Louise Davidson Email and Phone Number

My role is to assist in the hands on development of new products made within James Hall manufacturing sites. I am the link between product development and production with responsibility for making sure that new products make a smooth transition from factory trial and testing stages to full production.I am responsible for arranging, monitoring & evaluating the outcome of factory trials. Key tasks include: • Identifying and sourcing raw materials required.• Measuring and recording yields. • Making recommendations for improvements as well as identifying and reporting any critical issues.• Ensuring compliance with quality and food safety in scale up from kitchen recipes into factory. • Completing relevant BRC documentation. • Identifying ingredient and product costings.• Collating ingredient specifications• Liaising closely with Technical, Manufacturing and purchasing to launch products successfully and on time. • Complete organoleptic assessments over life alongside manufacturing Technical team.• Co-ordinate and prepare samples for submissions to Trading Team for sign off.• Arrange micro shelf life tests.

Responsibilities and achievements include: - Working as a team to develop Food To Go and In Store Bakery ranges and suitable packaging.- Maximising profits by negotiating prices with new and existing suppliers .- Negotiated funding for marketing materials and key equipment. - Creating and implementing promotions. Designing POS.

• Developed a successful marketing campaign to promote new labels in conjunction with healthy eating.• Researched healthy eating trends, designing a consumer focus recipe leaflet, and producing point of sale support material for 450 stores.• Re-designed product labels to include the DOH 5 A Day Logo and portion guideline meeting legislative requirements and ensuring consistent corporate branding. • Researched and conducted the necessary shelf life tests needed to introduce ‘Display Until’ dates onto pre-pack produce.The success of the campaign attracted national acclaim and it was consequently featured in the Fresh Produce Journal (Feb 2006)

• Category Analysts - Developed and maintained the category management system within fresh foods, producing ranges & planograms, co-ordinating the implementation into stores, monitoring sales, (achieving up to a 60% sales increase) and offering guidance to reduce waste. • Ensuring competitiveness by establishing and managing benchmarking sessions. Managing taste/assessment panels and analysing and reporting results. • Participating as a Business Advisor for a local schools’ Young Enterprise Group. As a direct result of my achievements in this role, I was nominated by Senior Management to attend a prestigious International SPAR Young Managers Conference held in Slovenia 2003.