The package food industry is a multi-faceted industry that offers a variety of career opportunities. With new technologies and innovations gearing up daily, we see a tremendous demand for packaged food items.
Package food is food items that are prepared ahead of time and packaged in a way that their shelf life increases. Most packaged foods are commercially produced and made available to consumers using the latest preserving technologies.
The package food industry has gained favorable growth driven by an increasing population and advanced methods of food handling systems. Companies have adopted various forms of preparing, handling, packaging, and canning food products, gaining popularity worldwide.
Everybody wants to diversify their food choices depending upon their temptations. The increasing awareness of processed foods results from the Company’s enormous capabilities in producing a safe ecosystem for processing food products.
The introduction of packaging technology and excessive consumer demand for food has contributed to the growth of the food industry. The future of the food packaged industry looks promising; it has endless possibilities to generate noticeable employment opportunities and many skills development initiatives.
The Package Food Industry Global Outlook
As the world population is expanding and consumers have increased their focus on food consumption, health, diet, food safety, and convenience, job opportunities in this sector have widened. You will see diverse career options, from being a food scientist and technologist – to a quality assurance and food safety manager.
According to a report, the packaged food market was valued at $ 1925.7 billion in 2020, and it is anticipated to reach 3, 407.2 billion by 2030, recording a CAGR of 5.2% in 2021-2030.
Seafood and meat poultry is the biggest segment that contributes heavily to the packaged food industry, with a 4.8 % CAGR recorded in the period 2021-2030
North America accounts for a high revenue generator in the packaged food industry, recording more than one-third of the total market share in 2020, estimated to grow 4.9% by 2030.
Is Packaged Foods Industry A Good Career Path?
Packaged foods provide a remarkable career journey to those who have just started their career or as professional adults. The sector encompasses jobs with a good salary income and many growth opportunities.
Packaged foods industry is a massive sector that employs more than half a million people in the United States and pays them well.
Venturing your career into packaged foods is an excellent choice if you are passionate about food products and agriculture. It allows you to coordinate with farmers and agricultural producers that deal with various agricultural products.
The benefits of employment in the packaged foods sector are endless. This career holds a great deal of importance. You can negotiate your Salary, working schedule, and location. In addition, the food market provides career development for individuals with a passion for service. Without exception, anybody can join this industry and serve their skills.
There are four primary job roles that you can pursue in Package Food manufacturing.
- Production: Production is the first and most important step in manufacturing packaged food products. It includes the entire value chain process from raw materials to packaging, marketing, and distribution.
- Quality Assurance: Quality Assurance is about investing and ensuring that each product meets all regulatory specifications before selling.
- Marketing: This section revolves around strategies, techniques, and creativity to market your product profitably. It includes advertising and promotional activities for a company or an individual product or service.
- Information Technology is a very useful and powerful role with an attractive income return. It supports Company by providing innovative systems that automate tasks and improve efficiency within the organization, such as inventory management and tracking of orders.
What Is The Educational Requirement In The Packaged Food Industry?
Fresh graduates or College students who have just entered the career field as food scientists/technologists have to take courses such as food chemistry, food analysis, food microbiology, and food processing operations.
Many jobs require more advanced degrees with research experience.
Agricultural and food scientists/technologists can work independently or as part of a team and communicate clearly and concisely in speaking and writing. Most agricultural scientists also need an understanding of basic business principles.
What Is The Skills Requirement In The Packaged Food Industry?
Besides having a good educational background, your skill and attitude take you further on the successful career journey. To master your skills in the food industry, you need to incorporate various skills that can help you sustain your career path.
- Attention to detail
- Good verbal and Written communication
- Eye-hand coordination
- An ability to work in a team.
- Mechanical skills
- Ability to work in a dynamic and challenging environment.
Top 22 Best-Paying Jobs In The Packaged Food Industry
Food is an essential part of our lives and becomes a base for survival. As long as humanity exists, there remains a demand for food products. That is why people look for the best-paying in the packaged food industry. The packaged food industry recruits people for diverse positions, from entry-level to executive roles.
Working in the food industry allows you to practice your passion in the field and push your way up to establish your own Company or work for a multinational corporation.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there is an increasing trend in employment growth in the food industry.
Below are the best-paying jobs in the packaged food industry with their responsibilities and salary information.
1. Flavorist
Average Salary: $80,000
Flavorist or flavor chemists are people who know natural and artificial compounds, essential oils, extracts, synthetic compounds, and other ingredients to create multiple food flavors.
Food and beverage companies hire these trained professionals to create new products and improve existing products. They also work to enhance or replace the natural flavors that may get destroyed during the manufacturing process.
