How to Build a Career in the European Food Industry as an International Professional ?

Building a career in the food industry, especially as an international candidate comes with both opportunities and challenges. During our recent Engagement Session, we heard from four professionals with diverse backgrounds who shared their journeys, insights, and practical advice on navigating the global food job market.

From Fortified Foods to Start-Ups: Diverse Career Journeys

Our first panelist was Michiel Dekkers, Director at DUPP Food Recruitment. Michiel brings deep expertise in recruiting for high-impact roles across the food industry, ranging from R&D and Quality Assurance to Executive Management. His insights offered a valuable recruiter’s perspective on what companies are truly looking for, how hiring decisions are made, and how international candidates can better position themselves in the European job market.

Mridul Kathed currently works as a Technical Product Manager  at BioAnalyt overseeing markets across Africa and Asia, spanning more than 90 countries. His work focuses on fortified food products that aim to curb hidden hunger and micronutrient deficiencies, an inspiring example of how the food industry can directly impact global health and nutrition.

Mariano Di Rubbo, Regulatory Head at michroma is originally from Argentina. He shared his journey of joining a start-up developing novel natural ingredients. A true jack of all trades, he gained hands-on experience across multiple roles and later participated in an acceleration program in San Francisco. For him, start-ups are an incredible space to learn fast, adapt quickly, and discover what you truly enjoy doing.

Gabriel Ribeiro Oliveira, from Brazil, began his professional path with his thesis at Cargill. He has steadily grown within the company from research scientist to research engineer, now working at the pilot plant to scale up processes and conduct industrial trials. His journey reflects how early experiences and consistent learning can lead to meaningful long-term growth in large organizations.

Understanding the European Job Market: International vs. Local

The discussion revealed that international candidates often face a distinct set of challenges when applying to European companies:

• Language matters – In smaller Dutch companies, speaking Dutch can be a key advantage. However, if a job ad is in English, it’s generally a sign that the company is open to international applicants.

• Hiring complexities – Sponsorship costs, higher salary expectations, and concerns about cultural fit can make companies hesitant to hire international candidates.

• Traditional mindsets – The food industry remains quite conservative, and many organizations are reluctant to change established processes or take risks on unfamiliar profiles.

Still, Michiel emphasized that the right mix of specialized skills, clear motivation, and cultural adaptability can make international candidates highly attractive to employers.

Positioning Yourself as an Asset

So how can you stand out as a candidate? The speakers shared a few key strategies:

• Network with intention – Attend industry events, connect with professionals, and build trust over time. As Mridul noted, “People need to see what you do and get to know you.”

• Seek diverse experiences early – Even small internships or side projects can shape your skillset and career direction.

• Stay self-aware – As Mariano put it, “You learn what you like by trying everything and ruling out what you don’t.”

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Skills, Motivation, and Cultural Fit

For non-EU candidates, relevant experience is essential. The food industry values specialization, for example, expertise in fermentation, ingredients, or processing can help you stand out far more than general technical skills.

The panel encouraged candidates to:

• Be structured and focused in their job search.

• Craft customized motivation letters that link personal goals with company objectives.

• Continuously evaluate their strengths and impact to understand how they can add value.

Michiel noted that many employers pay close attention to motivation letters, not for their length, but for the clarity they bring. “A motivation letter that connects your skills with the company’s mission shows measurable effort and genuine interest,” he shared.

Choosing the Right Job

Before applying, research the company thoroughly, especially its culture. Even if you’re technically qualified, the right cultural fit can make or break your experience. Talk to alumni, ask questions about day-to-day work, and be honest about your own preferences.

Mariano recommended exploring start-ups early in one’s career:

“In a start-up, you do everything. You quickly find what you like and what you don’t. Once you know yourself, your career path becomes clearer.”

Navigating Recruiters and Applications

Michiel provided invaluable guidance on working with recruiters and applying effectively:

• Know your recruiter – Make sure they understand your technical field and are in a position to help.

• Keep your CV concise – Many recruiters only skim motivation letters; ensure your CV highlights the essentials.

• Apply directly when possible – Reaching out to hiring managers or HR directly can increase the likelihood that your profile gets seen.

• Personalize your application – Tailor your CV and motivation letter for both the technical reader and the HR perspective.

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Networking: The Power of Connection

All panelists agreed in-person networking is invaluable. Attending roundtables, conferences, or local meetups can open doors you didn’t even know existed.

Gabriel reflected on how casual conversations at work often led to collaborations and new opportunities:

“Every person you talk to teaches you something. Sometimes, that one conversation leads to your next big step.”

Asking the Right Questions

Curiosity drives growth. Ask professionals about:

• The skills that helped them stand out.

• How they transitioned into niche areas like precision fermentation.

• What keeps them motivated in their roles.

Many experts start in traditional roles and later move into cutting-edge fields and most companies are open to training the right person who shows motivation and adaptability.

Closing Thoughts

Breaking into the food industry, especially in Europe as an international professional requires persistence, self-awareness, and an openness to learn. Whether it’s through start-ups, research, or recruitment, our speakers’ journeys highlighted one common theme: every experience counts.

From fortifying foods to pioneering ingredients, from scaling pilot plants to recruiting the next generation of food leaders each step, big or small, builds toward a fulfilling career.

The key takeaway? Be curious. Be intentional. And most importantly, be yourself because the right opportunity often finds those who are truly ready for it.

