Senior Ripener

drnewitt.vincere.io; Tonbridge; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Modern facility

Career development

Job summary

Unknown is seeking a Senior Ripener / Ripening Specialist to lead daily ripening operations near Tonbridge, Kent. The role involves managing stock flow, ensuring fruit meets exact retail, wholesale, and foodservice quality specs, and using technical expertise to reduce waste and improve yield.

Responsibilities include optimizing ripening rooms, quality assessment, mentoring junior staff, cross-department collaboration, and maintaining audit-ready records in a state-of-the-art facility.

Qualifications

• Proven practical experience within fresh produce, commercial fruit ripening, or food manufacturing.
• Strong understanding of fruit behaviour across origins, seasons, and varieties.
• Data-driven to plan stock flow, manage room utilisation, and minimise waste.
• Clear communicator capable of mentoring staff and upholding strict food safety, BRC, and H&S standards.

Responsibilities

• Ripening & Stock Management: Plan, manage, and optimise ripening rooms to meet customer volume, spec, and timing requirements.
• Quality Control: Assess fruit condition and maturity using pressure, dry matter, grading, sugar levels, and visual checks.
• Team Guidance: Act as a senior technical contact on site, guiding and mentoring junior Ripeners, and escalating issues to senior management when necessary.
• Cross-Departmental Communication: Collaborate daily with Production, Technical, Commercial, and Procurement teams regarding stock availability, quality risks, and operational priorities.
• Process & Compliance: Monitor and calibrate equipment, maintain audit-ready BRC, hygiene, and traceability records, and support continuous improvement/yield trials.

Skills

Industry experience

Technical knowledge

Data & decision-making

Leadership & standards

Job description

Senior Ripener / Ripening Specialist – Fresh Produce

Near Tonbridge, Kent

£35,000 per annum

Full-time, Permanent

About the Role

A leading fresh produce supplier based near Tonbridge is seeking an experienced Senior Ripener to join their state-of-the-art facility.

Working with high-volume, global produce lines year-round, you will lead daily ripening operations, manage stock flow, and use technical expertise to ensure fruit meets exact retail, wholesale, and foodservice quality specifications. This is a key position where your technical decision-making directly impacts quality, yield, and waste reduction.

Key Responsibilities

• Ripening & Stock Management: Plan, manage, and optimise ripening rooms to meet customer volume, spec, and timing requirements.
• Quality Control: Assess fruit condition and maturity using pressure, dry matter, grading, sugar levels, and visual checks. Adjust cycles according to variety, origin, season, and stock age.
• Team Guidance: Act as a senior technical contact on site, guiding and mentoring junior Ripeners, and escalating issues to senior management when necessary.
• Cross-Departmental Communication: Collaborate daily with Production, Technical, Commercial, and Procurement teams regarding stock availability, quality risks, and operational priorities.
• Process & Compliance: Monitor and calibrate equipment, maintain audit-ready BRC, hygiene, and traceability records, and support continuous improvement/yield trials.

Your Skills & Experience

• Industry Experience: Proven practical experience within fresh produce, commercial fruit ripening, or food manufacturing.
• Technical Knowledge: Strong understanding of fruit behaviour across different origins, seasons, and varieties.
• Data & Decision-Making: Confident using data to plan stock flow, manage room utilisation, and minimise waste while maximising shelf life.
• Leadership & Standards: Clear communicator capable of mentoring staff and upholding strict food safety, BRC, and H&S standards.

Benefits

• Competitive salary of £35,000
• Opportunity to work in a newly invested, modern facility
• Long-term career development within a stable, growing industry sector