Manager – New Product Development (NPD) – Beverages

Manager – New Product Development (NPD) – Beverages

Location: Lotus Dairy Products Pvt.

Ltd. – Manda Plant (Sikar) Reporting To: Head – New Product DevelopmentRole PurposeTo lead and manage Beverage New Product Development activities from concept development through successful product commercialization, with responsibility for formulation, optimization, trials, scale-up, process validation, technology transfer, product quality, stability, cost optimization, and technical support for commercial launch.Key ResponsibilitiesA. Beverage NPD & Innovation· Lead the development of RTD beverages (Fruit-Based Beverages, Tea & Coffee Based Beverages, Functional & Nutritional Beverages, Energy & Sports Beverages, Hydration Beverages, Carbonated & Sparkling Beverages, Juice & Juice-Based Beverages, Herbal / Botanical Beverages etc.) products from concept to commercialization.· Develop, optimize, and validate product formulations to achieve desired taste, texture, stability, nutritional profile, shelf life, quality, and cost targets.· Lead laboratory, pilot-scale, and plant trials, including scale-up and technology transfer to commercial manufacturing.· Evaluate and qualify new ingredients, flavors, stabilizers, emulsifiers, proteins, functional ingredients, and processing technologies for beverage applications.· Conduct sensory evaluation, competitor benchmarking, product performance evaluation, and shelf-life/stability studies.· Identify and resolve formulation, processing, packaging, and product stability issues through systematic technical troubleshooting.· Drive product costing, value engineering, and cost optimization while maintaining product quality and consumer acceptance.· Explore new beverage concepts, technologies, ingredients, and market trends to support the company's innovation pipeline.· Develop prototypes and conduct iterative trials based on sensory, technical, commercial, and consumer requirements.· Support development of products across relevant beverage technologies, including UHT, retort, chilled and other applicable processing systems.B. Scale-Up & Plant Trial Management· Plan and execute beverage trials from lab scale to pilot and commercial plant scale.· Establish and validate critical formulation and process parameters during scale-up.· Coordinate with Production, QA, Engineering, Procurement, and other relevant functions for successful plant trials.· Monitor trial batches and identify deviations in processing, sensory attributes, stability, and product performance.· Support troubleshooting during first commercial production and subsequent production batches.· Ensure effective technology transfer from R&D to manufacturing.C. Product Quality, Stability & Shelf Life· Conduct and monitor shelf-life, stability, physical, chemical, microbiological, and sensory evaluations as applicable.· Establish product specifications and acceptance criteria for developed beverages.· Investigate product quality and stability issues and recommend appropriate corrective actions.· Support optimization of packaging and processing conditions to achieve desired product shelf life and performance.D. Cost Optimization & Technical Evaluation· Develop and maintain product formulations and associated product costing.· Identify opportunities for cost reduction and value engineering without compromising product quality.· Evaluate alternative ingredients and suppliers from a technical, sensory, functional, and cost perspective.· Support Procurement and other functions in technical evaluation and qualification of new materials.E. Regulatory & Technical Documentation· Ensure beverage formulations and development activities comply with applicable FSSAI and other regulatory requirements.· Develop and maintain:· Product formulations· Product specifications· Process parameters· Trial protocols· Trial reports· Sensory evaluation records· Stability/shelf-life reports· Technical product documentation· Provide technical inputs for label declarations, nutritional information, ingredient statements, and regulatory documentation as required.F. Cross-Functional NPD Support· Work closely with Marketing, Business Development, Production, QA, Regulatory, Procurement, Packaging, Engineering, and Supply Chain teams during product development and commercialization.· Translate consumer, customer, and business requirements into technically feasible product concepts.· Provide technical support for product presentations, customer trials, sampling, and product demonstrations.· Participate in product review meetings and provide technical recommendations related to formulation, processing, quality, and feasibility.QualificationB.Tech / M.Tech / M.Sc. in Food Technology, Dairy Technology, Food Science, or a related field.MBA or additional qualification in a relevant management discipline will be an added advantage.Experience· 8–12 years of relevant experience in Beverage, Food, Dairy R&D, or New Product Development.· Strong hands-on experience in beverage formulation, laboratory and plant trials, scale-up, process optimization, troubleshooting, and technology transfer.· Experience in RTD beverages UHT/retort/chilled /Carbonated/Non -Carbonated beverage systems will be preferred.· Strong understanding of ingredient functionality, beverage processing, product stability, sensory evaluation, shelf-life, costing, and regulatory requirements.Demonstrated ability to independently manage multiple NPD projects and work effectively with cross-functional teams.Key Competencies· Beverage Formulation & Product Development· Product Innovation· Plant Trial & Scale-Up· Process Optimization· Technical Troubleshooting· Sensory Evaluation· Stability & Shelf-Life Evaluation· Ingredient & Supplier Evaluation· Cost Optimization· FSSAI & Regulatory Understanding· Technology Transfer· Technical Documentation· Cross-Functional Collaboration· Project Execution & Problem Solving