Flavorist uses technology and science to create, modify and develop flavors that have a long shelf life, are safe against allergies, and appeal to a wide range of consumers. They are also responsible for conducting research under the US Food and Drug Administration’s diet and safety regulations.
To perform the role of the Flavorist, he must undergo a seven-year apprenticeship under the guidance of a senior Flavorist to earn full certification from the Society of Flavor Chemists (SFC).
2. Food Safety Director
Average Salary: $42,500
A person oversees all compliance methods and practices in the large food manufacturing or packaged food industry. They perform food inspections and carry out other auditing tasks. They also ensure that all employees and equipment used during food production comply with food safety and hygiene regulations.
Their responsibilities also include the following:
- Determining methods to maintain quality standards.
- Hiring and training new inspectors.
- Seeking advice from other quality assurance staff to assist them and make them produce detailed reports.
You can start this position with a bachelor’s degree and significant experience in food manufacturing and production. Also, relevant field-study include public health, public policy, food science, and biology.
3. Food Scientist
Average Salary: $60,000
Food scientists study the basic elements of food, it’s processing, and its deterioration using chemistry, engineering, and microbiology. He ensures food safety and develops new products. He seeks avenues for processed food to taste good, safe, and healthy and looks for nutritional food sources.
You require a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university to enter this career field. Also, some coursework is needed in chemistry, microbiology, and nutritional engineering.
4. Food Safety Manager
Average Salary: $53,000
As a food safety manager, you serve your role as a quality control manager. Like the traffic police supervises the traffic, you are the officer for the food produced by the employees.
The main responsibility is to ensure your food meets health and safety standards and that all the employees follow all food safety procedures.
His duty is to supervise food production and packaging methods, identify storage areas, ensure that workers abide by health and safety regulations, and report problems to operational or facility managers.
5. Broiler Manager
Average Salary: $37,500
Broiler managers monitor the proper operations of the broiler equipment on the poultry farm. The boiler manager’s job is to analyze and maintain production records or reports. Additional responsibilities include designing operating budgets and training other broiler supervisors and staff.
To become a broiler manager, minimum qualifications include a bachelor’s degree, with significant farm experience or specialized equipment.
6. Food Safety Specialist
Average Salary: $43,000
Food safety specialist work to protect consumers from foodborne illnesses by inspecting food quality and safety. They check on all food products to ensure that quality and environmental hygiene standards are fulfilled.
As a food safety expert, the primary responsibilities include food inspections, research and laboratory, and assessing workplaces like restaurants and groceries stores.
Food safety experts also provide suggestions on improving processes, conducting product testing, working with facility management, and reviewing staff working conditions. To be a food safety specialist, you need a high school diploma.
7. Refrigeration Specialist
Average salary: $44,000
An expert that provides extensive knowledge about refrigerator equipment, evaporators, condensers, or any other commercial or industrial equipment. They direct, monitor, audit, and examine the maintenance, repair, and installation of various refrigerators or cooling systems.
This position requires problem-solving skills and a great deal of knowledge of the safe handling of refrigeration chemicals.
8. Refrigeration Engineer
Average Salary: $78,000
Refrigeration technicians specialize in directing, monitoring, and installing freezing systems. Refrigeration engineers are responsible for managing the overall operation of installing complex refrigeration systems in medical facilities, restaurants, warehouses, trucks, and trailers.
9. Ammonia Refrigeration Technician
Average Salary: $47,500
These professionals oversee the maintenance, repair, and testing of various refrigerator systems with ammonia in them. They manage the emergency repairs in case of any breakdowns.
10. Food Safety Coordinator
Average Salary: $ 47, 319
The responsibilities of a food safety coordinator involve working to ensure quality, food safety, and regulatory compliance for companies in the food production, food distribution, and food service industries. Your duties may include scheduling third-party audits or working on getting up-to-date information about health department inspections or pest control reports concerning your Company’s suppliers and other ingredient sources. You work to ensure proper food handling and adherence to FDA food code rules during all aspects of production, transport, and, if relevant, preparation.
11. Wellness Consultant
Average Salary: $ 53, 634
A wellness consultant advises groups of people on how to eat healthily and maintain health in other areas of their lives, like exercising. Companies often hire wellness consultants to speak to their offices and lead seminars in health management. Wellness consultants can also guide managing stress, and how healthy eating can combat challenges you might find in the workplace.
12. Nutritionist
Average Salary: $ 47, 707
A nutritionist is a dietary counsellor and healthcare expert who guides food choices to promote good health. They advise patients on nutritional needs and help with tasks like weight maintenance and stabilizing blood pressure by creating a personal meal plan for each patient. Many nutritionists work in facilities like hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes, and some work for state or federal governments.
