At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the creation of delicious meals for older consumers and the care sector.
- Company: Join Pilgrim's Europe, a fast-growing food business focused on quality and innovation.
- Benefits: Career development opportunities, supportive team culture, and impactful work.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with strong values and a focus on ownership.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in people's lives through food development.
- Qualifications: Experience in food product development and a degree in relevant fields.
The predicted salary is between 29700 - 36300 £ per year.
About the role
We're looking for a Food Development Specialist to take ownership of our growing Oakhouse Foods range — creating high-quality, great-tasting meals that truly make a difference to our customers. This is a unique opportunity to shape products designed for older consumers, the care sector, and NHS settings, where food quality, nutrition, and consistency really matter.
You'll lead both New Product Development (NPD) and Existing Product Development (EPD) — bringing ideas to life from concept through to launch, while ensuring every product delivers commercially and meets the highest standards.
Location: Chippenham ¦ Oakhouse Foods (part of Pilgrim's Europe)
Working Hours: Monday to Friday (office-based role)
What you'll be doing:
- Own the end-to-end product development process from concept to launch
- Create and deliver seasonal and insight-led product ranges
- Champion food quality, taste, texture and nutritional integrity
- Use data, customer feedback and performance insights to shape decisions
- Balance commercial targets (cost, margin) with product excellence
- Develop and refine recipes with a strong understanding of ingredients and functionality
- Lead tastings, benchmarking, and continuous product improvements
- Manage multiple projects and critical paths to ensure timely delivery
- Collaborate cross-functionally with brand, commercial, supply chain and technical teams
- Work closely with suppliers and support factory trials to ensure scalability
What we're looking for:
- Experience in food product development, ideally within frozen or ready meals
- Strong understanding of food quality, flavour, ingredients and nutrition
- Commercial awareness with the ability to balance cost, margin and customer value
- Ability to turn data and insight into actionable product decisions
- Strong project management skills with the ability to handle multiple workstreams
- Knowledge of food safety and quality standards (HACCP, BRC)
- Confident communicator who can influence stakeholders and partners
Qualifications:
- Degree (or equivalent experience) in Food Science, Nutrition, Food Technology or Culinary Arts
- HACCP / Food Safety certifications (desirable)
- Experience with specialist diets (e.g. texture-modified foods) is a plus
Why join Pilgrim's Europe?
- At Pilgrim's Europe, we offer more than just a role — we offer the chance to build a career in a fast-paced, growing food business.
- Be part of a company where quality and innovation drive everything
- Work on products that have a real impact on people's lives
- Join a collaborative, supportive team with strong values
- Opportunities for career development and progression
- A culture built on Ownership, Simplicity and Determination
If you're passionate about food, driven by quality, and excited by the challenge of creating products that truly matter — we'd love to hear from you. Apply now and help shape the future of Oakhouse Foods at Pilgrim's Europe!
Food Development Specialist in Suffolk employer: Pilgrims Europe
At Pilgrim's Europe, we pride ourselves on being an excellent employer, offering a collaborative and supportive work culture that prioritises food safety and quality excellence. Our team in Attleborough benefits from continuous professional development opportunities, competitive remuneration, and a commitment to innovation in food safety practices, making it a rewarding place to grow your career.
