Year 12 Nestle and Perfection Fresh Excursion
Towards the end of last year, Year 12 Food Technology had the privilege of visiting the Nestlé and Perfection Fresh headquarters to gain first-hand insight into food product development and the diverse careers available within the food technology industry. The excursion gave students a unique opportunity to see how ideas in the classroom translate into real products on supermarket shelves.
At Perfection Fresh, we were invited to taste-test new development concepts, including pre-made meals such as potato salad. We learned that popular products like Qukes and Broccolini are proudly branded by Perfection Fresh and explored the creative thinking behind them. The marketing and product development teams guided us through each stage of the food development process, discussing branding strategies and case studies that led to their most iconic items. They explained how many products are designed in response to social needs, such as creating lunchbox-friendly options and reducing the bitter taste of broccoli to encourage healthier eating.
We then travelled to the Nestlé headquarters where Chef Elke Travers introduced us to large-scale products developed for restaurants, including their new gravy range. She spoke about the wide variety of career pathways in food technology and highlighted the growing opportunities for women in the industry. Chef Travers also treated us to a Thai chicken rice bowls for lunch and a knafeh-inspired panna cotta for dessert. As an added bonus, we sampled the new KitKat spread, that was still in production stage, served with decadent chocolate brownies.
The day was filled with delicious food and invaluable learning that directly supports our course studies. A big thank you to Ms Suzan Ali for taking the time to organise this memorable excursion for the girls, and Ms Dalby for supporting our learning and for taking time out of her day to join us on this experience.
We acknowledge the Burramattagal People of the Darug Nation, the traditional custodians of the land in Parramatta. We acknowledge the Elders, past and present and their ancestors who have had a deep relationship with country.