NPD Technologist Apprenticeship (Food Technologist Level 3)

Kinnerton Confectionery; Fakenham; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 33,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday + bank holidays

4% employer pension contribution

Life Assurance x4 salary

Health Care Cash Plan via Paycare

Job summary

Kinnerton Confectionery in Fakenham is offering an NPD Technologist Apprentice role within our busy NPD team. You will help bring innovative chocolate and confectionery concepts to life for major retailers and brands like NOMO and Kinnerton Kids.

The formal learning will be delivered by Lincoln University Centre of Food Manufacturing. Youll work 37.5 hours weekly with a starting salary and clear progression to £33,000 on successful completion.

Qualifications

• GCSE English and Maths grade 4 (or equivalent) required.
• Interest in food manufacturing and chocolate product development.
• Practical experience in confectionery manufacturing beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Support development of new confectionery products for NOMO, Kinnerton Kids and retailer ranges.
• Assist projects from concept to launch and post-launch review.
• Participate in factory trials, product testing and sensory evaluations.
• Collaborate with Production, Technical, Quality, Procurement, Commercial and Marketing teams.
• Learn how product development balances creativity, safety, quality, cost and capability.
• Review customer feedback, market insights and retailer requirements.

Skills

Strong organisational

Time management

Good communication

Willingness to learn

MS Office proficient

Education

GCSE English & Maths (grade 4)

Food Technologist Level 3 Apprenticeship

Tools

MS Office (Outlook, Word, Excel)

Job description

Kinnerton Confectionery, Fakenham NR21 8AF

Have you ever picked up a chocolate advent calendar, a NOMO bar or a seasonal chocolate gift and wondered how it got from an idea on to a retailer's store? At Kinnerton Confectionery, our NPD team are at the heart of the business, creating exciting new products that delight customers across the UK. As our NPD Technologist Apprentice, you' ll play a hands‑on role in bringing innovative chocolate and confectionery concepts to life for major retailers and award‑winning brands like NOMO and Kinnerton Kids.

Have you ever picked up a chocolate advent calendar, a NOMO bar or a seasonal chocolate gift and wondered how it got from an idea on to a retailer's store? At Kinnerton Confectionery, our NPD team are at the heart of the business, creating exciting new products that delight customers across the UK. As our NPD Technologist Apprentice, you' ll play a hands‑on role in bringing innovative chocolate and confectionery concepts to life for major retailers and award‑winning brands like NOMO and Kinnerton Kids.

The formal learning part of your apprenticeship will be delivered by Lincoln University Centre of Food Manufacturing. Review more about the course here https//www.lincoln.ac.uk/course/finteca3/

Position type Temporary for the duration of the Apprenticeship (28 months)

Hours 37.5

Shift Pattern Monday - Friday, 0830 - 1630

Key Benefits Earn while you learn on a starting salary of £24,784.76, with earning potential to increase up to £33,000 following successful completion of apprenticeship, Health care cash plan via Paycare

Start Date October 2026

Advert Closing Date 07/09/2026

• Support the development of exciting new confectionery products for NOMO, Kinnerton Kids and retailer-branded ranges
• Assist with projects from initial concept through to launch and post-launch review
• Participate in factory trials, product testing and sensory evaluations
• Work closely with Production, Technical, Quality, Procurement, Commercial and Marketing teams
• Learn how product development balances creativity, food safety, quality, manufacturing capability and cost
• Help review customer feedback, market insights, retailer requirements and industry trends
• Assist with product specifications, project documentation and data analysis
• Attend apprenticeship learning blocks and successfully complete all coursework and assessments

In this role, you won' t just observe, you' ll be contributing to real product development projects that end up on retailer shelves across the UK. You' ll learn

• How new confectionery products are developed, tested and launched
• How ingredients, recipes and manufacturing processes influence product quality and performance
• What different teams across a food manufacturing business do
• How customer feedback, retailer requirements and product performance influence future innovation
• How successful products progress from an initial idea to a finished product in store
• You'll gain exposure to the entire product development lifecycle while building relationships with teams across the business and learning from experienced food technologists and product developers.
• GCSE English Maths at Grade 4 (previously C)
• A genuine interest in food manufacturing and chocolate product development
• Strong organisational and time management skills
• Good communication skills and a willingness to learn
• Confidence using Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Word and Excel
• Ability to travel to Lincoln for residential study blocks throughout the apprenticeship (accommodation provided by Kinnerton)
• Food Technologist Level 3 Apprenticeship qualification
• Practical experience within a leading confectionery manufacturer
• Mentoring from experienced NPD and packaging professionals
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays (33 days in total)
• 4% employer pension contribution
• Life Assurance x4 basic salary
• Health Care Cash Plan via Paycare (Dental, Optical, Chiropody, Professional Therapy, Counselling cover), along with access to Paycare Perks for exclusive high street and retailer discounts.
• Excellent career development opportunities within food innovation

Based at our Fakenham site, you' ll join a creative NPD team responsible for developing exciting confectionery products and packaging solutions supplied to major UK retailers.

Kinnerton Confectionery is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process.