Lead Food Technologist_NPD

Role Overview

The Lead – Food Technology & NPD will be responsible for conceptualizing, developing, and commercializing new products across our café, bakery, gourmet retail, and packaged food portfolio. The role requires a strong understanding of food science, ingredient functionality, manufacturing processes, and consumer trends to create products that are both innovative and operationally scalable.

Key Responsibilities

New Product Development

● Lead end-to-end product development from concept to commercial launch.

● Develop innovative products across bakery, beverages, desserts, ready-to-eat meals, sauces, spreads, snacks, frozen foods, and gourmet packaged products.

● Conduct recipe formulation, product trials, sensory evaluations, and product optimization.

● Translate consumer insights and market trends into commercially successful products.

Product Commercialization

● Standardize recipes and manufacturing processes for commissary-scale production.

● Ensure smooth product transfer from R&D to production.

● Define product specifications, process parameters, and quality benchmarks.

● Work closely with Operations to ensure consistency across production batches.

Food Technology & Quality

● Evaluate ingredient functionality, shelf life, packaging compatibility, and product stability.

● Conduct shelf-life studies and product validation.

● Ensure products meet food safety, quality, and regulatory standards.

● Collaborate with the Quality team to establish product specifications and quality protocols.

Innovation & Consumer Insights

● Research emerging food trends, ingredients, technologies, and global innovations.

● Benchmark products against leading national and international brands.

● Identify opportunities for product improvement and portfolio expansion.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

● Partner with Culinary, Procurement, Category, Marketing, and Operations teams throughout the product development lifecycle.

● Work with suppliers to source innovative ingredients and packaging solutions.

● Support product launches with technical knowledge and training.

Regulatory Compliance

● Ensure compliance with FSSAI regulations, food safety standards, and labeling requirements.

● Maintain product documentation, formulations, technical specifications, and development records.

Desired Candidate Profile

● Bachelor's or Master's degree in Food Technology, Food Science, Food Engineering, or a related discipline.

6–10 years of experience in Food Technology, R&D, or New Product Development.

● Experience in FMCG, Food Manufacturing, Bakery, Dairy, Beverage, QSR, or Gourmet Food businesses.

● Strong knowledge of food processing, ingredient functionality, preservation techniques, and food safety.

● Experience with product commercialization and scale-up.

● Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills.

Key Success Metrics

● Successful launch of new products.

● Time-to-market for product development projects.

● Product quality and consistency.

● Commercial success of newly launched products.

● Reduction in product development cycle time.

● Product cost optimization without compromising quality.

● Compliance with food safety and regulatory standards.

What We're Looking For

● A passionate food innovator with strong technical expertise.

● Someone who combines creativity with scientific rigor to develop market-leading products.

● A collaborative leader who enjoys working across culinary, operations, procurement, and marketing teams.

● A professional who understands how to balance innovation, quality, scalability, and commercial success.