Inside Engagement Session 3: Inspiring Insights on Product Development and Innovation

We had the much-awaited third engagement session of the European Food Projects Case Competition on 2nd October 2025. The discussion brought together a diverse panel: Stefan Cappelle, Group Fermentation Director (Puratos); Jeriel Philip, Project Manager (Giebels Meat Products); Rudi Dieleman, Director & Co-founder (PectCof B.V.); Aisling Bradley, European Product Developer & Technical Project Leader (Mars); and Rui Chao Li, R&D Fruit Analyst, Innovation (Puratos).

Product Development Timelines and Approaches

The first part of the conversation focused on the product development process and how approaches differ across organisations. Aisling explained how large corporations such as Mars follow a stage-gate process to ensure structured development. In contrast, Rudi highlighted how startups can adopt shorter, more practical processes, allowing them to move from idea generation to launch more quickly, sometimes in six months, but in other cases, the process can take years depending on the maturity of the R&D stage.

When asked whether consumer input shapes R&D, Rudi explained that having basic recipes as benchmarks is important. From there, researchers can demonstrate how innovative ingredients impact the final product and refine the formulation to align with consumer preferences.

Alternative Proteins and Industry Trends

The discussion also explored the growing domain of alternative proteins. Stefan shared how Puratos is actively working with different kinds of fermentation to develop alternatives not just for meat, dairy, and eggs, but also in entirely new areas such as cocoa-free chocolate. Jeriel pointed out the challenge of avoiding ultra-processed methods in plant-based meat production, noting the importance of developing clean-label solutions that align with consumer expectations.

Sustainability and Scale-up Challenges

Sustainability emerged as another central theme. Rudi described PectCof’s approach of transforming coffee waste into functional ingredients, explaining that 10 kg of biomass can yield 1 kg of functional ingredient along with 9 kg of additional products. This built-in circularity demonstrates how sidestream valorisation can drive sustainable innovation.

However, Rudi also acknowledged the challenges of scaling up. Coffee pulp, for example, is not readily available at scale. Extracting it, characterising it, and meeting specification and regulatory requirements is a stage-wise process that demands time and resources. Despite these hurdles, there is growing interest from companies, particularly those targeting B2C markets, to adopt clean-label, sustainable ingredients.

Strategy and Market Adaptation

Rui highlighted how business units play a vital role in strategy development. Once strategies are designed, they must be adapted to different markets, taking into account local laws, consumer demands, and taste preferences. This alignment is especially important when scaling up, as coordination across production, marketing, business, and logistics teams becomes essential for success.

The Role of New Tools

The panel also touched on the potential of new tools in R&D. While AI can support product development, its effectiveness depends on the quality and organisation of the dataset being used. Ultimately, AI can provide valuable insights at the early stage, but human expertise remains central to decision-making.

Advice for Future Food Innovators

Toward the end of the session, the panellists offered advice for students and young professionals entering the food industry. They stressed the importance of not only technical expertise but also adaptability, flexibility, resilience, and problem-solving skills. In product development, setbacks are inevitable, but the ability to learn and move forward is invaluable.

They also encouraged participants to remain open-minded. Fresh graduates may lack experience but bring creativity and a fresh perspective, which can greatly benefit organisations.

Rui added a candid perspective on current market conditions. He noted that companies are becoming more cautious about investing in young talent without hands-on experience, even when candidates display intelligence, passion, and emotional intelligence. While these personal competencies remain valuable, companies increasingly prioritise candidates who can contribute from day one.

His advice for students was to be intentional and proactive about shaping your career path. Identify the vertical track you want to pursue, and gain as much internship or project experience in that field as possible. This, he stressed, can give graduates a significant advantage when applying for roles and help them stand out in a competitive job market.

Closing Thoughts

Engagement Session 3 provided participants with a comprehensive look at the intersection of product development, business strategy, sustainability, and innovation. From timelines and consumer input to scaling challenges and market adaptation, the session offered practical insights into how the food industry operates and evolves. It was an inspiring reminder that successful product development is not only about science but also about creativity, resilience, and collaboration.

Recap: Engagement Session 2 Exploring Functional Ingredients with ProteinDistillery

On 30th September 2025, the second engagement session of the European Food Projects Case Competition took place, featuring an insightful presentation by Laura Herz, R&D Food Scientist at ProteinDistillery.

ProteinDistillery is a pioneering company that transforms industrial sidestreams into valuable food ingredients such as proteins, fats, and egg replacers by leveraging different fractions of yeast cells. Laura began the session by introducing the company’s vision and walked participants through their innovative product portfolio, which includes Prewtein, Prewfat, Prewmix Egg-like, Prewvital, and Prewculture.

The discussion placed a particular emphasis on Prewtein, ProteinDistillery’s protein ingredient, and the role functional properties of proteins play in determining their potential applications. Participants explored how these functional qualities such as solubility, gelling, and foaming shape product development, particularly in plant-based alternatives.

A key takeaway from Laura’s talk was that developing plant-based products is not simply a matter of replacing animal-based ingredients one to one. Instead, it requires reimagining formulations from the ground up. She illustrated this with an example from baked goods: in a cake, different reactions such as starch gelatinisation, protein denaturation, and baking powder activation occur at different temperatures. A successful product must be formulated in a way that aligns all these conditions to achieve the desired outcome.

The session concluded with an engaging Q&A. Questions from participants touched on challenges of standardisation and blending, given the variability of raw materials across batches, as well as the potential of combining different proteins to unlock new functionalities within a single product.

Overall, the session was both interactive and thought provoking, giving participants a deeper understanding of the complexities of formulation in the food industry. It also provided valuable insights into how to think like a product developer, considering not just ingredients in isolation but the entire product matrix and the science behind its performance.