Quality Assurance for Food & Beverage

Food and beverage manufacturing operates under some of the most tightly regulated quality frameworks in the UK, where product safety, consistency and traceability are critical. QAagency specialises in recruiting Quality Assurance professionals for food and beverage environments, supporting manufacturers, processors and packaging operations across the UK.

Quality Assurance roles within food and beverage typically sit within production sites, technical departments and central quality teams. The work is usually site-based, with QA professionals responsible for monitoring production activity, managing documentation and ensuring compliance with both internal standards and external regulatory requirements. These roles are central to protecting brand reputation and maintaining approval from retailers, auditors and enforcement bodies.

In most organisations, QA professionals report into a Quality Manager, Technical Manager or Head of Quality. Responsibilities often include audit readiness, corrective action management and close collaboration with production, hygiene and supply chain teams to ensure standards are maintained without disrupting output.

Roles we recruit for within food and beverage QA

We recruit across a wide range of quality-focused roles within food and beverage manufacturing, including QA Technicians and Quality Testers carrying out in-process checks and inspections, Quality and Compliance Officers managing documentation and standards adherence, Quality Engineers supporting corrective actions and continuous improvement and Quality Managers overseeing systems, audits and site-wide compliance.

Many of these roles operate within regulated frameworks such as BRCGS, HACCP, ISO 22000 and retailer-specific technical standards.

Recruiting?

Derek Tesciuba

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Recruitment Consultant

derek@qaagency.co.uk

01245 377817

2026 salary insight: food and beverage quality assurance roles

Based on QAagency 2026 salary benchmarking, average UK salaries for food and beverage QA roles are:

QA Technician or Quality Tester (0–2 years experience): £29,100
Quality Officer or QA Engineer (3–5 years experience): £36,800
Senior QA or Technical Quality Engineer (5–10 years experience): £45,900
Quality Manager or Head of Quality: £58,600

Salary progression within food and beverage QA is influenced by audit responsibility, retailer exposure, shift patterns and whether the role includes ownership of HACCP plans, supplier approval or site technical authority.

Market and hiring trends in food and beverage QA

Demand for food and beverage QA professionals has remained consistently high through 2025 and into 2026, driven by ongoing regulatory scrutiny, retailer standards and increased audit frequency. Many sites have expanded their QA teams to reduce risk and improve audit outcomes rather than relying on minimal compliance coverage.

Year on year salary growth from 2025 to 2026 has typically ranged between 4.0% and 4.6%, with the strongest increases seen at senior and management level. Over the past five years, Quality Manager salaries within food manufacturing have increased by approximately 18%, reflecting expanded accountability and pressure from customers and certification bodies.

Employers are increasingly seeking candidates who can operate confidently during audits, manage non-conformances independently and communicate effectively with production teams. Experience across multiple standards or retailer codes continues to attract a salary premium.

Location and salary variation

London and the South East continue to offer the highest salaries for food and beverage QA roles, particularly within larger manufacturing sites and group technical functions. However, strong demand in the Midlands, North West and Yorkshire has narrowed regional gaps, with average QA salaries in these regions rising by around 16% over the past five years.

Shift-based roles show less regional variation, as pay is often influenced more by hours worked and site complexity than location alone. Candidates with multi-site or group-level technical experience tend to command higher salaries across all regions.

Job Roles

Quality Technician

Quality Engineer

Quality Manager

Quality Tester

Compliance Auditor

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