Paula Durham Email & Phone Number

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Complete Product Development (CPD) offers expertise in developing food & beverage products from conception to commercialisation. With experience in 18 FMCG categories, the breadth of experience brings together a unique skill set: identifying market gaps, conceptualising, creating prototypes, identifying manufacturing partners, scale up & launch. This is underpinned with a solid food science, regulatory & food safety knowledge. CPD’s principal, has developed 100’s of successful & innovative products for major food & beverage retailers such as 7-Eleven, Coles Myer, Loblaws & numerous global brands as well as advising SME’s. This experience allows a holistic approach & in-depth understanding of how to navigate the nuances of the supplier / retailer relationship. Product Categories Include:• Sweet Bakery - Cookies, Muffins & Cakes• Savoury Snacks - Potato / Corn Chips, Nut Mixes & Biscuits• Pastry - Frozen & Ready to Eat Pies & Sausage Rolls• Healthy Snacking - Muesli, Protein Bars, Balls & Bites• Fresh Sandwiches & Wraps• Meals - Fresh & Frozen• Beverages - Dairy & Juice• Cheese & Deli Snacking• Functional Dietary & Formulated Supplementary Foods• Ice Cream• Foodservice - Bake in Store, Chilled & Hot Hold Services to Food & Beverage Manufacturers Large & Small:• Product Development • Formula Optimisation & Ingredient Substitution• Commercial Scale-Up• Nutritional Calculation & Nutrient Optimisation• Regulatory & Labelling Compliance (PEAL)• Sensory Evaluation & Taste Panels• Market Reviews & Benchmarking• Shelf-Life Evaluation & Advice• Margin Optimisation• Specification Creation & Reviews (including Fusion)• Technical Advice & Troubleshooting CPD understands that all clients have knowledge specific to their products and industry & aims to provide a service that adds value to enhance the skills of your team & to fill any gaps as needed. In other words, CPD provides the services you need when you need them.

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Rulethirteen is a privately owed team of qualified Food Safety and technical industry experts, consulting to Food and Beverage Manufacturers and Retailers. Collectively the team has over 200 years of Industry experience, covering around 50 product categories. * Consult on sustainability, responsible sourcing initiatives and PEAL compliance, advising major clients such as Starbucks, Myer, 7-Eleven and The Endeavour Group.* Collaborate with suppliers to resolve non-conformances from Food Safety Audits across a range of facilities, including high care sites, ensuring adherence to the retail client’s quality standards.* Enhance Rulethirteen’s profile through consulting services, advising manufacturing clients on labelling compliance for Australian and export markets.

Melbourne, Australia

7-Eleven is the largest convenience and independent petrol retailer in Australia with stores in VIC, NSW, QLD and WA. * Successfully developed and launched 7-Eleven products averaging gross profit of over $4M annually.* Orchestrated the end-to-end development of innovative ‘on the go’ products, collaborating internally and externally to deliver quality products from concept to commercialisation.* Successfully developed a range of plant-based products, one winning New Product of the Year Award in 2021.* Drove incremental category growth through market reviews, identifying gaps, and translating findings into commercially viable product briefs.* Hands-on involvement in product development, commercial scale up, briefing graphic design agencies and specification and packaging sign-off.* Managed development of diverse categories, including Chilled RTE Sandwiches, Hot Pastry, Sweet Food on the Go,* Daily Delivered Bakery, Deli Snacking, Snack Foods (Sweet and Savoury) and Protein Snacks, ensuring each exceeded consumer expectations.* Collaborated in cross functional teams with category, quality, marketing, insights and externally with suppliers across four states to bring innovative products to market under the 7-Eleven brand.* Identified and implemented cost-saving measures, resulting in over $120K annual savings in the fresh sandwich category, while optimising product quality and improving health credentials.

Melbourne, Australia

Simplot is a leading Australian FMCG manufacturer whose brands include Birds Eye, Leggos, John West, Lean Cuisine, Edgell. In 2017 Simplot acquired Chicken Tonight, Five Brothers and Raguletto from Symington's Australia.• Led the swift migration of 35 Symington’s products to Simplot’s Echuca plant, overseeing formulation conversion and factory trials.• Implemented strategic ingredient optimisation, resulting in substantial annual savings of $135K, showcasing cost-effective approaches in product development at Simplot.

