Rachel Johns
Working as: PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT TECHNOLOGIST for Heinz Wattie's
Age: 28
Earning: $45,000 - $55,000
In a nutshell: “I develop new canned food products for the New Zealand and Australian market. The kind of products I’m involved with are Baked Beans, Spaghetti, canned meals and desserts.”
Why food technology?
“ The variety that is involved with the job. The job involves working with a wide variety of people and every project has a different challenge.”
Initially I thought I’d be a Nutritionist until I found information about the Food Technology degree at Massey University. My father worked in the food industry and he found that most people highly recommended the Food Technology degree as a great career starting point.
The Food Technology degree at Massey University was a challenge. It is hard work, but the more I studied the more I enjoyed it.
In the last year of the degree we had to do a Major Project. My project was to develop a new product; a Cranberry & Apricot Muesli Bar for Tuckatime Cookie Company. At the end of the year they launched it onto the market and it sold really well.
My job
 My current job is to develop new canned food products for the New Zealand and Australian markets. Some of the projects I’ve worked on are Creamed Rice (in Banana, Caramel and Strawberry flavours), Big Eat pasta sauces and Macaroni Cheese.
It’s definitely a creative and challenging job – I create new food products, new processes to get the food into the can or pouch, and new ways to get the product to the market faster.
A typical day at work is something like this:
8 – 9am: Emails, queries, quick issues that can be solved, requesting information from suppliers, writing recipes, approving ingredient specifications, checking information on new proposed labels.
9 – 12am: Writing a feasibility report and calculating the estimated cost of a new proposed product and discussing it with relevant people in the business.
1 – 2pm: Meeting – to update marketing on project progress.
2 – 5pm: Making a sample in the laboratory or pilot plant.
Lessons and challenges
On the technical side of things, I’ve had to learn:
· How to get large chunky vegetables to suspend in sauce in a large kettle without settling to the bottom
· How to prevent corn soup burning in a pouch while cooking
· How to get pasta from the other side of the world to New Zealand on time, to trial and then to commercial production.
Communicating with people is very important in this job - you need to like and be able to work with people.
One of the most challenging projects I have had was developing new products for Heinz Korea. We had two Korean Food Technologists come over to New Zealand and it was my job to look after them, train them and introduce them to New Zealand life. It was exciting having to not only manage a large number of new products, but also work with people from a different culture.
Life outside work
Outside work I’m involved in sport, youth work and event organising.
My advice for others considering food technology?
Go for it!! Make it easier by doing as much at High School as possible - take physics, chemistry, calculus, stats and either English, computers or a language.
(Profile courtesy of Futureintech – www.futureintech.com).
 Back to the top
|
 |
 |
Real people talk about their jobs in food science, technology & engineering (courtesy of Futureintech: www.futureintech.com):
  Simon Loveday, Food Research Scientist for The Riddet Institute, Palmerston North.
 Wendy Robinson, Senior Food Technologist for NZ's largest ice cream manufacturer, Tip Top Ice-Cream, Auckland.
 Harriet Gibbs, Process Manager for multinational dairy processor Fonterra, Edendale, Southland.
 Bronwyn Hawker, Food Technologist with innovative beverage manufacturer Frucor, Auckland.
 Michelle Lucke, Process Improvement Technologist for prepared foods manufacturer, Heinz Watties, Tomoana, Hastings.
 Ben Sutherland, Product Development Technologist for healthy snack manufacturer Mother Earth Foods, Auckland.
 Anna Smith, Development Technologist for milk and dairy foods processor Fonterra Brands NZ.
 Melanie Wong, Food technologist/QA Manager for meat processor and exporter ANZCO Foods Green Island, near Dunedin.
 Rachel Johns, Product Development Technologist for iconic prepared foods manufacturer Heinz Wattie's, Hastings.
 John Evans, Operations Manager for drinks manufacturer Phoenix Organics, Auckland.
 Penny Hosking, Technical Manager for buttercup squash processor and exporter Southmark Quality Foods, Hastings.
 Emily Choi, Product Development Technologist for prepared foods manufacturer Heinz Wattie's, Hastings.
 Tracey Petley-Hibbs, Process Technologist for sweetmaker, Nestlé Confectionery, Auckland.
 Andrew Hutton, Product Development Technologist for prepared foods manufacturer Heinz Wattie's, Hastings.
 Debbie Curtis, Chocolate Technologist for international chocolatemaker, Cadbury, Dunedin.
 Jonelle Taylor, Senior Product Development Technologist for Fresh 'n' Fruity yoghurt manufacturer Fonterra Brands, Auckland.
 Yvette Temple, Senior Product Developer for biscuit manufacturer Griffins, Auckland.
More profiles of careers in food technology at Futureintech: www.futureintech.com. | |
|
 |
|
| |