13. Dietitian
Average Salary: $ 47, 455
A dietitian evaluates consumers’ short-term and long-term health conditions and advises them on changes in their dietary habits. Their job duties include examining consumers’ health and developing customized nutritional plans for each patient to track their progress for extended periods.
Dietitians can also specialize in different areas, like worksite wellness or eating disorders.
14. Market Researcher
Average Salary: $ 56, 083
A market researcher collects and interprets research data to identify potential product and marketing trends. In the nutrition field, market researchers monitor how nutritional products, like health foods and supplements, perform in the market and how well consumers respond to them.
A market researcher conducts market surveys or performs research to gather information directly from consumers.
15. Health And Wellness Manager
Average Salary: $ 59, 992
A health and wellness manager takes a holistic approach to making people healthier. They work around people or groups to create nutrition plans, often in a single office or an organization. A health and wellness manager’s job is to promote health education and introduce new initiatives that support health and nutrition.
16. Consumer Behavior Analyst
Average Salary: $ 51, 835
A consumer behaviour analyst, also known as a consumer specialist, scratches insights into consumer preferences and buying patterns. He deeply analyzed the psychology of consumer mindset and dug out facts about what consumers buy, when, and why.
He sees each marketing aspect and caters to them respectively.
17. Oven Operator
Average Salary: $ 34, 000
As an oven operator, the role is to supervise all the baking processes during food manufacturing for bakeries or local stores. The duties include setting up appropriate temperatures and monitoring each batch to ensure the quality and safety of food products.
To begin a career as an oven operator, you need a GED certificate or a high school diploma. You must comprehend basic reading skills and have the ability to follow recipe specifications.
18. Food Technologist
Average Salary: $ 72, 539
A food technologist, or food scientist, studies the composition of food products in terms of their physical properties. This helps them create alternative food safety methods, including food products’ preservation, processing, and packaging. Food technologists also conduct tests on food products to ensure quality and safety before they’re introduced to the market.
19. Food Regulatory Specialist
Average Salary: $ 77, 885
A food regulatory specialist oversees the production and development of food products. They keep an eye on each step of the production process to ensure products comply with all applicable laws and regulations. Regulatory specialists also review the procedures to determine areas that can benefit from improvement.
To excel in this career field, a person must possess a basic knowledge of the state and federal laws about the manufacturing, distribution, and sale of food products.
20. Food Biologist
Average Salary: $ 52, 187
A food biologist is a scientist who studies food anatomy and ensures food products are safe and profitable.
These biologists work in the food industry, local or government authority research departments, quality inspection, and research institutes to establish foundations for further study in nutrition and nutritional habits.
They work with different flavors and develop new ingredients to create novel recipes (fat-free meals, ready-to-make products). Their work can apply to developing clinical treatments and expanding the scientific understanding of how nutrition affects health.
21. Marketing Specialist
Average Salary: $ 53, 083
A person responsible for managing all marketing activities from brand positioning, networking, and in-person meetings to food products promotion and advertising. He possesses superior knowledge of food products, and they highlight key aspects of their development through various marketing channels.
22. Research And Development Manager
Average Salary: $ 72, 0000
As an R&D expert, your main role is to lead the team of scientists and professionals in creating new products, introducing new flavours, and developing tech-enabled packaging models.
He manages the product development process and supervises the research and development budget.
What Are The Top Companies In The Packaged Food Industry?
The top 10 companies to apply to are:
- PepsiCo
- General Mills
- Mondelez International, Inc.
- Campbell Soup Company
- Kellogg Company
- ConAgra Foods, Inc
- The Hershey Company
- Mars, Incorporated
- Nestle SA/NV/SAU
- Mondelez International, Inc
Conclusion
Is pursuing your career in the food packaging industry a good idea? Yes, there is room available for growth in the packaged food industry.
Food manufacturing has become tech-aided. On the other hand, consumers look for inexpensive, attractively packaged food with a longer shelf life. At the same time, online food retailing and food convenience are also rising.
These factors have opened many job positions and consequently require more workforce.
When it comes to providing perishable items to consumers, there comes a need for engineers and technicians. Food manufacturing companies always look for self-motivated people who have a keen interest in trying new things.
So, what are the best-paying jobs in packaged foods? Unsurprisingly, there are also several high-paying positions in the packaged food industry. Food manager, Flavorist, and tech engineer are some great options to consider if you’re looking for a career in packaged foods. As long as you have the right skills, expertise, and knowledge, landing the job becomes much easier.