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Soft Fruit Quality Controller (Packhouse)
This role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship - the successful applicant will need to have a pre-existing Right to Work in the UK in order to be offered an employment contract.
Are you detail-oriented with a passion for ensuring top-quality fresh produce reaches UK retailers?
Do you thrive in a fast-paced packhouse environment and have experience in soft fruit or fresh produce quality control?
Are you motivated by the challenge of maintaining high standards while working with a diverse team in peak season?
Location of the Job:
Staffordshire (Packhouse-based)
Salary and Benefits Package:
- 35,000 - 37,000 per year, dependent on experience
- Permanent, full-time role with overtime opportunities during peak season
- Company pension scheme
- Training and development support
- Opportunity to work with leading UK supermarkets and premium-quality fresh produce
Additional Information:
- Full-time role, averaging 48+ hours per week
- Shifts include early mornings, evenings, weekends, and bank holidays, particularly May-October (peak season)
- Work is based in a packhouse environment with cold storage areas (1-8C)
About the Company:
Our client is a well-established fresh produce grower and packer, supplying premium soft fruit to major UK and international retailers. With over 20 years' experience, they combine traditional farming values with sustainable practices and modern technology to deliver consistent quality. Each season, their multicultural team helps to harvest and pack over 6,000 tonnes of berries.
Soft Fruit Quality Controller - The Job Role Details:
As a Quality Controller, you will play a vital role in ensuring that all fruit packed meets customer specifications, food safety standards, and internal quality requirements. You will be responsible for spotting defects, preventing non-conforming products from being dispatched, and maintaining robust traceability records.
Soft Fruit Quality Controller - Key Responsibilities:
- Perform detailed quality checks on incoming and packed soft fruit (predominantly strawberries and raspberries)
- Monitor key attributes such as size, firmness, colour, bloom, and absence of defects or contaminants
- Verify compliance with supermarket protocols (e.g. Tesco, M&S, Waitrose, Lidl) and food safety standards (BRCGS, HACCP, Red Tractor)
- Conduct pre-start line checks and monitor ongoing product quality during packing runs
- Ensure labels, punnets, and outer cases match customer specifications
- Quarantine and document non-conforming product or packaging issues
- Use digital monitoring systems and upload photographic evidence in real-time
- Liaise with Line Leaders, Engineers, and Technologists to resolve quality issues and escalate where necessary
- Maintain accurate QC records to support internal reviews and external audits
- Participate in third-party audits, traceability exercises, and recall simulations
- Identify opportunities for process improvement and mentor junior QC staff
Soft Fruit Quality Controller - Ideal Person Skills & Qualifications:
You will have/be:
- Strong attention to detail and sensory evaluation skills
- Understanding of soft fruit physiology and post-harvest handling
- Knowledge of quality systems and digital data entry tools
- Confidence in interpreting supermarket specification documents
- Able to work under pressure in a high-throughput cold-chain environment
- Good written and verbal communication skills
- Food Safety Level 2 or 3 qualification (required)
- Previous experience in fresh produce packhouse QC (preferred)
- Familiarity with QMS platforms desirable
How to Apply:
Please click on the "apply now" button.
The Industry (Key Words):
Quality Control, Soft Fruit, Packhouse, Fresh Produce, Food Safety, HACCP, BRC, Supermarket Standards, Quality Assurance, Food Manufacturing, Technical, Agriculture.
We thank all applicants who apply for this role. However, please be advised that only those shortlisted for an interview will be contacted. Be assured that your application will be managed in complete confidence, and your personal details will not be passed to any third party without your prior permission.
About Us:
Established in 2013, Agricultural and Farming Jobs provide outstanding recruitment, head-hunting, and job advertising services. We are the trusted recruitment partner of choice to industry-leading organisations across the UK and internationally. We recruit specifically for roles across agriculture, farming, horticulture, food and fresh produce, veterinary, animal health, agrochemicals, machinery, technical and engineering, and specialist education.
