Lead - New Product Development - Biscuits

Role Overview:

The NPD Lead - Biscuits will own the end-to-end R&D and product development of the biscuit portfolio, from concept creation and formulation to pilot trials and commercial scale-up. This role requires a strong hands-on R&D leader who can build robust, scalable, and cost-efficient biscuit products suitable for launch and rapid growth.

Key Responsibilities:

- Lead biscuit R&D and formulation development across sweet, cream, digestive, and functional biscuit categories

- Independently manage lab trials, pilot trials, and factory-level scale-up

- Define and optimise process parameters (mixing, sheeting, cutting, baking, cooling)

- Drive ingredient selection, supplier evaluation, and vendor trials

- Own product costing, BOM, yield improvement, and margin optimisation

- Resolve texture, spread, breakage, moisture, and shelf-life challenges

- Work closely with founders, QA, production, sourcing, and packaging teams

- Ensure FSSAI compliance, nutritional calculations, labeling, and claims validation

- Create and maintain R&D documentation, SOPs, and formulation records

- Build a 6-12 month biscuit innovation and launch roadmap

Mandatory Requirements:

- 10+ years of hands-on R&D experience in biscuit / bakery product development

- Proven track record of taking products from lab to commercial production

- Strong understanding of biscuit chemistry, dough rheology, baking science, and shelf-life management

- Experience working with industrial biscuit lines or co-manufacturers

- Ability to operate independently in a pre-revenue, zero-structure startup environment