Fresh Food Field Specialist

About the role

The Fresh Food Field Specialist will drive strategic growth for the Convenience Retail portfolio by leading product innovation, managing suppliers, and ensuring strict food safety compliance. This role focuses on delivering commercially viable food solutions through new product development and effective category management.

Key responsibilities

• Implement strategic objectives aligned with the Convenience Retail business.
• Develop new product concepts to enter existing and new markets.
• Monitor trends and competitor activity, translating insights into actionable plans.
• Lead end‑to‑end NPD from concept through launch, including product, packaging, and travel testing.
• Arrange and approve mock‑up samples, final packaging, and artwork in collaboration with design agencies.
• Source, evaluate, and onboard suppliers while ensuring compliance with South African food safety regulations.
• Conduct weekly quality control checks, oversee microbiological testing programmes, and resolve product‑related customer complaints.
• Visit retail stores regularly to monitor execution, compliance, and successful roll‑out of new products.

Required profile

• Proven experience in new product development within the food sector.
• Strong background in supplier onboarding and management.
• Demonstrated ability to enforce food safety standards and conduct quality control.
• Analytical mindset for trend monitoring and category performance analysis.

Required skills

• Food safety regulations and compliance.
• Microbiological testing procedures.
• Packaging specification development and artwork approval.
• Product testing and validation, including cooking instruction verification.