At RCL Foods, we believe in growing what matters! As a leading food manufacturer, our goal is to nourish people with a portfolio of trusted brands and products. We are committed to innovation, sustainability, and the development of our employees.
RCL Foods' Baking Division in Centurion is seeking a talented and innovative Senior Product Developer who will act as a coordinator of all new food product development activities from concept stage to launch.
Purpose of the role
- Identify possible new products. This involves brainstorming ideas, discussing the
- product’s requirements, and determining market and overall feasibility for a
- particular product concept.
- Keep their ‘ears on the ground’ and speak with people, read magazines, read food
- blogs and watch food shows, all in an effort to understand which food products
- people enjoy, and where market gaps are.
- Discover who’s going to buy the product and ways to make it unique. Use surveys
- and other research tools to focus the product concept and target goals, such as what
- market gap it will fill.
- Define the key elements of the new food product, such as the format, size, taste,
- colour, texture and consistency.
- Develop the new food product, including the recipe, sourcing of ingredients, shelf
- life, packaging & manufacturing processes. Developing a new food product involves
- assembling and presenting samples of the product to an external customer.
- Construct and manage all own trial CPA’s
- Manage Kitchen Assistant work schedules and project allocations
- Duties and reponsibilities:
- Research & Market Analysis
- Identify market niches and opportunities into which existing products could be
- adapted and new products developed.
- Continuously research food trend to stay ahead of consumer trends.
- Evaluate the success of new products in their markets.
- Do a Product Trend analysis presentation once a quarter
- Development
- Formulation of new recipes and improvement of existing recipes and packaging.
- Recommend new products and work with the NPD team to transform food concepts
- into viable products, This involves brainstorming ideas, discussing the product’s
- requirements, and determining market and overall feasibility for a particular product
- concept
- Conduct taste panels for proposed new products and document results
- Prepare reports and recommendations based on new food product trials.
- Coordinate shelf life studies with the NPD Process Technologist.
- Ensure that potential new products can be manufactured profitability.
- Service Management
- Liaise with suppliers to ensure that RCL Foods is aware of new ingredients coming on
- to the market
- Present new products to customers
- KPI’s
- Achievement of SIA targets
- Rate of new product development
- Efficacy of the product transition from kitchen to factory and launch.
- Customer satisfaction & relationship
Internal
- Enjoy working in a team setting with other functional areas e.g. Operations,
- Commercial, QA Teams, Supply Chain
- Explain ideas and get other department’s buy-in into new products and processes.
- Train all staff involved in the production of new products developed
External
- Communication with Woolworths on a daily basis. Travel to Woolworths Head
- Office to present samples and attend meetings minimum 3 times a month.
- National QSR Customers
- Ingredient & Packaging Suppliers
- Interact with customers to find new and novel market opportunities for products
- Minimum 3 year Qualification in Culinary arts / Qualified Chef
- Minimum of 2 years’ experience as a PD within the Speciality team unless prior
- experience externally warrants seniority
- Numerical and verbal aptitude, strong communicator.
- Intermediate computer skills (especially excel and word)
- A valid driving license.
- Minimum of 2 years culinary experience within an established food manufacturing
- Experience working with a multi-cultural team.
- Positive and enthusiastic attitude.
- Able to work efficiently under pressure
- Able to overcome product failure
