EMMA Smedley, 26, has been appointed the new product development manager for Pocklington-based Sundora Foods, the dried fruit snacks firm.

Already she has signalled her intent to capitalise on the boom in healthy eating when it comes to future product launches.

She said: "It's an exciting time to be involved in dried fruit given the current interest in healthy eating."

Emma was formerly a development technologist for Westler Foods, based at Amotherby, near Malton, where she spent two-and-a-half years developing and launching products for the canned ready meals sector.

Originally from York, she began her career at Oldfields Quality Foods, in London.

Updated: 11:12 Wednesday, April 27, 2005