Salaries and costs
Food recruiters in Tyne and Wear cover hourly roles on the shop floor through to technical and senior hires, so pay varies by site, shift, and compliance demands. Food production operatives in chilled environments often earn between £11 and £13 per hour, while line leaders earn between £13 and £16 per hour. Chef rates vary by service style and hours, with many sites paying £13 to £18 per hour for experienced cooks or chefs de partie, rising for head chefs in high-volume venues. Technical and quality roles are on annual salaries, with quality technicians in the £25,000-£35,000 band and site technical leaders in higher bands. Temp charge rates reflect holiday pay, NI, and agency margin, so a £12 worker may be billed between £16 and £19, depending on volume and notice. Permanent recruitment fees are usually a percentage of basic salary, often in a range of 12 per cent to 20 per cent, and executive search for senior plant or operations heads may run higher with staged payments.
Qualifications
Kitchen teams look for food hygiene certificates and allergen training, and many sites favour Level 2 or Level 3 Food Safety awards. Technical and QA roles often require a food science or related degree, and HACCP training is common in specifications. FLT licences are required for ambient and chilled warehouses, and a clean driving licence is useful for multi-site roles. For supervisors, IOSH Working Safely or Managing Safely can be a plus where health and safety sit within the job scope.
Local hiring challenges
Seasonal peaks around summer events, university terms, and the festive period can stretch availability in Newcastle, Gateshead, and Sunderland. Night shifts in chilled facilities can be harder to fill than day shifts, and some sites on the A19 corridor require car ownership when public transport is limited in early hours. Retention improves when sites post rotas in advance, offer paid breaks in colder areas, ensure fair weekend rotation, and provide clear paths into team-leader roles.
Regional or geographic variations
City centre kitchens see evening spikes, with Metro links helping late finishes near Central Station, Monument, and Sunderland city centre. Large manufacturing and distribution hubs around Team Valley, Cobalt, Quorum, Washington, and the Port of Tyne draw candidates from North Tyneside and South Tyneside, with the A1 and A19 easing commutes across the river. Fish and seafood roles cluster near North Shields Fish Quay, and bakery and ready meal production sits across industrial estates with good chiller access.
Common job roles agencies recruit for in this area
Recruitment agencies handle food production operatives, machine minders, bakers, butchers, packers, FLT drivers, kitchen porters, cooks, chefs, QA technicians, hygiene operatives, stock controllers, planners, and supply chain coordinators. Many add NPD technologists, technical services, specifications writers, and shift managers for larger plants. Executive search usually covers operations managers, site directors, and heads of technical.
Industry-specific training or licences
HACCP and Food Safety certificates carry weight on both the shop floor and technical paths, and allergen awareness is now a must. NVQs in food manufacture, bakery, or butchery help with progression, and FLT counterbalance or reach licences suit warehouse and dispatch. COSHH awareness is useful for hygiene teams, and first aid at work adds value in small kitchen brigades.
Seasonal trends or themes
Summer patios and festival catering lift chef and KP demand, and Christmas trading drives high volumes in packing, picking, and dispatch. Seafood peaks coincide with events on the coast and holiday traffic, and winter brings more night-shift cover for ready meals and bakery lines. Agencies map these swings to talent pools, offering returner lists and call-off cover for short shifts.
Key sectors or employers in the region
Tyne and Wear blends hospitality, food processing, and logistics, with hotels and restaurants in Newcastle and Sunderland, bakeries near industrial parks, and seafood and ready-to-eat lines near the coast. Supermarket distribution and third-party logistics add steady warehouse shifts, and university catering adds term-time roles. This mix offers candidates options and a steady pipeline for local employers who want to hire staff quickly or plan for seasonal cover.
Progression possibilities
Operatives can step into line leader roles with training, and strong line leaders often move into shift manager posts. Kitchen porters can progress to commis and chef de partie with practice and Level 2 Food Safety, and QA technicians can move to senior tech roles by adding HACCP and internal auditing. Forklift drivers can upskill into stock control and inventory planning with basic Excel and WMS knowledge.
Quick facts and frequently asked questions
What contract types do food recruiters cover in Tyne and Wear?
Most agencies place temporary, permanent, and contract work, with on-call cover for events and peaks.
How do recruitment fees work for permanent placements?
Fees are usually a percentage of basic salary with rebate terms, and many agencies offer staged payments for senior hires.
Can candidates register with an agency before jobs come up?
Yes, candidates and job seekers can register with an agency, complete right-to-work checks, and join call lists for new shifts.
What paperwork is needed for food production roles?
Commonly requested documents include right-to-work documents, proof of address, references, and basic food hygiene certificates.
How can local employers improve retention on night shifts?
Offer clear rotas, fair premiums, warm rest areas in chilled sites, and defined steps into team leader jobs.