Senior Ripener


Company:	D R Newitt
Salary:	£30,000 to £35,000 a year
Hours:	Full-time
Location:	Tonbridge
Working pattern:	On-site
Job type:	Permanent
Posting date:	10 Sept 2026
Closing date:	10 Oct 2026

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Summary

Senior Ripener / Ripening Specialist – Fresh Produce

Near Tonbridge, Kent

£35,000 per annum

Full-time, Permanent

About the Role

A leading fresh produce supplier based near Tonbridge is seeking an experienced Senior Ripener to join their state-of-the-art facility.

Working with high-volume, global produce lines year-round, you will lead daily ripening operations, manage stock flow, and use technical expertise to ensure fruit meets exact retail, wholesale, and foodservice quality specifications. This is a key position where your technical decision-making directly impacts quality, yield, and waste reduction.

Key Responsibilities

• Ripening & Stock Management: Plan, manage, and optimise ripening rooms to meet customer volume, spec, and timing requirements.

• Quality Control: Assess fruit condition and maturity using pressure, dry matter, grading, sugar levels, and visual checks. Adjust cycles according to variety, origin, season, and stock age.

• Team Guidance: Act as a senior technical contact on site, guiding and mentoring junior Ripeners, and escalating issues to senior management when necessary.

• Cross-Departmental Communication: Collaborate daily with Production, Technical, Commercial, and Procurement teams regarding stock availability, quality risks, and operational priorities.

• Process & Compliance: Monitor and calibrate equipment, maintain audit-ready BRC, hygiene, and traceability records, and support continuous improvement/yield trials.

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