New Product Development & Innovation

JOB DESCRIPTION

New Product Development & Innovation

Department: New Product Development / Product Innovation

Reporting To: Head of Production

Industry: Dairy, Indian Sweets & Food Products / masala /snacks/dry fruits / bakery products.

Job Purpose

The New Product Development & Innovation person will be responsible for identifying, developing, coordinating and bringing new food products to market, from the initial concept through sampling, costing, packaging, legal compliance, approvals and final launch.

The role will involve working closely with the Sales, Production, Quality, Accounts, Purchase, Packaging and external vendors/white-label manufacturers to ensure that every new product is developed and launched within the required quality, cost and timeline parameters.

Key Responsibilities

1. New Product Research & Market Scouting

• Constantly research the market for new, innovative and trending dairy products, Indian sweets, desserts, snacks and other food products.
• Identify products from the market, exhibitions, competitors, suppliers and other food businesses that could be introduced into the company's portfolio.
• Explore opportunities for white-label / private-label products from suitable manufacturers.
• Study market trends, consumer preferences, packaging formats and new product concepts.
• Present relevant new product ideas to Sales and Management for consideration.2. Product Development
• Develop new products in collaboration with the Production and Quality teams.
• Work with external white-label manufacturers to develop products according to the company's requirements.
• Coordinate multiple rounds of samples and trials until the desired taste, texture, appearance, shelf life, quality and cost are achieved.
• Convert product concepts into commercially viable products.
• Maintain proper records of all product trials, samples, specifications and approvals.
• Ensure products are developed within the timeline committed to the Sales team.3. White-Label / External Vendor Development
• Identify and evaluate suitable manufacturers and vendors for white-label products.
• Obtain product samples, specifications, ingredient details, shelf-life information and commercial quotations.
• Coordinate trials and modifications with external manufacturers.
• Ensure the final product meets the company's quality, taste, packaging and commercial requirements.
• Coordinate vendor negotiations and finalization along with the Purchase/Accounts teams wherever required.4. Packaging Development
• Take complete ownership of the packaging development process for new products.
• Identify appropriate packaging formats and materials based on the product's requirements.
• Coordinate with packaging vendors, printers and suppliers for samples and quotations.
• Develop and finalize packaging specifications, dimensions, materials and artwork requirements.
• Coordinate artwork development and corrections until the packaging is ready for production.
• Ensure packaging is practical, commercially viable and suitable for the product's storage and shelf-life requirements.5. Legal & FSSAI Compliance – Back of Pack
• Coordinate the preparation and verification of Back-of-Pack (BOP) artwork as per applicable FSSAI and food labelling requirements.
• Collect and verify required product information including:
• Ingredient declaration
• Nutritional information
• Allergen declaration
• Net quantity
• Veg/Non-Veg declaration
• Batch / Lot details
• Manufacturing / packing information
• Date and shelf-life declarations
• Storage instructions
• FSSAI licence details
• Manufacturer / marketer details
• MRP and other mandatory declarations
• Coordinate with the Quality team to ensure the final artwork complies with applicable legal requirements before printing.
• Ensure all packaging changes are properly reviewed and approved before production.6. Costing & Commercial Coordination
• Coordinate with the Accounts/Finance team to develop complete product costings.
• Obtain and compare:
• Product/raw material cost
• Manufacturing / white-label cost
• Packaging cost
• Printing cost
• Logistics and other applicable costs
• Work with Accounts to establish the final product cost and commercial viability.
• Ensure no product is commercially finalized without the required costing and internal approvals.
• Coordinate with Sales and Accounts on target pricing and margins.7. Cross-Functional Coordination

Work closely with:

Sales:

• Understand product requirements, target market, expected volumes and launch deadlines.
• Deliver products within agreed timelines.Production:
• Conduct trials, finalize recipes/processes and ensure manufacturing feasibility.
• Coordinate scale-up from trial to commercial production.Quality / Regulatory:
• Ensure product quality, specifications, shelf life and regulatory compliance.Accounts:
• Finalize product costing, pricing inputs and commercial feasibility.Purchase:
• Source raw materials, packaging materials and coordinate vendor requirements.External Vendors:
• Coordinate product development, samples, packaging and commercial requirements.8. Product Launch Management
• Maintain a New Product Development tracker covering every stage of development.
• Set clear timelines and follow up with all concerned departments and vendors.
• Track pending samples, approvals, costing, packaging, artwork and production readiness.
• Escalate delays that may affect the committed launch date.
• Ensure that a product moves systematically from:Idea → Market Research → Vendor/Production Development → Sample → Trial → Approval → Costing → Packaging → BOP/Legal Approval → Final Sample → Production → Launch

Desired Skills & Competencies

• Strong understanding of food products, dairy, Indian sweets and/or FMCG
• Passion for food innovation and discovering new products
• Good understanding of product development processes
• Knowledge of food packaging and labelling requirements
• Understanding of FSSAI food labelling requirements
• Strong vendor and supplier coordination skills
• Good commercial and costing understanding
• Excellent follow-up and project management skills
• Ability to manage multiple product developments simultaneously
• Strong communication and negotiation skills
• Highly organized and deadline-oriented
• Creative, curious and market-oriented
• Ability to work closely with Production and physically participate in product trialsQualification & Experience

Education:

Graduate in Food Technology, Food Science, Dairy Technology, Hotel Management, Nutrition, or a related field.

Experience:

Preferably 3–7 years of experience in New Product Development, Food/FMCG Product Development, Dairy, Indian Sweets, Bakery, Food Manufacturing or a related industry.

Candidates with strong practical food product development experience and excellent market knowledge may also be considered.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate should be someone who is constantly looking for the next product, understands what is happening in the market, can identify a promising product opportunity and has the ability to take it from an idea to a commercially viable finished product.

They should be comfortable working hands-on with Production, Sales, Accounts, Quality, Packaging and external manufacturers, and should take ownership of ensuring that every new product is delivered on time, at the right quality, in the right packaging and at the right cost.