Product Developer - Grocery

- Develop new recipes in line with company strategy, briefs, food vision, nutritional standards and central production capabilities, process standards. - Continuously improve existing recipes and processes to enhance quality, cost efficiency, meeting nutrition targets and compliance. - Write and maintain recipes, costings, quality assurance specifications, and product attribute documentation. - Draft initial cooking instructions and collaborate with technical/process teams for validation. - Conduct and facilitate competitor benchmarking alongside the Senior Product Development Manager and Food Product Technologists. - Conduct and facilitate gap analysis in partnership with the Senior Product Development Manager and Food Product Technologists. - Conduct kitchen-level organoleptic and shelf-life testing of products, ingredients, and packaging, recording results according to standards. - Validate, test, and sign off raw ingredients and packaging in collaboration with procurement and supplier assurance. - Support corrective action processes by attending taste panels and conducting competitor benchmarking and gap analysis. - Attend positive release tastings, reviewing products prior to launch and signing off quality before first delivery. - Support the Senior Product Development Manager with packaging briefs and related documentation. - Prepare ingredient sourcing briefs under Senior PDM guidance and manage supplier communications on specifications and amendments. - Attend pre-production trials, launches, and handover meetings to ensure seamless recipe translation into commercial scale-up. - Provide training and support where required during product transition. - Conduct troubleshooting and support continuous improvement initiatives across recipes, ingredients, quality, and processes. - Deliver product presentations at gate stages alongside the Senior PDM and Grocery Product Development Technologist. - Produce high-quality samples for presentations, photography, tasting sessions, and customer visits. - Attend photography sessions and retailer sell-in sessions, supporting the Senior PDM with sample production, cooking, and presenting. - Support marketing and promotional activities, ensuring consistent representation of food quality and vision. - Support the maintenance of the development kitchen, including cleaning, restocking, and raw material procurement. - Ensure compliance with company policies, food safety standards, and best practices at all times. - Provide hospitality support for internal activities, customers and high-profile visitors. - Support supplier visits. - Stay updated on food trends, competitor activity, and wider retail market developments. - Support the organisation and participation in food trawls and food shows. - Attend training courses as required to maintain knowledge and skills.