KEY POINTS:
Name: Gillian Beard.
Age: 24.
Role: Project manager of sensory department at Colmar Brunton.
Working hours: 40 hours a week with some weekend work, depending on field work required.
Average pay: $35,000-$40,000.
Qualifications and institution: Bachelor of Consumer Food Science and Bachelor of Commerce (marketing with minor in statistics) from Otago University.
Describe what you do.
As a product manager, I'm in charge of the client briefs for sensory evaluations of products, including field testing, analysis and result presentation.
Developing and planning makes up about 40 per cent of my role, testing and collating around 20 per cent, and analysing and presenting covers the other 40 per cent.
Testing must be done in controlled conditions, which usually includes blank walls and neutral lighting so the testers concentrate on the product. This is important when tasting food.
Why did you choose this line of work?
I started working in cafes and food industry at high school. I enjoyed cooking and food, so I began a food science degree at Otago University but decided I didn't like biology and chemistry and moved to consumer food science which emphasised marketing, rather than science. Consumer food science included a lot of statistics and marketing so I ended up doing a double degree.
Your work history?
After graduating, I spent the summer on a Napier paua farm doing sensory evaluation. Then I worked at Fisher & Paykel for 18 months in the product development team, before coming to the sensory project manager role here 18 months ago.
It is a neat place to work. It has a good name in the industry and is one of the key sensory evaluation facilities here. There is a lot of growth in this area of market research.
So what is sensory evaluating?
It is the controlled evaluation of flavour, texture, smell and visual appeal of a product.
We're after the sensory response. Sensory testing is conducted in a room connected to a kitchen by a series of booths through which the product is delivered. It is a controlled environment.
What kind of clients do you have?
Our clients tend to be larger food, skin care and drink companies. We're either testing new products, re-testing, testing product improvements or checking how well something is doing.
What skills or qualities do you need?
Passion for food. I spend hours in the supermarket looking at products.
You need to be a team player and be able to interact positively with a range of people.
It is really important to be enthusiastic and motivate the respondents (testers) so they answer the questions appropriately.
You need to be well organised to ensure field tests go smoothly. You've got to like analysing data, which is a big part of the job and then presenting it.
Best part of the job?
The variety. Getting to follow a product from start to finish. I also enjoy dealing with clients and respondents and I really like the analysis and presentation side.
It is also great to see the changes that occur in products because of our research.
Most challenging part?
Marketers wanting product out by a certain date so it can be available at a key time. This can create tight deadlines for testing.
How does a project run?
A project usually takes four to six weeks. We usually have about 12 projects running between the three of us at a time. Take Chelsea Maple Syrup, which was tested before being launched earlier in the year. We got the respondents to evaluate full sensory diagnostics; smell, taste, appearance, flavour and functionality.
Importance of sensory evaluation?
Clients are always thankful of evaluations, even if the product isn't working, because it gives them a clear direction forward.
By testing food, you find out whether something isn't quite right; maybe too sweet or not creamy enough.
Then changes can be made before it ends up on the supermarket shelf.
You see the mistakes some companies make when they don't test enough or test in house where it either isn't conducted properly or is done without enough people.
Advice to someone wanting to do same thing?
Stats is helpful in any job in product development. You really need to have an interest in what you're doing or you'll never do well. A lot of people start here part-time when students, which gives them an idea of what market research is about.
Where would you like to be in five years?
There are a range of options, such as senior project management or accounts management roles.
angelamc@powerlink.co.nz
