#134 Food developer: Franzbrötchen and instant coffee
Our mini-series "Working in Coffee Paradise" continues – and this time it's going to be particularly delicious. We're taking you to where all the "delicious" things happen at Tchibo. Our guest is Susanne Tadeus, Head of Development Food & Instant. For 33 years, she has been shaping Tchibo's world of enjoyment beyond roasted coffee – from ready-to-drink and coffee-to-go to cakes, Franzbrötchen, bowls and snacks to tea and instant coffee. In short, she defines how these products look, taste and perform throughout the day in our stores – so that your moment of enjoyment is truly a moment of enjoyment.
Behind the scenes: What does a "tasting day" taste like?
Before tasting begins, Susanne starts her day with a latte and half an hour of peace and quiet – a little break just for her and her coffee. And then it's time to taste, decide and improve. On "tasting days", there can be anywhere from 10 to 30 cheesecakes lined up side by side.
Professional tasting is then carried out using clear criteria – because ultimately, the product must not only taste good today, but also still look appetising hours later in the shop.
"Ultimately, it's about making products safe for consumers, offering products that are durable and consistent in quality." – Susanne Tadeus
Susanne and her team taste their way through the entire range: complaints, instant coffee batches, tea, production samples – here, quality means both enjoyment and responsibility. Development is carried out in close collaboration with our manufacturers, using standards and tests that ensure products remain stable and delicious – even throughout the day.
How do you get there?
Susanne herself is an ecotrophologist and focused on industrial product development early on. This is not a must, but a solid foundation in natural or food sciences helps to bridge the gap between enjoyment, safety and process.
Susanne explains what it takes to land your dream job as a food developer. In short, you need passion for the product and genuine enjoyment in what you do every day. You also need a good sense of taste and smell – because your daily work involves professional tasting, not just "eating" – as well as creativity and openness to new ideas. And on a practical note, those who are not afraid of cold rooms have a clear advantage.
Equally important is a strong sense of responsibility: food development means offering products that are safe, durable and of consistent quality – far beyond just pretty pictures. Those who are also comfortable with specifications, documentation and working on computers have the necessary "everyday fitness" for this profession. With this mix of passion, sensory skills, creativity and quality awareness, you are well equipped to get started.
"The very first thing is, of course, enjoying what you do, and passion for the product is extremely important." – Susanne Tadeus
Of course, we also talk about Susanne's current favourites from the development team: coffee + lupine and the (internationally available!) Tchibo Franzbrötchen. And we learn about Susanne's personal coffee routine at the office: cappuccino in the morning, espresso macchiato in the afternoon.
Fancy giving it a listen?
Then tune in – wherever podcasts are available.
