Senior Ripening Specialist — Lead Fruit Quality & Yield

D R Newitt & Associates; Tonbridge and Malling; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Modern facility

Long-term career development

Job summary

D R Newitt & Associates is seeking a Senior Ripener to join our fresh produce operation near Tonbridge, Kent. You will lead daily ripening operations, manage stock flow, and apply technical expertise to ensure fruit meets precise retail, wholesale, and foodservice specifications.

You will drive stock planning, monitor room utilisation, and work cross-functionally with Production, Technical, Commercial, and Procurement teams to minimise waste and maximise shelf life.

Qualifications

• Experience in fresh produce, fruit ripening, or food manufacturing.
• Strong understanding of fruit behaviour across origins, seasons and varieties.
• Confident using data to plan stock flow and minimise waste while maximising shelf life.
• Clear communicator capable of mentoring staff and upholding food safety standards (BRC, H&S).

Responsibilities

• Ripening & Stock Management: Plan, manage, and optimise ripening rooms to meet volume, spec, and timing.
• Quality Control: Assess fruit condition and maturity; adjust cycles by variety, origin, season, and stock age.
• Team Guidance: Mentor junior Ripeners and escalate issues to senior management.
• Cross-Departmental Communication: Liaise daily with Production, Technical, Commercial and Procurement teams on stock, quality risks and priorities.
• Process & Compliance: Calibrate equipment; maintain audit-ready records for hygiene and traceability; support yield improvement.

Skills

Fresh produce experience

Data-driven decision making

Leadership & mentoring

Food safety & BRC/H&S

Job description

D R Newitt & Associates is seeking a Senior Ripener to join our fresh produce operation near Tonbridge, Kent. You will lead daily ripening operations, manage stock flow, and apply technical expertise to ensure fruit meets precise retail, wholesale, and foodservice specifications.

You will drive stock planning, monitor room utilisation, and work cross-functionally with Production, Technical, Commercial, and Procurement teams to minimise waste and maximise shelf life.