Production Operator Advanced - Meals

apetito; Trowbridge; Hybrid; GBP 38,396,000 - 39,543,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Living Wage employer

25 days holiday

Discretionary annual bonus

Pension scheme

Life assurance

Subsidised canteen

Free parking

Christmas turkey voucher

Perkbox

Job summary

apetito is recruiting for a production operative in Trowbridge, Wiltshire. The role involves assembling vegetables and potato products on a production line, weighing items to minimise waste, and maintaining hygiene on the line. Training to cover multiple positions within the department is provided.

Working hours are 14:00–22:00, Monday to Friday, on a 40-hour week. The role offers a competitive hourly rate (£13.80 from May 2026) plus bonus and benefits and is not sponsorship‑eligible under UK

Qualifications

• Suitable for a hands-on production environment.
• Experience in food handling is desirable.
• Able to work Monday to Friday, 14:00–22:00 and maintain a 40-hour week.

Responsibilities

• Load vegetables/potato products using scoop or by hand.
• Place items on the production line with care.
• Weigh items to keep waste to a minimum.
• Clear and reset line areas, maintaining cleanliness.
• Assist with multi-portion lines at required speeds.

Skills

Teamwork

Positive attitude

Willingness to learn

Job description

£13.40 per hour (£13.80 from 1st May 2026) + Bonus + Benefits

• Location: UK-Wiltshire-Trowbridge |
• Contract type: Permanent (Full-Time) |

Overview

The Meals department are keen to promote excellent team work by employing people who have a positive attitude, who are prepared to learn a number of skills so that they are able to work in various positions within the department. By achieving this, the department is in the best position to produce quality products, in an efficient manner. We aim to not only achieve our targets but improve on them as well.

The working hours for this position are Monday to Friday 14.00 – 22.00 on a 40 hour week.

£13.80 per hour + Shift allowance + Bonus + Benefits

Who we are

apetito is the UK’s leading food supplier to the health and social care sectors serving more than 1,300 care homes, health care and education settings.

Our meals are expertly crafted by our dieticians and chefs, and then frozen to lock in the goodness.

Wiltshire Farm Foods, our sister company, is the UK’s largest ready meal supplier cooking and delivering over 330 different delicious frozen ready meals across the UK.

Responsibilities

General Tasks:

• Putting in vegetables/potato products- for most products this is done with a scoop but some done by hand
• Hand placing items up to a total of 3 – 4 on a line
• Correcting ‘weights’ to keep waste to a minimum
• Changes overs- help ensure they are efficient. Empty bins and waste tubs and replace with clean ones, clean area around the line
• It is also expected that people in this role are able to ‘weigh’ on the multi-portion and twin portion line at the required speed

Quality:

• Finished (assembled) products must be right first time.
• Inform the person running the line if you think there is a potential issue with the quality of the product

Hygiene:

• Follow correct personal hygiene procedures
• Operate to a clean (and tidy) as you go policy
• Carry out efficient and effective clean downs when changing over products

Health & Safety:

• Work in a safe manner at all times
• Follow safe working practices
• Assist if required with risk assessments
• Report any accidents or dangerous occurrences

About you

Desirable:

• Experience of food safety
• Working in a production environment

This role is not eligible for sponsorship under the skilled worker route as it does not meet the minimumrequirements set out under the UK Immigration Rules.

Company Benefits

• Competitive salary – accredited Living Wage employer
• 25 days holiday per year, plus bank holidays
• Option to purchase up to 5 additional days holiday per year
• Discretionary annual bonus scheme
• Pension scheme - employer matched contributions up to 4%
• Life assurance scheme worth at least 1x annual salary
• Subsidised canteen
• Free parking
• Free turkey or voucher at Christmas
• Access to employee benefits including Perkbox with salary sacrifice options and retail discounts

Our Values

As a family-owned business, we take great pride in being a company that makes a real difference and is dedicated to creating outstanding meals to be proud of.

We develop a range of products designed to enhance health and well-being for all our customers.

We are driven by a passion for service and dedicated to feeding some of the UK’s most vulnerable people.

We proudly support British food and farming, focusing on using the best ethical and sustainable produce in alignment with our goal to reach Net Zero by 2040.

Our ethical standards are recognised by the ETI and we are an accredited Living Wage employer.

Learn more about apetito’s commitment to a more sustainable future .

We embrace inclusion, empowering individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Our commitment to making a real difference extends to customers, communities, and staff and we're on a mission to build an inclusive workplace where everyone reaches their full potential.