We are looking for an NPD Lead to drive the end-to-end development and launch of new food products. The role will work closely with the founders/business leadership, R&D, sourcing, quality, manufacturing, packaging, marketing and sales teams to identify opportunities, develop products and take them from concept to commercial launch.

The ideal candidate should have strong hands-on experience in food product development, understanding of consumer trends, ingredients, formulations, manufacturing processes and commercialisation.

Key Responsibilities:

1. New Product Development:

- Own the complete NPD process from idea/concept to commercial launch.

- Translate consumer needs, market trends and business opportunities into new product concepts.

- Develop and refine product formulations in collaboration with R&D and technical teams.

- Conduct multiple rounds of trials, sensory evaluations and product optimisation.

- Ensure products meet defined benchmarks for taste, quality, nutrition, shelf life and cost.

2. Product Innovation:

- Track emerging food trends, consumer preferences, ingredients, formats and technologies.

- Identify white spaces and opportunities across existing and new categories.

- Build an innovation pipeline aligned with the company's growth strategy.

- Benchmark competing products and identify opportunities for differentiation.

3. Commercialisation:

- Work with sourcing and procurement teams to identify and qualify ingredients and vendors.

- Partner with manufacturing teams to ensure successful scale-up from lab/pilot batches to commercial production.

- Drive product costing and work towards targeted product margins.

- Coordinate packaging development, specifications and product claims.

- Ensure smooth transition from development to large-scale production.

4. Cross-functional Collaboration:

- Work closely with Marketing, Sales, Procurement, Quality, Manufacturing, Packaging and Supply Chain teams.

- Partner with marketing to translate product attributes into strong consumer propositions.

- Coordinate with quality and regulatory teams to ensure compliance with applicable food regulations.

- Manage external R&D partners, consultants, laboratories and co-manufacturers where required.

5. Project Management:

- Develop detailed NPD timelines, milestones and launch plans.

- Manage multiple projects simultaneously and ensure timely execution.

- Maintain product development documentation, specifications, trial reports and formulation records.

- Identify and resolve technical or execution challenges during development and scale-up.

Candidate Profile:

- 6 - 10 years of experience in NPD / R&D / Product Development within the food or FMCG industry.

- Strong hands-on experience in developing and commercialising food products.

- Experience taking products from concept - formulation - trials - scale-up - commercial launch.

- Strong understanding of ingredients, formulations, food processing and manufacturing.

- Exposure to sensory evaluation, shelf-life testing, product costing and quality parameters.