#MétierDuLait – Clara Occhipinti, ingénieure R&D produit en entreprise laitière

Clara Occhipinti (CO): Hello! I’m Clara Occhipinti, I’m 26 years old and I’ve been working as a Research and Development (R&D) product engineer for the last 3 years for the Candia brand, which is part of the Sodiaal Co-operative group. I am based in Saint-Etienne, where I specialise in white milks and also lactose-free, vitamin-enriched and flavoured milks.

CO: When I was younger, some of my family followed a nutritional diet, which is when I started to take an interest in what our foods contain, particularly from a health perspective. After high school, I decided to study bioengineering, specialising in dietetics. I then completed a Master’s degree in process engineering, to be able to apply my knowledge to food product design and industrial processing. This is where I discovered R&D, an area where I can fully utilise my double skillset in nutrition and product development. I completed my final year on a work-study basis with Candia, joined the company with a permanent position at the end of my studies in October 2021.

CO: Product R&D works on product formulation. It’s important to explain the difference between R&D packaging, which focuses on packaging design. I always work on several projects at once, but patience is key as it can take up to 2 years to launch a product! The marketing team comes up with a new concept, and gives me a detailed brief, which the R&D team uses to carry out tests on various scales, to find the right formula. I supervise the project at every stage, from laboratory to factory, which involves regular visits to our production sites in Awoingt (59), Lons (64) and Vienne (38). My team also guarantees the stability of the product over time, from both a physio-chemical and taste perspective. To do this, we monitor the evolution of samples  stored under the recommended conditions, over a period longer than that indicated for the consumer. Over all, the job allows me to interact with many departments – marketing and production of course, but also purchasing, regulatory and quality control. This affords me a comprehensive overview of the dairy product production line!

CO: I am very happy to work on adding value in the milk sector, in a company capable of adapting to create very different product ranges and satisfy the needs of very diverse consumers. I feel very proud to have been involved in the preliminary stages of developing innovative recipes and to then find the product in stores! And finally, for me it was very important to work in a responsible, ethical company. Sodiaal’s commitments in terms of nutrition and the environment fully meet my requirements in this area.

CO: Five years ago, I would have loved for someone to tell me the importance of networking, and I really want to put this point across. Never be afraid of contacting people via LinkedIn, meet contacts at trade fairs and ask questions about their profession. It’s always really rewarding and there are many people out there only too happy to reply. I would also advise that if the opportunity arises, do as many internships as possible, taking a gap year, for example. There is no better way of gaining experience, and getting a real insight into the industry. It allows you to better target your path, depending on what interests you the most. Generally speaking, be curious and stay up to date with new developments; it’s a fast-moving sector!