This CV summarizes the career and qualifications of Darren Knight. He has over 25 years of experience in quality assurance, product development, food safety auditing, and supplier management roles within the global food industry. His most recent role is as a Senior Supplier Quality Engineer at Santa Maria AB in Sweden, where he performs supplier audits and manages supplier quality. He aims to progress into a senior managerial role utilizing his extensive network and international experience in the food industry.

1. CV
DarrenKnight
Prästgårdsängen5, lgh1303
412 71 GÖTEBORG
+(46) 706 - 01 83 60
e-mail: mdwhr.knight@gmail.se
Skype:dazzer.knight
LinkedIn:Darren Knight
Profile
I am a forward thinking, goal orientated, curious and enthusiastic person. A devoted and fully
dedicated manager who achieves effectively organizational goals in a wide spectrum of areas
that cover quality assurance, product development, technical & legislative compliance, food
safety, responsible sourcing, quality auditing, provenance, accreditations and supplier audit
management.
I am well versed in the hands-on nature of industrializing food products from kitchen scale to
full scale serial production and know how to put good taste into food products. A proven
track record for delivery of projects against budget cost targets and tight time schedules. A
trained lead quality auditor as well as manager of many different food safety and provenance
accreditations.
I enjoy travelling and discovering different countries where I can get an opportunity through
work, or vacation, to experience stimulating cultures, enjoy new food experiences and meet
exciting new people. I am a nature lover, have an active interest in art and cycle regularly.
Career Development
I aim to progress my personal development in a senior managerial role within the global food
industry. My well established network and many years of international experience in different
areas of the food industry has given me a great foundation for future advancement.
I am interested in any suitable managerial positions within the areas of quality assurance,
food safety, responsible/ sustainable sourcing, technical compliance, product development
and quality auditing.

2. Work & Life Experience
2016- date Santa Maria AB, Sweden. Senior Supplier Quality Engineer.
(Company website: www.santamariaworld.com)
 Senior Supplier Quality Management of the 50 global suppliers of traded goods in
different product ranges and business areas (retail and foodservice). Development of
Supplier performance to increase effectiveness of supplier base.
 Responsible Sourcing (social) auditing of chosen specific suppliers at group level.
 I perform 20 food safety audits of suppliers (Europe, US, SE Asia) per year.
2011 – 2016 Santa Maria AB, Sweden. Senior Technical Quality Specialist.
(Company website: www.santamariaworld.com)
 Company spokesperson for official contact with Swedish National Food Agency and
third party controlling bodies for divisional wide accreditation schemes.
 I am the driving technical manager behind the successful implementation of a 2-stage
auditing programme covering BRC Food Safety for central head office functions as well
as for 5 different factory sites.
 Member of company “Legal Forum” to discuss and advise on quality related issues as
relevant to legal product information including ingredient lists for all products.
 I manage the continuous certification of EU Organic production requirements for 3
factory sites as well as import controls for organic raw materials and final end
products that are sourced from outside the European Union.
 I maintain Fairtrade compliance for 2 different product ranges.
 Senior specialist for Supplier Quality Management of the 250 global suppliers of raw
materials, packaging materials and commodities in different product ranges and
business areas (retail and foodservice). Responsible Sourcing.
 I perform 25 food safety audits of suppliers (Europe, US, SE Asia, S America) per year.
2006 - 2011 Santa Maria AB, Sweden. Quality Assurance and R&D role.
(Company website: www.santamariaworld.com)
 I am a competent technical services manager liaising with different functions at 10
different entrusted co-packers with full insight and responsibility for the coordination
and solving of critical manufacturing problems for New Products being packed into tin
cans, glass jars, plastic squeeze bottles and sachets.
 Total responsibility for the industrialization of all Santa Maria branded “wet based
products” at Santa Maria regional production sites as well as at various entrusted co-
packers in Europe, Asia and the USA.
 I am a creative product developer with a proven track record for development of food
products and complete concepts ranging from complex dry seasoning blends to wet
based sauces and condiments in Tex Mex, India & Thai product concepts.
 A full understanding of the mechanisms of how to put “taste” into a variety of
different food products. I have created well liked taste profiles for taco sauces, salsas,
marinades, barbecue sauces and dry seasoning mixes.

