Food Product Developer

Food Product Developer 

We’re looking for two talented Product Developers to join our brilliant New Product Development team in Middlesbrough.

This is a hybrid role, based at any of our sites, with travel required to Middlesbrough and client sites as needed.

About The Compleat Food Group

At The Compleat Food Group, we’re proud to be a food business built on purpose and passion. Formed in 2021, we’re on a mission to create Food to Feel Good – great quality, tasty and affordable food that people love to eat.

We’re home to some of the UK’s most exciting and loved food brands, including Wall’s Pastry, Pork Farms, Wrights, The Real Yorkshire Pudding Co., unearthed, Vadasz, Squeaky Bean, Palace Culture, and Harvey & Brockless. Alongside our branded portfolio, we’re a leading supplier of delicious own-label pastry, sweet bakery, party food, olives and antipasti, added-value egg products, continental meats, dips and sauces and plant-based food to the UK’s major retailers, as well as across foodservice.

With over 6,000 talented colleagues across 17 sites, and an annual turnover of £1.3bn, we’re united by a shared ambition to shape the future of food for the better.

We are backed by European private equity firm PAI Partners.

Location: This is a hybrid role, based at any of our sites, with travel required to Middlesbrough and client sites as needed.

Hours: Monday – Thursday: 8:30am – 5pm and Friday: 8am – 4pm with some travels

Salary: £32,000 – £40,000 per annum DOE

Job Purpose: 

To develop new and adapt existing products to meet customer and branded briefs, delivering commercial targets and ensuring successful scale-up to production.

Your Duties Will Include:

• Responsible for developing products on time and to budget for the customer.
• Build ideas, support new projects and actively participate in internal and external innovation sessions.
• First point of contact for customers, building positive pro-active relationships with customer product development teams.
• Work collaboratively with cross-functional teams to ensure feasibility of products that are developed in line with company and customer strategy.
• Lead product presentations
• Work with teams to solve issues including scalability and sustainability
• Ensure product recipes meet appropriate food quality standards alongside commercial targets and within brand standards.
• Create and ensure accurate NPD paperwork.
• Ensure benchmarking is carried out accurately and comprehensively to present at internal and external presentations.
• Actively demonstrate passion for food and a good understanding of market and food trends.
• Travel to our UK manufacturing sites and customers when required.

Key Duties, Responsibilities & Accountabilities:

• Supermarket own label and food product development experience
• Food Based Degree- desirable
• Passion for food essential
• Strong customer facing experience 
• Experience in retail or FMCG development role.
• Excellent Communication Skills
• Strong planning, organisation and project management skills.
• Good analytic and numeracy skills
• Attention to detail
• Presentation skills
• Microsoft Office skills – Excel, Word, PowerPoint
• Driving licence essential

Why Join Us?

At The Compleat Food Group, we believe our people are the heart of our success. That’s why we offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your lifestyle, wellbeing and career growth:

Financial & Lifestyle Benefits:

• Salary Sacrifice Schemes – including Electric Vehicles, Home & Tech, Cycle to Work, and SMART Pension
• 33 days’ annual leave (including bank holidays) with the option to purchase extra
• Holiday Discounts via our online retail platform
• Access to enhanced retail discounts online and in-store
• Free product handouts across our sites, so you can sample and enjoy our delicious products first hand
• EV charging points – available at selected sites

Health & Wellbeing:

• 24/7 access to Grocery Aid for free financial, emotional, and practical support
• Physical Wellbeing Hub – free on-demand exercise classes, gym discounts
• Free diet & nutrition advice with access to thousands of healthy recipes
• Online wellbeing support – from mindfulness to lifestyle resources
• Financial wellbeing tools – including mortgage calculators, budgeting tools, and financial aid

Career Growth & Development:

• Access to a personalised online learning platform (LMS)
• Formal and informal training opportunities tailored to your role
• Performance Development Plans and regular Career Conversations
• Company Mentoring Scheme  to add depth and really support your career journey
• Recognition through Club Compleat rewards

Community & Culture:

• 2 paid volunteering days per year to give back to causes that matter to you
• Charity initiatives and fundraising events
• Team socials to connect and celebrate together
• Employee networks & support groups – including Women @ Compleat
• New baby gift for new parents

What You Should Know About How We Recruit

At The Compleat Food Group, we believe great teams are built on difference. We create an inclusive, respectful environment where everyone feels safe, supported, and are able to be themselves at work.

We’re proud to be an equal opportunities employer and are committed to Fairness, Equity, Inclusivity, and Respect. If you need a reasonable adjustment at any stage of our recruitment process, just let us know, we’ll support you — confidentially and with care.

We hire the best people for our roles, not the same people. Whoever you are, wherever you’re from, we focus on what you do and the impact you could make in our business. Our recruitment process is fair, accessible, and designed to give everyone an equal chance.

You’ll also find benefits that support people at every life stage, plus active internal networks — including Women @ Compleat, LGBTQIA+, and Neurodiversity