New Product Development Manager

Recruiter:

Pollock & Associates

Job Ref:

JK6223

Date posted:

Tuesday, January 6, 2026

Location:

sandton, Gauteng, South Africa

Salary:

Competitive Package offered

SUMMARY:
This role leads end-to-end food product development across multiple categories, from concept through validation, testing, and launch.

POSITION INFO:

The focus is on delivering commercially viable, compliant, and scalable products aligned to group ingredient standards, allergen controls, nutritional requirements, and relevant legislation.

The position is hands-on and execution-driven, covering product builds, ingredient validation, portioning, yield and wastage calculations, shelf-life testing, and indicative BOM development. You will document and maintain all back-of-house procedures, ensure operational sign-off, and support successful market tests and launches.

Working closely with Marketing, Operations, Supply Chain, Training, and external suppliers, you will coordinate tastings, consumer research, and test-kitchen activities. The role also drives continuous improvement through product and packaging renovation, raw material optimisation, and cost-saving initiatives.

Essential Requirements:

A Food Science or Food Technology qualification is preferred
8–10 years’ experience in food product development within FMCG, Retail, or QSR environments, with a strong grounding in food science principles
Experience in leading product development is essential
Proven experience working across cross-functional teams.
Supported by strong analytical ability, attention to detail, and sound judgement under pressure.

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