My food & drink job: Emily Lui, senior technical project lead, Suntory

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Emily Lui

Name: Emily Lui

Age: 27

Job title: Senior technical project lead

Company & location: Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I, Uxbridge

Education: Food Science and Nutrition at University of Reading

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? One week I wanted to be a doctor, the next a dentist and then the next a baker, and then I’d bounce around again.

Why did you decide to go for a career in food & drink? I’ve always had a genuine interest in food, whether it was cooking, exploring unique new flavours, or simply enjoying a good meal. That curiosity sparked my interest into understanding how these products go from concept to creation and end up in our kitchens.

Explain your job to us in a sentence (or two): As a technical project lead, I act as the bridge between R&D and cross-functional teams, offering a technical perspective to ideas that can be brought to life. I work to make sure both new and existing innovations are delivered successfully and on time, from initially scoping out the project all the way to scale up and launch.

“Getting involved in different areas helps you build a broad set of skills, and you might be surprised by how much value your unique perspective can bring”

What does a typical day look like for you? One day I might be in meetings with cross-functional teams, reviewing timelines, flagging risks or making sure everything is technically feasible for upcoming projects. On other days, I could be at a manufacturing site overseeing a production run or trial of a new product, or in the lab with the NPD team, tasting new creations. It’s such a varied mix of tasks throughout the day and I love seeing the full journey of our drinks from inception to launch.

Tell us how you went about applying for your job: Before I got my current role, I was already working in Suntory within the product development team, which I really enjoyed – especially the hands-on work in the lab. Having worked closely with technical project leads in that role, I was really inspired by the way they connected with different teams and drove projects forward. So, when this role came up, it felt like a natural and exciting next step.

Ribena 2025

When I shared my interest in the role, my then manager was incredibly supportive. I went through the interview process, sharing examples that demonstrated not only my technical knowledge, but also some of the key soft skills like communication and collaboration which is necessary to achieving cross-functional success.

What’s the best part about working for a food & drink company? Seeing the drinks I’ve helped bring to life being enjoyed out in the real world, whether it’s spotting someone with one on the street or seeing it on shelves. It always gives me a real sense of pride and reward, especially when working with such iconic and historic brands in the UK.

And of course, the people make a huge difference. I’m lucky to work with such a diverse and talented team – everyone brings something unique to the table, but we’re all united by the same purpose: to create rich experiences for our consumers.

And what’s the biggest misconception people have about working in food & drink? One of the biggest misconceptions is that creating a drink is simple. People often think it’s just a matter of switching up the flavours and ingredients to call it new.

In reality, it’s a complex process that can go on for a year or sometimes more. It involves extensive trend analysis to ensure the product is relevant for the market, rounds and rounds of testing and regulatory considerations, stability trials, scale-up discussions and constant collaboration with suppliers and customers. There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes.

What advice would you give to other young people looking to get into the food & drink industry? The food and drink industry is incredibly diverse, with so many different roles involved – regardless of your background, there’s likely a role right for you. Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone and try something different.

Getting involved in different areas helps you build a broad set of skills, and you might be surprised by how much value your unique perspective can bring. Every experience adds to your understanding and can open up many new opportunities.

What’s your ultimate career dream? Ice cream has always been my favourite food, whatever the season, so my ultimate dream is to create my own range of ice creams using the various flavours which I have encountered on my food crawls – then share these amazing flavours from around the world with others.