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Full-Time

Quality Assurance Coordinator

Confirmed live in the last 24 hours

Tender Food

Tender Food

11-50 employees

Produces sustainable plant-based meat substitutes

Food & Agriculture

Mid

Cambridge, MA, USA

Category
QA & Testing
Quality Assurance
Requirements
  • You have a good understanding of food industry standards of quality, food safety, and FDA regulations.
  • You have knowledge of or an or interest in food product design, formulation, ingredient functionality and interaction, process design, product scale-up, product testing, and commercialization.
  • You can travel as needed (~50% of your time)
  • Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Biological Sciences, or related field.
  • 3+ years of experience with Food Safety and Quality Assurance and Quality training
  • HACCP or PCQI experience
  • Experience in implementing SQF Certification.
  • Experience leading audits (Customer, Regulatory)
  • Supervisory and Leadership skills
  • Knowledge and experience in FDA regulations
  • Experience in a quality assurance role within the food industry
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills
  • Certifications, Licenses, Registrations: PCQI Certification, HACCP certified, SQF Certification for Manufacturing
Responsibilities
  • Responsible for overseeing the implementation of the company’s food safety and quality management system to ensure food product integrity and compliance with specifications, SQF, GMPs, HACCP, FDA regulations, and customer requirements at our processing co-manufacturing facility.
  • Liaise with governmental, supplier, production, plant management, co-manufacturing and commercial partners.
  • Responsible for coordinating food defense and food fraud programs.
  • Work closely with other departments to provide guidance on and ensure implementation of Food Safety and Quality Assurance programs that address both corrective and preventative activities.
  • Manage our Environmental Monitoring Program.
  • Audit, monitor, validate processing activities, new technologies, products, and packaging to ensure they meet specific product quality, food safety criteria, as well as regulatory and company requirements.
  • Conduct risk assessments of the processing steps and engineering controls, and enforce food safety standards.
  • Play a significant role in new product development, validation, and implementation at the co-manufacturing facility.
  • Establish product controls and procedures to ensure that newly developed products meet customer, company, and regulatory needs.
  • Track and present key performance indicators of quality and food safety with the Quality team to meet corporate quality, food safety goals and objectives monthly.
  • Support the supplier onboarding and compliance process by reviewing documentation, monitoring performance, and conducting on site audits.
  • Manage investigations of reported issues, ensuring concerns are resolved in an effective and timely manner and corrective/preventative actions have been implemented.
  • Ensure traceability programs meet or exceed regulatory requirements and support mock withdrawals/recalls.
  • Initiate certification approvals involving production and product quality claims.
  • Review and verify all master manufacturing records and quality control reports for validity and accuracy.
  • Maintain written procedures for processes related to the quality and reliability of all products.
  • Develop training materials for new processes and procedures, and provide support for training events.

Tender Food creates plant-based meat substitutes aimed at consumers who are environmentally conscious and health-focused. The products are developed using scientific expertise from Harvard University, ensuring high quality and sustainability. Tender Food sells its meat alternatives directly to consumers through its online platform and select retail partners, generating revenue from product sales and potential partnerships with food service providers. Unlike many competitors, Tender Food emphasizes both taste and texture in its offerings, striving to provide a satisfying alternative to traditional meat. The company's goal is to provide a sustainable food choice that does not sacrifice flavor, ultimately reshaping how people consume food.

Company Stage

Seed

Total Funding

$23.9M

Headquarters

Somerville, Massachusetts

Founded

2020

Growth & Insights
Headcount

6 month growth

0%

1 year growth

-2%

2 year growth

29%
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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • The $11 million funding round led by prominent investors like Rhapsody Venture Partners and Lowercarbon Capital provides strong financial backing for scaling production.
  • Tender Food's innovative products, such as plant-based shredded pork and chicken breast, have the potential to capture a significant share of the growing plant-based meat market.
  • The partnership with Clover Food Lab could accelerate Tender Food's market penetration and brand recognition across the US.

What critics are saying

  • The plant-based meat market is highly competitive, with established players like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods posing significant challenges.
  • Scaling production to meet market demand while maintaining product quality could be a complex and resource-intensive process.

What makes Tender Food unique

  • Tender Food's unique process of spinning plant proteins into fibers identical to animal muscle sets it apart in the plant-based meat industry.
  • The partnership with Clover Food Lab provides Tender Food with a significant distribution channel, enhancing its market presence and accessibility.

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