Development Technologist

Primary

Location:

MITCHAM, United Kingdom

At Solina, our community of close to 5,000 people share a passion for food and live our entrepreneurial culture.

We design customised savoury solutions for our clients operating in the food industry, food service, butchery and nutrition markets. With sustainability at the heart of our business model, we aim to produce food that is good in every sense of the word: delicious, nourishing, affordable, sustainable and convenient.

Solina is a fast-growing business, with around 50 production sites and R&D laboratories present in more than 19 countries mainly in Europe and North America.

By constantly rethinking culinary solutions, we make food matter for people and the planet.

If you’re ready for a new adventure in a dynamic, expanding, passionate, international company,
join us
!

Solina is a leading international partner to the food industry, delivering innovative ingredient solutions and food concepts across multiple categories.

At our Zafron Foods sauce manufacturing site, we specialise in creating exciting, trend‑led sauce solutions for Food service and Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) customers.

We are now looking for an enthusiastic and proactive Development Technologist to join our growing Food service & QSR team at Zafron in Mitcham, Surrey.

This is a hands‑on development role offering exposure to customer projects, product innovation, factory trials, and commercial launches. It’s an excellent opportunity for someone with FMCG or food manufacturing experience who is passionate about food, enjoys working cross‑functionally, and wants to develop their career within a fast‑paced and collaborative environment.

As a Development Technologist, you will support the successful development and delivery of new and existing products across our Food service & QSR portfolio.

Working closely with internal teams, suppliers, and customers, you’ll help bring concepts to life – from kitchen development through to production.

You’ll also play an important role in maintaining a professional, organised, and customer‑ready development environment at the Zafron Foods site.

• Support New Product Development (NPD) projects from customer brief through to launch
• Assist with Existing Product Development (EPD) and product optimisation activities
• Prepare and deliver high‑quality development samples for customers and internal stakeholders
• Support recipe scale‑up and factory trial processes
• Assist with raw material testing, ingredient evaluations, and value engineering initiatives
• Maintain accurate recipe, specification, and development data
• Support customer visits, presentations, and first production runs
• Attend customer meetings alongside NPD Lead Managers where required
• Participate in daily tasting panels and ingredient reviews
• Build strong working relationships across departments and functions
• Keep up to date with market trends, new ingredients, packaging developments, and innovation opportunities through supplier engagement and industry workshops

You’ll thrive in this role if you are:

• Curious, creative, and solutions‑focused
• Comfortable working independently in a fast‑paced environment
• Customer‑oriented with a commercial mindset
• A strong team player who builds positive relationships
• Passionate about quality and continuous improvement

• Experience with in FMCG, food manufacturing, or food development, ideally within sauce manufacturing or related categories
• Passion for food innovation and product development
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skillsyes