Our client is the UK’s most popular coffee shop business and in 2015 was ranked 8th in the ‘Sunday Times Best 25 Companies to work for’ awards. The brand is available in 29 countries, across a range of direct ownership, franchise, joint venture and wholesale propositions. The business has achieved double digit growth in teh last three years, most recently hitting an incredible 18%. The UK is its primary market, where growth remains strong, but equally the performance of international franchise is highly respectable. It is investing significantly to drive future growth of the brand, and has publicly identified that this includes, crucially, Food and Beverage innovation.
- Location: South East
- Salary: Excellent, with a robust broader package.
The main purpose of the role
- Strategic leadership and coordination of innovation in food, beverages, format and packaging.
- Strategic leadership and delivery of the offer development for new store format innovation.
- Leadership of the global beverage innovation agenda.
- Oversee global F&B governance, NPD guiderails and innovation best practice.
Key tasts and accountabilities
The strategic leadership of successful innovation in food, beverage and packaging:
- Network and scan external environment to bring in outside expertise and innovation in the F&B category.
- Identify and apply global F&B trends and leading competitor activity to all developments.
- Connect food innovation across the world ensuring best practice is leveraged into all markets.
The strategic leadership of offer development for new store format innovation:
- Lead the development of the offer
- Bakery and fresh food category development.
- Partner buying, supply chain, kit suppliers & store construction to recommend balance of supply & cook in-store to deliver profitable concepts for both types of location.
- Identify and evaluate partners, suppliers and hub kitchen food possibilities.
- Develop hero ranges, visual food merchandising and price principles.
- Develop service/ops standards.
- Understand supply chain value.
- Develop food rules and cook planning to manage waste/labour in-store including H&S and food hygiene.
- Develop category strategy, range recommendations and operational standards against a global beverage portfolio strategy.
The leadership of the global technical beverage innovation agenda and governance:
- Lead cross-functional team to secure a pipeline of coffee innovation.
- Consult and coordinate adherence to brand standards on consumer-at-home product if secondary partner required.
Build the global hub for F&B governance, NPD guiderails and innovation best practice:
- Support governance process and evaluation of requested changes from brand standards and taste profiles.
- Ensure innovation incorporates CSR credentials required.
The individual - ideal candidate
- Good food science or commercial based degree.
- Knowledge of international F&B legislation and health & safety regulations.
- Expert knowledge of ambient and fresh F&B development and management in the service industry.
- Excellent knowledge and understanding of a retail/hospitality proposition – creating menu assortment, product specification, food presentation and display, category management.
- Expert level of understanding of how to deliver effective execution and innovation in a multi-site, branded environment.
- Good level of understanding of global out-of-home F&B consumption trends, best practices and operating models.
- It would be desirable if the individual enjoyed membership of F&B industry forums and bodies.
If you have the skills and experience and are looking for a new challenge, we would be delighted to discuss this opportunity further.