Skills shortages could threaten Mothers Day chocolate boom - 27th February 08

Despite a spring-time boom on the back of Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, skills chiefs are warning that the UK’s confectionery industry could face an uncertain future.

Around £55 million is spent on chocolates each year for Mother’s Day, with approximately 4 million people buying a box for their mum*. However, according to Improve, the food and drink sector skills council, a shortage of food scientists and technologists could mean that in years to come, consumers will be forced to buy more and more chocolate from abroad - at the expense of the UK’s £5.2 billion confectionery industry.

At present, one in four vacancies for food scientists and technologists in the food and drink manufacturing sector in the UK are unfilled - a shortage of more than 2,000 qualified professionals.

Jack Matthews, chief executive of Improve, warns that growing demand for food scientists and technologists means the shortage could become a long-term problem. “Present projections suggest that the food scientist shortage is not just a temporary blip,” he explained. “Unless new recruits are attracted to the industry, the situation will not improve.

“Although companies are filling their essential food hygiene and safety positions, they’re struggling to fill other vacancies. This is having a real impact in new product development (NPD), which is hugely important in the confectionery industry. It’s the NPD teams that ensure products respond to consumer demand, whether it’s coming up with indulgent new chocolate varieties, or finding natural replacements for artificial additives.

“With the pace of change and innovation in the industry, UK companies will fall behind in the global market if they cannot keep up with, or better, the new ideas being pioneered elsewhere.”

Mr Matthews continued: “Working in food technology is exciting, challenging and rewarding – senior technologists in the confectionery industry can demand salaries of up to £65,000. Unfortunately though, the food and drink industry suffers from a poor image with many people wrongly believing that it only offers low-paid, low-skilled jobs. This means most young people simply have no idea what opportunities are available.”

Chocolatier Vikki Geall is a walking advert for food technologists. She is part of the NPD team at Thorntons, where she’s responsible for creating the boxed sets of chocolates that have been flying off the shelves in time for Mother’s Day.

Vikki, 31, thinks she has the perfect job and believes she is in an industry ideally suited to anyone with creative flair and a genuine interest in food. “I was never keen on science at school,” she explained. “In fact, I already had a place at Art College when I took a summer job at Thorntons. I started work in the hand-made department and I loved it so much I never left.”

After moving into NPD seven years ago, Vikki has undertaken extensive training to equip her for the role, including a foundation degree in food science and nutrition.

“Despite my aversion to science as a teenager, I very much enjoy learning about the science theory behind the practical work I do,” said Vikki. “I also love the creative side of the job – developing new recipes, trying out different raw materials and investigating natural alternatives. Because the industry never stands still, there are always new and exciting challenges in developing products. For example, we have recently removed all hydrogenated fats from our chocolates, so spent time working to find alternatives that don’t compromise the taste or shelf-life.”

Vikki is keen to recommend the job: “Of course, getting paid to taste chocolate is a bonus, but I think working in new product development would be fantastic whatever branch of food manufacture you are involved in. It’s exciting being at the cutting edge of such a fast-moving sector and working to identify, and respond to, industry trends. The sector is crying out for bright young people and there are massive opportunities.”

Although Vikki’s career path clearly demonstrates that food science and technology positions can be obtained by anyone with sufficient drive and determination, the most direct route is by undertaking a degree in food science or related subjects. Improve is working with universities in Wales to develop a Food Science and Technology conversion course at Masters level, which will offer graduates with a generic science degree a stepping stone into the industry. It’s hoped the scheme will eventually be rolled out across the UK.

For further information about working as a food scientist or technologist, and other opportunities in the food and drink industry, visit www.improveltd.co.uk.