New Product Development Manager

NPD Manager – New Product Development

Company: Eat Better Co.

Department: New Product Development

Location: Jaipur, Rajasthan

Experience: 4–6 Years

Industry: FMCG / Food Manufacturing

About Eat Better Co.

Eat Better Co. is a growing food and FMCG company focused on delivering innovative, high-quality food products to consumers. We are looking for an experienced NPD Manager to lead product innovation, manage end-to-end product development, and drive successful product launches.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end new product development, from ideation and formulation to commercialization and launch.
• Conduct market research, competitor analysis, and consumer trend studies to identify new product opportunities.
• Develop product concepts, formulations, prototypes, and samples in line with market requirements.
• Manage product trials, sensory evaluations, taste testing, shelf-life testing, and packaging development.
• Coordinate with third-party manufacturers, vendors, and suppliers for product development and commercialization.
• Work closely with Production, Quality Assurance, Procurement, Sales, and Marketing teams to ensure smooth product launches.
• Manage product costing, BOMs, raw material selection, and margin optimization to meet business objectives.
• Ensure compliance with FSSAI regulations, food safety standards, labeling requirements, and quality specifications.
• Evaluate manufacturing feasibility, scalability, and production efficiency before commercialization.
• Maintain product specifications, formulation records, trial reports, and other NPD documentation.
• Track post-launch product performance and recommend improvements based on consumer feedback and market trends.
• Manage multiple NPD projects, ensuring timely execution within defined budgets and quality standards.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Food Technology, Food Science, Food Engineering, or a related field.
• 4–6 years of relevant experience in NPD, preferably in the FMCG or food manufacturing industry.
• Proven experience in developing and launching food products from concept to commercialization.
• Hands-on experience working with third-party manufacturers and contract manufacturing units.
• Strong understanding of food formulations, processing techniques, packaging, and shelf-life validation.
• Experience in product costing, BOM preparation, raw material sourcing, and margin optimization.
• Knowledge of FSSAI regulations, food safety standards, and food labeling requirements.
• Experience managing product trials, vendor coordination, and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Strong analytical, project management, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Preferred Candidate Profile

• Experience in snacks, healthy foods, packaged foods, or other relevant FMCG food categories.
• Proven track record of successfully launching commercially viable food products.
• Ability to balance product innovation with cost efficiency, quality, and scalability.
• Strong vendor negotiation and third-party manufacturing management skills.
• A proactive, hands-on professional comfortable working in a fast-paced, growing organization.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Number of successful product launches.
• Product development turnaround time.
• Adherence to product development budgets and timelines.
• Product cost optimization and target margin achievement.
• Product quality, shelf-life stability, and regulatory compliance.
• Post-launch product performance and continuous improvement.

What We're Looking For

We are looking for a commercially minded and technically strong NPD professional who can identify market opportunities, develop innovative food products, manage third-party manufacturing partners, and take products from concept to successful market launch.