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Turn Your Passion for Food into Real Products
If you're passionate about food, curious about consumer trends and interested in understanding how products make it from ideas to supermarket shelves, our Food Product Development Placement Programme could be for you.
This placement has been designed to give you first-hand experience of Product Development within one of the UK's leading food businesses.
Over 12 months, you'll gain exposure to the product development process, from identifying trends and generating ideas through to recipe development, customer presentations, factory trials and product launch.
You'll work alongside experienced Product Developers, Chefs and cross-functional teams, gaining valuable insight into the commercial, technical and operational considerations required to develop successful products.
Most importantly, you'll be given real responsibility from day one, allowing you to contribute to live projects and develop your skills in a supportive environment.
What You'll Be Doing
As part of the Product Development team, you'll gain experience across a wide range of activities, including:
- Coordinating product samples and managing courier requirements to support customer requests and submissions.
- Exploring food trends and identifying new product opportunities
- Product benchmarking and competitor reviews
- Supporting recipe development and product refinement
- Supporting factory trials and product launches
- Assisting with critical path management and project coordination
- Understanding ingredient sourcing and supplier engagement
- Supporting product costings and commercial activities
- Preparing products and supporting documentation for customer presentations
- Participating in sensory evaluation sessions
- Building relationships with Technical, Commercial, Process, Procurement and Operations teams
This is predominantly an office-based Product Development role, rather than a kitchen-based Chef position.
What You'll Learn
During your placement, you'll develop knowledge and experience in:
- Product Development processes
- Ingredients and raw materials
- Food trends and consumer insight
- Nutrition and product quality
- Factory manufacturing processes
- Customer requirements and retailer expectations
- Project management
- Commercial awareness and product costings
- Cross-functional working within a food manufacturing environment
You'll gain a practical understanding of how successful food products are developed, manufactured and launched within the UK grocery market.
What’s next:
Once you have submitted your online application, it will be reviewed to ensure you meet the required criteria. If you meet all the requirements and are selected to progress, you will move on to Stages 2 and 3: an automated online video interview and online aptitude testing.
Once both stages have been completed and reviewed, successful candidates will progress to the final stage: an in-person assessment day, held at one of our sites or another designated venue.
About the Company
Following the combination with Bakkavor in January 2026, we're one of the UK's leading creators of convenience food, driven by a simple purpose: to make every day taste better.
With more than 28,000 colleagues across 36 manufacturing sites and 21 distribution depots in the UK and US, we create food for every meal occasion, from breakfast and lunch through to dinner, desserts and snacking.
Our scale means you'll have the opportunity to experience the fast-paced world of food manufacturing, working with some of the UK's biggest retailers while developing products enjoyed by millions of consumers every day.
What do you need?
What We're Looking For
We're looking for students who are genuinely excited by food, innovation and consumer products.
Degree
Currently studying a Food Science, Food Technology, Nutrition, Culinary Innovation, Hospitality or related degree programme and looking for a placement year as part of your undergraduate studies.
Passion for Food
A genuine curiosity about food, ingredients, consumer trends and innovation.
Teamwork
Experience of working effectively as part of a team through work, university or extracurricular activities.
Motivation
A desire to learn more about the food industry and explore a career within Product Development.
Personal Attributes
- Strong attention to detail
- Curiosity and willingness to learn
- Positive attitude
- Ability to take initiative
- Adaptability and resilience
Driving Licence
A full UK driving licence and access to transport is preferred, as some of our sites and suppliers may not always be readily accessible by public transport.
Right to Work
You'll need to have the right to work in the UK for the duration of the placement. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this role.
Join us and you'll get
The Support You'll Receive
We want you to succeed, so you'll be supported throughout your placement by experienced colleagues and leaders.
Line Manager
You'll work closely with an experienced manager who will provide regular feedback, coaching and development support throughout the placement.
Structured Development
You'll receive on-the-job training and gain exposure to a broad range of Product Development activities and projects.
Business Exposure
You'll work with colleagues from across Technical, Commercial, Operations, Procurement and Process teams, helping you build a strong understanding of the wider business.
Future Opportunities
Successful placement students may be considered for future opportunities within Greencore, including direct-entry roles or places on our Graduate Programme.
Where Could It Take You?
This placement is designed to provide a strong foundation for a future career in Product Development.
By the end of the placement, you'll have gained valuable experience within a fast-paced food manufacturing environment, developed a deeper understanding of Product Development, and built skills that will support your future career.
Whether your next step is returning to university or applying for one of our Graduate Programmes, you'll leave with practical experience and industry knowledge that will help set you apart.
If you're passionate about food and excited by the idea of developing products enjoyed by consumers across the UK, we'd love to hear from you.
What’s next:
Once you have submitted your online application, it will be reviewed to ensure you meet the required criteria. If you meet all the requirements and are selected to progress, you will move on to Stages 2 and 3: an automated online video interview and online aptitude testing.
Once both stages have been completed and reviewed, successful candidates will progress to the final stage: an in-person assessment day, held at one of our sites or another designated venue.
