Name: Bronagh Dempster
Age: 21
Job title: McDonald’s Progressive Young Farmer with Noble Foods
Company & location: Noble Foods, Lincolnshire
Education: I’m currently studying for a BSc Agricultural Technology with Professional Studies at Queen’s University, Belfast
Why did you decide to go for a career in food? I came to food via agriculture, my first passion. I grew up in an agricultural community, so producing food has always been at the forefront of my mind. It wasn’t until I came to work for Noble Foods that I realised the sheer scale of the agricultural/food industries and how far supply chains reach.
Explain your job to us in a sentence (or two): As part of the McDonald’s Progressive Young Farmer programme, I’ve worked my way through the Noble Foods business – one of the free-range egg suppliers to McDonald’s – learning as much as possible in a year.
What does a typical day look like for you? The beauty of my placement is there is no such thing as a ‘typical’ day. Every week varies massively and often, each day within that week is different. I could be on-farm one week and spend the following week in the high-tech processing facilities. I love the variety and range of learning.
Tell us about how you went about applying for your job. The initial application consisted of an application form, CV and cover letter. From there, we were selected to attend a day at McDonald’s head office in East Finchley. The process consisted of group work tasks, a presentation and two short interviews. I remember there were some thought-provoking questions following my presentation. These were largely around debatable areas within the agri-food industry such as how changing eating habits will affect production and consumption of food. It was a great experience and as a result, I was lucky enough to be offered the chance to work for Noble Foods through the McDonald’s scheme.
“I could be on-farm one week and spend the following week in the high-tech processing facilities”
What’s the best part about working for a food company? Despite the fact it can be massively challenging, I love how responsive and fast-paced food companies need to be. This year, throughout lockdowns and easing of restrictions we have seen huge variations in demand and as a result, I have experienced how food production and supply chains have had to adapt with pace and agility. Also, I find it extremely rewarding to see products from Noble Foods on the shelves. There is something very special about picking up a McMuffin or pack of the Happy Egg Co eggs and knowing I may have helped raise the hens that laid the eggs. I’m like a proud mother!
And what’s the biggest misconception people have about working in food & drink? A number of people may believe that, in this industry, you either work on a farm or in a factory. There’s so much more to food and drink production, especially indirectly. For example, as I write this, I am placed at one of Noble Foods’ feed mills, producing feed for pigs and poultry. There are so many branches within the entire supply chain and it takes a lot more than most think to produce good food.
What advice would you give to other young people looking to get into the food & drink industry? My advice is to be open-minded and push yourself to try new things. I never expected to be working with poultry but I’ve enjoyed it immensely. The industry is full of incredible people – embrace this and learn from others when you can. Also, try to get a variety of experiences across the supply chain. Each section within the industry has its own function but we all rely on each other. Therefore, to have an overview of every part of the business is extremely valuable.
What’s your ultimate career dream? My dream is to work for a company I share values with and one that wants to make a genuine difference. The same applies to the type of team I’d like to work within. I would love to make it to a senior management role but still be able to visit farms and get hands-on where possible as I think this is vital for understanding. For now, I just aim to experience as much as I can.
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