Research and Development Product Manager (Food & Beverage)

About the role

We are seeking an experienced Research and Development Product Manager to lead the creation and local adaptation of food and beverage products. The role works closely with regional and global R&D teams as well as manufacturing, quality, regulatory, procurement, marketing and commercial functions to bring products from concept to market launch.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and adapt food & beverage products to meet local consumer preferences, ingredient availability, regulations, cost and manufacturing capabilities.
• Lead formulation, sensory testing, competitor benchmarking and product trials.
• Manage laboratory, pilot and factory trials through to commercial production, preparing recipes, specifications, BOMs and technical documentation.
• Collaborate with manufacturing and engineering to troubleshoot production issues and ensure compliance with food safety, quality, regulatory and labeling requirements.
• Support marketing, sales and commercial teams with technical information, samples and customer requirements.
• Work with procurement and suppliers to qualify local ingredients and identify cost‑optimization opportunities.
• Monitor product performance post‑launch and drive improvements in quality, stability, shelf life, yield and cost.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Food Engineering, Nutrition, Chemistry, Biotechnology or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience in food & beverage/FMCG product development, including hands‑on factory trials and commercial launches.
• Strong knowledge of food regulations, labeling, GMP, HACCP and shelf‑life requirements.
• Experience with local ingredients, suppliers and cost‑optimization.
• Regional or global R&D experience is highly preferred.

Required skills

• Product formulation
• Sensory testing
• Competitor benchmarking
• Laboratory, pilot and factory trial management
• Recipe development and BOM preparation
• Technical documentation
• Production troubleshooting
• Food safety compliance (GMP, HACCP)
• Shelf‑life analysis
• Cost‑optimization techniques