Company Overview
State Garden Inc. has been a leader in the produce business for over 75 years, known for our commitment to high-quality products. From our roots as a family-run celery business, we have grown into a top supplier of organic and conventional tender leaf greens, spinach, and celery hearts. Our brands, Simple Beginnings and Olivia's Organics, reflect our dedication to providing convenient and wholesome products for all consumers.
Summary
The Quality Manager of Juice and Beverage Production is responsible for leading all aspects of the Quality and Food Safety programs pertaining to Ready-to-Drink (RTD) juices, Juice ingredients, and Celery. This includes overseeing the implementation of QA systems, Food Safety Programs, HACCP, SQF, GMP standards and relevant training programs while leading the QA team to achieve full compliance. The role demands strong critical thinking to drive continuous improvement, maintain an audit-ready facility, and ensure the highest quality standards are upheld across raw materials, in-process, and finished goods.
Responsibilities
Quality & Food Safety Leadership
- Own and continuously improve the Quality Management System (QMS) across the celery, beverage and ingredient product lines.
- Lead HACCP, Food Safety, and Food Defense teams; understand and monitor various aspects of RTD and ingredient production processes.
- Maintain and enforce the Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) for all employees per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standards and verify adherence to all Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) regarding GMPs, SQF, and HACCP standards.
- Create and maintain all documentation required for SQF and regulatory compliance, drives document control and change control, review and editing of SOPs.
- Manage Mock recalls, internal audits and third-party certifications (e.g., SQF, Organic, Kosher, Non-GMO) and regulatory inspections (FDA, USDA, state).
- Ensure compliance with cGMPs, FDA regulations, and customer specifications.
- Manage supplier onboarding, customer inquiries, investigations, corrective actions and reporting.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Beverage-Specific QA Oversight
- Monitor beverage processing controls including pH, Brix, turbidity, pasteurization (thermal and non), sensory testing, and microbial safety for both shelf-stable and cold-chain products.
- Validate and verify CCPs such as metal detection, filling temperatures, and HPP or hot-fill process parameters, all QA logs and checks.
- Lead root cause analysis on deviations such as spoilage, sensory defects, and packaging failures (e.g., bloating, leaking, delamination).
- Oversee ingredient verification including incoming juice concentrates, purees, botanicals, and functional ingredients.
Testing & Documentation
- Supervise environmental monitoring, pathogen testing, ATP swabbing, and sanitation verification.
- Coordinate and monitor raw/bulk beverage and ingredient storage, release of raw and processed products, holding and evaluating noncompliant products and packaging.
- Maintain and update SOPs, work instructions, and quality manuals for all beverage-related operations.
- Guide documentation control, including specification sheets, COAs, production batch records, and traceability logs.
Team Development & Training
- Lead, mentor, and develop QA staff across shifts and facilities.
- Oversee training on food safety, quality procedures, new equipment, and regulatory updates.
- Foster a culture of ownership, problem-solving, and continuous improvement throughout the QA department.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work with Operations, R&D, and Supply Chain teams on new product launches and process validation.
- Participate in trials for formulation changes, packaging innovation, and shelf-life extension.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in a related field preferred.
- Experience in food or manufacturing environment under HACCP/Juice HACCP or USDA or FDA.
- Experience working with a Quality Management System including SQF.
- Food Defense Training required.
- PCQI, HAACP or Juice HACCP Certification preferred.
- Required to complete an SQF Practitioner course.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: From $85,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
Schedule:
- Day shift
- Monday to Friday
- Morning shift
Ability to Commute:
- Chelsea, MA 02150 (Required)
Work Location: In person
