Product Developer, Food Service

AGRANA Fruit is a global leader in delivering healthy and delicious food solutions in partnership with our valued customers. Our co-collaboration mindset results in the development of innovative products across multiple categories including refrigerated & frozen dairy, bakery and food service. Our team of experts are passionate about the wonderful world of food, the communities we serve and meeting the needs of consumers around the world.

Senior Product Developer - Brecksville, OH
AGRANA Fruit US, Inc. is seeking a Senior Product Developer to work as part of the Food Service team at our Corporate Headquarters in Brecksville, OH. This role acts in close collaboration with the Category, Sales, and Marketing manager. As an active member in the New Product Development team, the job owner demonstrates creativity, agility, and rigor within the product commercialization process. This is a newly created position requiring knowledge and passion for innovation in beverages such as coffee, tea and other barista type products.

Senior Product Developer, Responsibilities:

• Lead development and innovation process for specific customer accounts. This involves receiving customer brief, structure of the project, required research, formula development, sample submissions, risk analysis, trial, launches and all customer contact for project follow up.
• Market scouting, trend research and benchmark analysis in cooperation with Category, Sales, and Marketing manager. Generate internal briefs for proactive projects. Prepare product shows and presentations for clients.
• Prioritize and manage all product development efforts within the customer team to adequately service our customers. As key asset of customer satisfaction and aligned with sales strategy, implement continuous improvement of service level in product development.
• Guarantee NPD process compliance with quality and safety guardrails and F&B regulations, both internal and from customers, including local and destiny markets. Support feasibility studies.
• Comply to the raw material approval process in synergistic collaboration with Procurement Specialist function to guarantee timely availability of raw materials for product brief execution, and to support the development of new ingredients, packaging, suppliers, and raw material optimization.
• Collaborate with the Pilot Plant Team (Cooks, Unitizer, Dispatcher) to ensure the realization of all product samples to be delivered to the customers within the requested timeframe.
• Responsible to deliver precise product trial details and to collaborate with the Commercialization Coordinator to guarantee accurate and on-time set up of factory trials.
• Active participation in scale up and industrial trial, contributing to new process development and improvement.
• Collaborate and align with Technical Service for a successful commercialization of new product developments.
• Ensure accurate and timely reporting of product development activities to key stakeholders.

Senior Product Developer, Requirements:

• BS in Food Science, Food Technology, Chemistry, Biology
• 2 years progressive experience in food product or food ingredient development.
• Barista training a plus!
• Knowledge in beverage applications, coffee science and/or barista training.
• Experience in packaging design and control.
• Knowledge of regulatory requirements and labelling.
• Experience in sensory analysis.
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously.
• Highly organized with strong time management skills.
• Problem solving, analytical skills. Creativity.
• Communication ability for positive interactions with internal and external customers.
• Strong computer skills.
• Previous SAP experience a plus.

As a global company, we are immensely proud of our diverse workforce and attach great importance to equal opportunity and diversity. We welcome and encourage everyone regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, religion, or sexual orientation who is passionate about their career to apply.

If interested, apply online at www.agranajobs.com or e-mail your resume to bryan.santos@agrana.com