3.  I am the driving QA role behind the successful co-implementation of BRC Food Safety
accreditation for 3 different factory sites located in Sweden.
 I manage the certification of EU Organic production requirements for 2 factory sites in
Sweden.
 A highly skilled administrator with a passion for organized documentation and working
structure.
 A creative force to identify and implement averaged cost savings of 2 million SEK per
annum for a 3 year period for raw materials and final end products, without lowering
final product quality.
2001 - 2006 Santa Maria AB, Sweden. Technical Services Manager.
 A technical services manager role liaising with 3 different entrusted co-packers with
full insight and responsibility for the coordination and solving of critical problems for
New Products being packed into glass jars and sachets.
 Total responsibility for the industrialization of all Santa Maria branded “wet based
products” at Santa Maria regional production sites as well as at some entrusted co-
packers in Europe.
 I am a creative product developer with a proven track record for development of food
products and complete concepts ranging from complex dry seasoning blends to wet
based sauces and condiments in food product concepts.
 An identification and implementation of averaged cost savings of ½ million SEK per
annum for a 2 year period for wet based products, without lowering final product
quality.
1997 - 2001 Nordfalks AB, Sweden. Technical Services Manager.
(Company website: www.nordfalks.se)
 A technical role solving QA and R&D issues with products made at in-house Taco (fried
corn products) and Tortilla (baked wheat products) factories
 Industrialising different wet products at some entrusted co-packers in Europe.
 A product developer role developing dry seasoning mixes with different food
customers in snacks, meat and dairy industries.
1993 - 1997 Nordfalks AB, Sweden. Food Technologist (Product Development).
 A technical role solving problems with in-house developed food products such as
marinades (in plastic sachets) and basting oils (in glass bottles).
 Technical assistance to solving R&D issues with products made at in-house Taco (fried
corn products) and Tortilla (baked wheat products) factories.
 Industrializing some own recipe developed taco sauces & salsas at an entrusted co-
packer in the UK.

4. 1991-1993 World Traveller, Australia, NewZealand and SE Asia
• After completinga "roundthe world" adventurefor eight monthsvisitingUS, New Zealand, Australia
andSouth East Asia with my future wife tobe Mariawe decided to relocate to Sweden. I completed
my studies of Swedish after 11 monthsandstartedmy first employmentin Gothenburg.
1988- 1991 FoodTechnologist, H.J.HeinzCompany Ltd, United Kingdom
• Industrialisingproductrecipes developedby in-housechef colleagues at two different factory sites in
the UK. A successful achievement maintainingthe same "kitchenquality" duringfull scale serial
productionrun for sometinned products(beansandpasta) and bottledgoods(ketchup).
Formal Educational Qualifications
1985 - 1988 B.Sc. (Hons) FoodScience (Class II-DivisionI) ReadingUniversity, UK
1982 - 1985 Palmers VI FormCollege: (4 A-Levels: Chemistry, Biology, Applied& Pure
Mathematicsas well as 4 O-Levels)
1977 - 1982 CulverhouseComprehensiveSchool(6 O-Levelsand 3 CSE'sGrade 1)
Further Formal Training Qualifications
2015 Lead AuditorManagement. ISO9001:2015 (CaneaTraining)
2014 Quality ManagerDevelpmentcourse (Bergström & Hellqvist)
Membership of Professional Bodies
1988 - 1991, 1995 - Date M.I.F.S.T. (InstituteofFoodScience & Technology - UK)
1994 - Date Memberof SLTF (Swedish FoodScience & Technology Society)
2000 - 2013 Memberof I.F.T. (Instituteof FoodTechnology - USA)
Linguistic Skills
Fluent in Swedishand English (written and spoken)
References
Work references can be left uponrequest.