Profile
Anita Kinsey
-
About Me:
I live with my husband and cat in Hertfordshire. I love watching rugby union, especially Leicester Tigers and Wales. I also like swimming.
-
My pronouns are:
she/her
-
My Work:
I am a Senior Technical Manager for a food company which means I spend my time ensuring our suppliers are doing the right thing.
-
Read more
I look after a group of companies who supply us with ingredients such as milk, coffee, tea and cake. I make sure that when we are getting ready to launch a new product all the paperwork is done as well as making sure the product can be made on a large scale every day. I also visit them regularly to make sure that the standards in the factory are as good as we want them to be.
-
My Typical Day:
I wake up at 5.45 and travel into the office in London, unless I am going to a supplier. I have breakfast (Granola) and coffee once I get to work. I usually spend my mornings in meetings talking about projects we are working on before spending the afternoon tasting food samples and doing paperwork. I leave at around 5.30
-
Read more
Most days I am in the office but I travel to suppliers at least once a week. This can mean getting an early train or flight depending on where the supplier is based.
-
What I'd do with the prize money:
I would spend the money ensuring that the students in my local school had the chance to spend some time with me and one of my suppliers to see how the food they buy in the supermarket is produced.
-
Education:
I went to 5 primary schools as my father was in the Royal Air Force and we moved around a lot. I went to Blessed William Howard High School in Stafford where I discovered my love of science thanks to my biology teacher. I did 3 A levels – biology, chemistry and maths and then went on to a degree in Cell & Immunobiology at Aberystwyth University.
-
Qualifications:
I have 9 O levels and 3 A levels. I also have a 2:2 degree in cell & Immunobiology from Aberystwyth University. I am a Fellow of the Institute of Food Science & Technology and a Chartered Scientist.
-
Work History:
After university I joined a large food company as a Graduate Trainee and was given a really good grounding in all aspects of a food business including finance and human resources. I did several jobs starting with food technologist in a meat pie factory the followed by working in the central microbiology laboratory. I then moved to another meat pie factory where I was the laboratory manager.
I then left and joined a coleslaw factory as food technologist. I was made redundant unfortunately and joined a company with several sites making yogurt and desserts for the major retailers. My role was to be the customer facing technical manager which meant that I ensured the customer had a sole point of contact whichever site their product was coming from.
-
Current Job:
I am currently Senior Technical & Safety Manager at Pret a Manger, who have over 500 shops across the UK making and selling sandwiches, salads, wraps and hot food.
I look after all the ingredients that we use to make coffee, hot chocolate and iced drinks as well as some of our cakes.
A lot of my time is spent at supplier sites looking at how they are working and the standards they keep to ensure our products are safe and the same quality every day.
-
Employer:
Pret A Manger
Since opening our first shop in 1986, Pret’s mission has been simple. To serve freshly made food and good organic coffee, whilst also trying to do the right thing.
That’s why our food is handmade in our shop kitchens throughout the day and anything we don’t sell, goes to charity.
That’s also why our coffee is organic (and always will be) and our Coffee Fund is supporting the next generation of farmers. It’s (partly) what we think makes Pret special.
-
My Interview
-
How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
rugby loving technologist
What did you want to be after you left school?
Dentist
Were you ever in trouble at school?
No
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
No idea
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Queen
What's your favourite food?
Chinese
-