Richmond, Victoria

Symington’s is a multinational owner of wet sauces produced under the 5 Brothers, Chicken Tonight and Raguletto brands and manufacturer of dry soups, cous cous, breakfast cereals, meal and home-baking kits.I developed and optimised the 5 Brothers, Chicken Tonight and Raguletto products. I provided technical direction and regulatory support on product labelling and on-pack claims.• Implemented changes to deliver more than $350K in annual savings by rationalising formulations and optimising production processes at the Unilever Tatura Facility.• Developed and launched 21 branded wet sauces and nine sauces under Coles own label (concept to launch took approximately six months).• Reduced the sodium levels for Raguletto and Chicken Tonight products by up to 10%, in line with Heart Foundation guidelines.• Rationalised low-volume ingredients to reduce ingredient inventory and reduce waste of perishables.• Identified potential for additional savings $100K+.

Melbourne, Australia

CPD was established in 1996 to provide technical and product development services to food and beverage manufacturers and marketing companies. * Consulted on numerous branded and private label products and held contracts with a wide range of companies (see below).• Developed new food and beverage products and provided regulatory and labelling advice to manufacturers and marketers. This covered all aspects of product development from concept to launch, including initial formulations (taking into account regulatory requirements), ingredient sourcing and evaluation, liaison with graphic design and packaging suppliers, production/packaging trials and liaising with engineering on new equipment/modification issues. • Worked directly with celebrities and brand owners to commercialise concept formulations and source suitably credentialled manufacturers to produce products commercially at required quality standards.• Secured business with ­George Weston Foods, Sanitarium, Maggie Beer Products, Kez’s Kitchen, Iain Hewitson, Stuart Alexander, Rosella, Waterwheel Industries, Blackmore’s, Greg Norman Products, Greens Foods, Warrnambool Cheese and Butter, Goodman Fielder, Unibic, Go Natural, Luken and May, Tony Ferguson, Funtastic.• Established a new business to conduct cost-effective taste panels on behalf of clients.• Provided labelling advice to ensure compliance for importers from countries including China, UK, USA, Canada, NZ, France, Germany, Holland, Poland, Zambia, Fiji and Singapore.• Developed Australia’s first truly commercially produced ANZAC biscuit – liaised with senior members of the RSL to ensure the product was authentic and complied with RSL standards.• Consulted directly with Maggie Beer to commercialise concept formulations for ice cream and premium biscuits, identify manufacturing partners to ensure successful launch.• Established and maintained excellent working relationships with clients over many years.

800 Toorak Road, Hawthorn East, Victoria

Loblaws is a supermarket with over 2000 stores in Canada. I was recruited initially by Loblaw’s Australia, its Australian arm, which was contracted to develop products under the Australia’s Choice brand. After the launch of the brand, Coles Myer moved management of the brand in-house.• Served as an integral part of a small dynamic team charged with developing products under Australia’s first premium private retailer brand for Kmart. • Managed product development from concept to commercial production on new products under Kmart’s Australia’s Choice brand including assessing and selecting suitable contract manufacturers. • Managed and provided technical direction to achieve the desired target product, meet launch deadlines and set quality standards. This ensured maintenance of product quality under the philosophy “Equal to or better than the leading National Brand”.• Developed ‘Decadent’ which has been a benchmark premium chocolate chip cookie since its launch.• Developed a range of savoury snack products to meet a tight launch deadline.• Implemented formal ’blind’ taste panels for an unbiased comparison of Australia’s Choice products against market leaders.

Developing Premium Private label Food products under Kmart's 'Australia's Choice' brand.

Melbourne

• Developed retail ‘fancy’ cheese and food service items for major fast food chains. Recommended and implemented strategies resulting substantial annual savings for Kraft Foods Cheese manufacturing and packing operation at Allansford.

Product development of frozen meals

Product Development of chilled ready to eat meals & salads for major UK retailers.

Bachelor'S Degree, Food Science, Hons

Activities and Societies: MusicFood Science

Short Courses, Chocolate Confectionery / Wine / Bush Foods & Australian Cuisine / Food Hygiene

Various short courses.

Chemistry, Biology, Home Eccomomics, History Of Science, A Level Chemistry, Biology & Home Ecconomics. Ao Level History Of Science

Activities and Societies: Drama, Orchestra & other musical groups

Lead Food Safety Auditor Iso 22000:2018 And Iso 19011:2018, Food Safety Auditor, Pass