My food & drink job: Harry Neave, NPD technologist, Nomo

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Harry Neave Head Shot

Name: Harry Neave

Age: 22

Job title: NPD technologist

Company & location: Nomo – Kinnerton Confectionery in Norfolk

Education: Food technology at University of Lincoln

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Honestly, I never knew what I wanted to be when I grew up, I was always changing my mind. The only constant was that I really enjoyed design at school, but beyond that there was never just one clear answer.

Why did you decide to go for a career in food & drink? I came across the job completely by accident while I was looking for apprenticeships. It wasn’t something I had planned at all, but once I found out more about the role and the industry, I realised how exciting and fast-paced it was. It quickly went from being a lucky find to something I genuinely wanted to build a career in.

“Doing an apprenticeship is a great way to get started. It gives you hands-on experience and a real idea of how the food industry works as a whole”

Explain your job to us in a sentence (or two): I’m an NPD technologist at Kinnerton, which basically means I help develop and launch new products. A big part of my role is factory trials, testing out recipes and processes to make sure new ideas can work on a larger scale, and then seeing them through to launch, which is extremely rewarding when the product finally ends up on shelves.

What does a typical day look like for you? A typical day for me usually involves attending development meetings, discussing new product ideas and planning next steps with the team. I also spend time supporting trials, collecting data and reviewing results.

Working in NPD allows me to collaborate with many teams across the business, from marketing and sales to supply chain and production, which keeps every day varied and gives me a broad perspective on how a product comes to life.

Tell us how you went about applying for your job: Applying for my job was just one stage, which included a technical assessment and a factory tour. Luckily, I already knew some colleagues within the business, which made the process feel more familiar and gave me a better sense of the company culture.

What’s the best part about working for a food & drink company? Being part of something people genuinely enjoy. Working on the Nomo brand is amazing. Knowing I can help create products that everyone can enjoy, no matter their dietary needs, is really rewarding. It’s also great to work in an industry that’s so creative, fast-moving and constantly evolving.

And what’s the biggest misconception people have about working in food & drink? I think the biggest misconception is that working in the food industry is all about making products in a factory or just tasting chocolate all day. In reality, it’s so much more varied, there’s a huge amount of creativity, problem solving, and collaboration involved. From developing new products to working with different teams across the business, it’s a dynamic industry that’s always changing.

What advice would you give to other young people looking to get into the food & drink industry? I’d say doing an apprenticeship is a great way to get started. It gives you hands-on experience and a real idea of how the food industry works as a whole. The more you get involved, learn from different teams, and see how everything comes together, the better prepared you’ll be for a career in the industry.

What’s your ultimate career dream? I don’t have one exact career dream, for me it’s more about being in a role that keeps me challenged and constantly learning. I enjoy pushing myself, taking on new projects and being somewhere I can make an impact while still developing my skills.