Name: Katie McDaid
Age: 28
Job title: Product developer
Company & location: Katsouris Brothers – Cypressa, London
Education: BSC Food Science & Nutrition at University of Leeds
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? A zoo keeper.
Why did you decide to go for a career in food & drink? One of the commonalities between the billions of us in the world is our need to eat. This told me that the food industry is not going anywhere and has a huge scope to influence lots of people.
“I wanted to make an impact, and being a small part in designing what people pop in their basket was very enticing”
Explain your job to us in a sentence (or two): As a product developer for Cypressa, I focus on bringing authentic Mediterranean products to the UK market. By monitoring market trends and understanding customer preferences, I ensure we deliver the right products, in the right formats. My goal is to bring the vibrant foods of the sun to the UK market, crafting delicious offerings that celebrate the rich culinary heritage of the Mediterranean, as we have been doing for 60 years now.
What does a typical day look like for you? There really is no typical day – and that’s why I love what I do. One day I could be meeting with our sourcing team to hear about new ingredients they have discovered during visits to our supplier partners. Another day I could have a kitchen day where I get creative with ingredients, flavours and pack formats to bring ideas to life. Or I could be presenting new product concepts to our customers, which is always exciting.
Every day is different but every day is about great-tasting, quality food from across the Med.
Tell us how you went about applying for your job: A recruiter reached out to me having found me on LinkedIn.
There were two stages. A friendly online chat with the senior team members, followed by a second stage interview in Wembley. An olive-themed challenge was briefed, and I was tasked with presenting my research and new ranging proposals to a room of olive experts – daunting! They were all super supportive and I held my own, meaning I secured the job.
What’s the best part about working for a food & drink company? That the industry moves super-fast – the project you start could look completely different by the time you finish!
So, you are constantly learning and problem solving and it is impossible to get bored. And obviously the freebies (especially in the world of Cypressa).
And what’s the biggest misconception people have about working in food & drink? Everyone is always shocked about how long it takes to get a product launched. We are already working on September 2025 launches which seems crazy to most people, but I think it’s easy to underestimate the effort and detail that goes into everything on shelf.
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What advice would you give to other young people looking to get into the food & drink industry? Get as much experience as possible to understand what excites you! Reach out to your network and chances are there will be a link to the industry somewhere.
At 16, I was linked up with a product developer from M&S by my dentist of all people, leading to some invaluable experience and advice from the experts ahead of choosing my university degree.
What’s your ultimate career dream? To continue to progress within the organisation, strengthening Cypressa’s position as a leading Mediterranean brand in the UK.
Interested in finding out more about food & drink careers? Check out GrocerJobs for the latest vacancies
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