Role purpose

To Supervise fruit receiving, weighing, sorting and ripening to provide Production with correctly identified, accepted fruit at the required ripeness and quantity.

Key Roles & Responsibilities

Receiving and Truck Unloading. Truck arrivals and unloading coordinated with Procurement, Production and QA. Fruit handled carefully to prevent bruising and contamination. Supplier, delivery and lot details checked; unloading teams organised to minimise delays and fruit exposure.

Weighing and Intake Reconciliation. Gross, tare and net weights recorded accurately using verified scales and agreed procedures. Accepted, rejected and held quantities reconciled against each delivery. Weight discrepancies investigated and escalated before intake records are finalised.

Incoming Fruit Sorting and Segregation. Sorting teams apply QA-approved acceptance criteria for maturity, damage, decay and foreign material. Accepted, rejected and held fruit clearly segregated and labelled. Suspect deliveries referred to QA; quality hold and release decisions remain with QA.

Ripening Chamber Management: Chambers loaded by compatible fruit type, maturity and lot. Approved ripening procedures followed, including specified temperature, humidity, ventilation and treatment settings. Chamber conditions and fruit ripeness checked and recorded; deviations escalated promptly to Production, QA and Maintenance as appropriate.

Team Supervision and Hygiene. Receiving, weighing, sorting and ripening teams assigned clear duties and targets. Attendance, handling practices, hygiene and housekeeping monitored. Safe stacking, clear access routes and chamber entry procedures enforced. Shift handovers identify stock status, holds and outstanding issues.

Other Special Requirements

Hands-on role covering receiving areas and ripening chambers.

Key measures: weighing accuracy, stock reconciliation, traceability, ripening losses, receiving turnaround and timely supply of fruit at the required ripeness

Qualifications or requirements

Certificate or diploma in Food Science, Food Technology, Agriculture, Horticulture, Production Management or a related discipline.

Experience needed

At least two years in fresh produce receiving, packhouse operations, ripening or food processing, with experience leading a team.

Any other provided details

Knowledge of fruit maturity and handling; accurate weighing, stock records and basic calculations; clear communication, organisation and prompt escalation of problems.

• Supervise fruit receiving, weighing, sorting and ripening.
• Coordinate truck arrivals and unloading with Procurement, Production and QA.
• Ensure fruit is handled carefully to prevent bruising and contamination.
• Check supplier, delivery and lot details.
• Organise unloading teams to minimise delays and fruit exposure.
• Record gross, tare and net weights accurately.
• Reconcile accepted, rejected and held quantities against each delivery.
• Investigate and escalate weight discrepancies.
• Ensure incoming fruit is sorted and segregated according to QA-approved criteria.
• Segregate and label accepted, rejected and held fruit.
• Refer suspect deliveries to QA.
• Manage ripening chambers by loading compatible fruit types, maturities, and lots.
• Follow approved ripening procedures, including temperature, humidity, ventilation, and treatment settings.
• Check and record chamber conditions and fruit ripeness.
• Escalate deviations promptly to Production, QA, and Maintenance.
• Assign clear duties and targets to receiving, weighing, sorting, and ripening teams.
• Monitor attendance, handling practices, hygiene, and housekeeping.
• Enforce safe stacking, clear access routes, and chamber entry procedures.
• Ensure shift handovers identify stock status, holds, and outstanding issues.

• Knowledge of fruit maturity and handling
• Accurate weighing
• Stock records management
• Basic calculations
• Clear communication
• Organisation
• Prompt escalation of problems
• Team leadership

• Certificate or diploma in Food Science, Food Technology, Agriculture, Horticulture, Production Management or a related discipline.
• At least two years in fresh produce receiving, packhouse operations, ripening or food processing.
• Experience leading a team.