Ageing workforce: Food & Flavours

Navigating the Talent Crisis in the Food & Flavours Industry – Succession Gaps, Ageing Expertise, and the Search for Future Leaders

The food and flavours industry sits at the intersection of science, creativity, and consumer demand. From perfumers and flavourists to sensory analysts and technical leaders, these specialists develop the palate of tomorrow’s food and beverage products. Yet today, the industry faces a deepening talent crisis that threatens innovation, consistency, and long‑term growth.

The Ageing Workforce – A Growing Risk

A fundamental challenge in the sector is succession gaps driven by an ageing technical population. A substantial proportion of senior technical experts – whether in formulation, sensory science, or analytical roles – are approaching retirement. But critically, the pipeline of like‑for‑like replacements is insufficient.

Industry reports indicate that in the broader food and drink manufacturing sector, almost a third of the workforce is estimated to reach retirement age by 2033‑35, leaving a significant experience void. Additionally, manufacturers are already feeling the impact of knowledge loss when seasoned workers leave, with over half of companies reporting challenges in replacing the expertise they lose.

Internal Pipelines Aren’t Filling the Gap

Internally, many organisations struggle to mature their succession pipelines. Formal development tracks – especially for high‑skill technical and R&D functions like flavour creation – are often under‑resourced or fail to accelerate junior professionals quickly enough.

Externally, a glaring experience gap persists: early‑career candidates lack the depth to immediately step into senior roles, while true industry veterans are retiring faster than they can be replaced. According to the UK Flavour Association, Europe currently has an estimated only 250 practising flavourists, despite thousands being employed across the wider food and drink ecosystem. This small talent pool underscores the fragility of succession.

The Cost of Inaction

The implications of this talent and succession gap are significant:

• Knowledge loss – when senior professionals retire without effective transfer mechanisms, institutional expertise leaves with them.
• Time‑sensitive hiring pressures – vacancies in senior technical positions can stall product development and delay time‑to‑market.
• Productivity drag – skills shortages in technical areas compound broader recruitment challenges, slowing operational efficiency.

Compounding this is a broader narrative that food manufacturing and flavour creation are less attractive to younger professionals compared to tech or consumer tech sectors – contributing to persistent recruitment difficulties.

Why Traditional Hiring Isn’t Enough

Generalist internal recruitment – posting open roles on broad platforms or scaling up campus placements – often fails to overcome the technical specificity of roles in this industry. For example, perfumer, flavourist, or sensory science roles require not just academic qualifications but deep practical experience that can take years to develop.

Many firms also lack visibility into where experienced specialists are actively seeking opportunities – particularly those who are passive job seekers (e.g., senior technical leaders not actively looking but open to the right opportunity).

The Specialist Recruitment Agency Solution

This is where specialist recruitment agencies deliver measurable value.

Targeted Talent Mapping

Agencies that focus exclusively on food, flavour, and FMCG sectors maintain dedicated talent networks and data on where experienced professionals are – both geographically and in terms of skill level. They can assess not just CVs, but real experience relevance to specific technical needs.

Faster Senior Hiring

Time‑to‑hire is critical when knowledge gaps threaten core business functions. Specialist recruiters accelerate the search for senior leaders, using proactive outreach and assessment frameworks tailored to complex roles.

Strategic Succession Support

Rather than filling individual roles reactively, top agencies can advise on succession planning frameworks. These include:

• Benchmarking skills levels and experience requirements
• Identifying internal high‑potential employees
• Creating tailored leadership pipelines with appropriate development milestones

Enhanced Candidate Experience

Senior technical profiles often expect discreet, value‑aligned approaches to career opportunities. Specialist recruiters offer a professional candidate journey, representing the employer’s brand and opportunity in compelling ways.

The Future for Foods and Flavours

The food and flavours industry is at a pivotal moment: create a perfect storm of succession risk. But industry growth and innovation depend on bridging this gap efficiently and strategically.

For businesses that want to protect intellectual capital, accelerate hiring, and build resilient succession plans – partnering with a specialist recruitment agency is not just an option; it’s a strategic imperative.

By Bianca Eckert, Consultant, Skills Alliance