40 hours per week | 05:30 to 14:00 (with a 30-minute break) | Working every other weekend
The Opportunity
I am currently working with a leading fresh produce organisation near Tonbridge, Kent, as they look to expand their ripening team. Known for supplying top-tier retail all year-round, they specialise in ripening high-quality stone fruit.
They are looking for a hands-on Fruit Ripener to join the operation, reporting directly to the Head of Product & Ripening while working alongside Senior Ripeners to hit strict customer specifications and maintain exceptional quality standards.
Your Responsibilities
- Managing the Ripening Process: Planning and loading rooms to match customer briefs, keeping a solid stock holding of around 1.5 to 2 days.
- Quality & Testing: Assessing fruit ripeness, running dry matter tests, conducting trial ripening runs, and flagging any quality variations straight away.
- Stock Control & Waste Reduction: Keeping a close eye on stock rotation through the cycle to minimise waste and maximise shelf life.
- Cross-Functional Communication: Liaising with the Production, Technical, Procurement, and Commercial teams to update them on performance, yield, and any supplier issues before production kicks off.
- Compliance & Calibration: Monitoring room controls, calibrating equipment, keeping BRC documentation up to date, and maintaining a safe 5S working environment.
Your Skills & Experience
- Proven experience working as a Ripener or within a fresh produce/food production environment.
- A strong grasp of fruit ripening across various categories, origins, and varieties.
- Confident working with data, handling dry matter testing, and executing ripening trials.
- Clear communication skills with a proactive, collaborative approach to teamwork and food safety.
- Relevant qualifications in horticulture or food science are a great bonus, though hands-on experience is key.
The Package & Benefits
- Salary: £32,593.60 per year
- Holiday: 6.6 weeks annual leave (including bank holidays)
- Pension & Shares: Company pension scheme plus optional share scheme
- Wellbeing & Support: Medicash plan, Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), and Death in Service benefit
- Perks: Cycle to Work scheme, on-site parking, and ongoing professional development
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