THIS MUCH I KNOW...
WITH
HILARY
HURSH
Focus on FinlaysPhoto: Thom Walton
After graduating college with a Food Science degree, Hilary started out her career in applications and technical support, and joined Finlays in 2012. She now leads the R&D team with a laser focus on delivering for customers. Here she shares words of wisdom from her career so far...
My first experience with food science was making ice-cream as a child. Ice cream was one of the first food products I played around with growing up. I remember being interested in how the freezing process changed the texture and flavor. I didn’t think of it as “food science” then, but looking back, that’s what it was. I later attended the ice cream short course at Penn State - the program that got Ben and Jerry started in the ice cream industry.
Helping others succeed is what drives me. The culture of the Finlays R&D team is about always being collaborative and helping each other. It's a very team-oriented environment. We’re focused on succeeding together for our customers.
Solving customers’ challenges is hugely satisfying. I love getting to work with so many different customers and different products; and get satisfaction from helping other people achieve their goals. A huge part of my job is solving challenges for our customers and helping them develop and launch great products.
The beverage industry is constantly evolving. Consumers are getting better educated on coffee and tea as categories and becoming more discerning about what they're looking for. It's been interesting to see the post-Covid turn towards the ready-to-drink space for coffee versus going to a coffee shop.
Tea hasn't yet followed suit, at least in the US, but there are more options out there now, especially through food service like bubble tea products. I think tea will take off in a bigger way, especially in that food service space, which we're already working on supporting from an R&D standpoint.
There’s a tea and coffee for everyone. I didn’t used to drink tea or coffee and got into it through a previous role. Now, when someone tells me they don't like coffee or tea, I usually start asking questions – what have you tried? Do you usually drink it hot or cold?
What’s your experience been? There are so many different options out there, and I really do feel there is a coffee or tea for everyone.
There’s an art and a science to R&D. Creating flavor is definitely an art form, but behind it is the science.
It's not enough for a product to taste good. It has to meet the specifications, be stable and be produced safely.
I love seeing products I’ve worked on appearing on shelves and menu boards. I always seek these products out and it’s a rewarding experience to see them in out in the world. Even sharing products I’ve worked on with my family is a great feeling.
I’m a big believer in “Fake it ‘til you make it”. At the start of my career, I didn't necessarily see myself in a leadership role. I was just enjoying what I was doing. But at Finlays, I’ve had the opportunity to take on more responsibility and become a people manager. And being able to use things I’ve learnt in my career in my own management style has been helpful – particularly in understanding how decisions I make as a leader impact others.
Working in a lab is fun. Being hands on with our ingredients is amazing and that’s something that I miss, having moved into more of a management role. But I do still taste routinely with our team, because if I'm not constantly tasting our coffee and tea products, then I'm not doing my job!
It’s important to work somewhere you feel supported. I’ve had huge support from Finlays over the last 12 years. From being a scientist who’s only responsible for myself, to leading a team of 13, is testament to that. I’ve been able to take a lot of management training over the years, and even participate in the Swire Management program which is delivered through INSEAD. I've definitely had continued investment and support from leadership and have grown within the company.
