Beverage Application Traineeship

About the company

The Finwerd Beverage Academy is back. And we're looking for four exceptional talents from across West Africa.

Finwerd is a flavour company with a clear mission: to be the invisible signature behind Africa's most iconic beverage brands.

We develop and manufacture flavour systems for the African beverage industry, combining European flavour expertise with manufacturing and application capabilities in Africa.

We believe the future of Africa's beverage industry should be developed in Africa, by people who understand its markets, consumers and opportunities.

That is why we created the Finwerd Beverage Academy.

We are not simply looking to fill positions. We want to invest in young African talent and develop the technical expertise that will shape our industry for decades to come.

Your tasks

Four selected trainees will join our application laboratories in Lagos, working alongside experienced beverage technologists from Africa and Europe for two years.

Our goal is simple: to develop the next generation of African beverage application technologists.

This is not a classroom programme. From day one, you will experience what it's like to work on real customer projects, develop beverage prototypes, conduct trials and create products for some of Africa's leading beverage brands.

You will learn what goes into the drinks consumed by millions of people every day, and how to create them yourself.

Your training will also take you to our headquarters in the Netherlands, where you will work with our European R&D teams and gain exposure to international flavour development.

• Create real beverages. Develop and test carbonated soft drinks, juices, energy drinks, malt drinks, dairy beverages, and other beverage applications.
• Work on customer projects. Translate recipes and customer briefs into finished beverage samples, from the first formulation to the final recommendation.
• Train your senses. Learn to identify, evaluate and describe flavours with the precision of an industry expert.
• Understand the science. Explore how flavour, sweetness, acidity, temperature, light and shelf life influence the final product.
• Develop your technical skills. Conduct trials, document results and participate in customer presentations and product demonstrations.
• Show us what you've learned. At the end of the programme, develop and present your own beverage concept to our technical leadership team.

Requirements

Who we're looking for

• A genuine passion for beverages. You don't just drink them; you wonder why they taste the way they do.
• Strong English proficiency. French is an advantage.
• Between 0 and 8 years of professional experience.
• Nationality of an ECOWAS member state and the ability to relocate to Lagos, Nigeria, for two years.
• Strong ambition to build a long-term career in the flavour and beverage industry.
• The patience and discipline to experiment, fail, adjust and try again.

Above all, we want people who are hungry to learn. Experience is not a requirement. Curiosity is.

What we offer

Salary and housing in Lagos provided.

The value of the two-year programme is estimated at over $150,000.

• 24 months of paid, hands-on training in our beverage application laboratories in Lagos.
• A competitive monthly salary throughout the programme.
• Fully provided accommodation for the duration of your traineeship.
• International training opportunities at Finwerd's headquarters in the Netherlands.
• Real industry experience working on products for leading beverage brands across Africa.
• Direct mentorship from experienced beverage specialists from across the globe.
• A career opportunity: high performing trainees will be offered a position after the traineeship.

How to apply

Applications are now open.

Shortlisted candidates will complete an online cognitive assessment, followed by interviews. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Other

Today, more than half of our workforce is female, including our CEO. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all qualified candidates.

Ready to build your future with us? Four places. Two years of intensive training. An opportunity to become part of the next generation of beverage specialists in Africa.