A RARE opportunity to inspire new products by Scotland’s leading ice cream and chocolate brand beckons with the creation of a new role.
Sweet-toothed graduates are being invited to apply for the NPD (new product development) Coordinator position at Mackie’s of Scotland’s Aberdeenshire farm, Westertown.
The successful applicant will be tasked with testing and devising new flavour combinations, sauces and innovations within Mackie’s busy NPD kitchen, which has been responsible for creating some of the country’s best-loved sweet treats.
Kirstin McNutt, Development Director with Mackie’s of Scotland, said: “There is a real magic to NPD – where the possibilities are only limited by what tasty treats you can think up and make.
“The kitchen is the creative heart of the ice cream and chocolate elements of our business. We are really excited at the prospect of a new member joining our small NPD team.
“While you have to love sweet treats and be incredibly passionate about food, there is a very serious side to a role like this and we need somebody that can balance their creativity and passion with a thorough and analytical mind.”
Part of the Opportunity North East (ONE) Graduate into Business initiative, the role will be full-time for a 12 month term, with the hope that it will develop into a permanent position.
As well as the practical development of new products, there will be a vital technical and analytical element of the job – crucial for ensuring the products that hit supermarket shelves or freezer aisles have the best chance of becoming long-term favourites.
Part of this will see the new recruit work closely with the Mackie’s 19.2 parlour team in Marischal Square, Aberdeen, to develop products and project manage trials of new recipes through direct consumer testing within the parlour environment.
Over the years the NPD kitchen has inspired more than 100 products. The family farm makes more than 12 million litres of ice cream a year, supplying all major supermarkets in the UK and exporting their most popular flavours, Traditional and Honeycomb, to Asia.
The fourth-generation farm is a working dairy – where Mackie’s makes ice cream using fresh milk and cream from its own herd. The company’s “sky to scoop” ethos sees it create everything from milk to its packaging on site, powered predominantly by renewable energy – via four wind turbines, a 10-acre solar farm and a biomass energy plant.
The role will be 37.5 hours per week with competitive pay and perks, including becoming part of Mackie’s profit-share scheme.
Requests for more information on the NPD Coordinator role and submissions of applications with a CV and covering letter should be sent to mackies@mackie’s.co.uk with the deadline for applications Friday 10 December.
