part of a team: day-to-day running of the Cheese Production Unit, Cafe & Farmshop

  • Mar 2012 - Sep 2014

  Joined Knockdrinna Farmhouse Cheese (Family Run Cheese Producer- Goats, Sheep & Cows Cheese) in 2012 as part of my university placement, initially 6 months but continued to work weekends, holidays after placement ended. I worked between the cheese production unit, farmshop & café. Knockdrinna also produced Relishes, Pestos, Tapenades, Chutney & Breads in addition to their cheese range. * Worked unsupervised on my own initiative with responsibility across the functions of the business. * Opened and closed the café daily, managed the daily float, reconciled the tills and updated the cashbook. * Set the café & farm shop up daily, ensured presentation of cheese, deli counter, food products were visually appealing to customers. * Communicated, delegated & trained new staff. * Prepared meals & hot drinks for customers. * Ordered new stock, sourced new potential Irish & local products for the farm shop. * Assisted with the production of: Cheeses, Relishes, Pestos, Tapenades, Chutneys, Breads & Scones. * Built relationships & communicated weekly with suppliers & customers. * Pricing on current & new products & daily dishes. * Assisted in the organising & running of Cheese Courses, one day course. Educated & transferred knowledge to the public, business owners on all things cheese making. * Prepared for school tours, tourists, large groups- educated on all things cheese, offered cheese tasting & lunch. * Assisted with Social Media. * Attended workshops on behalf of the business: Taste Kilkenny, promotes small to medium food businesses with the aim of working together not individual. * Attended food shows, supermarkets & events where I communicated, educating & merchandising & conducted cheese tastings. Show less