We are looking for a Research & Development Manager to lead Richa Group's product innovation and development agenda. The role will be responsible for translating consumer insights, market trends and commercial opportunities into successful product concepts, while ensuring that new and existing products meet the company's standards for quality, food safety, cost competitiveness and market relevance. This is a key role for an individual who combines food industry expertise, commercial thinking and innovation leadership.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Product Innovation & Development
Lead the end-to-end development of new food products, product extensions and reformulations across relevant categories.
Identify opportunities for new products based on market trends, consumer preferences, competitive intelligence and commercial potential.
Develop product concepts, specifications, prototypes and testing plans in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.
Coordinate product trials, sensory evaluations, samples and product validation.
Manage the transition of successful concepts from development to commercial launch.
2. Market & Consumer Insights
Monitor FMCG and food industry trends, emerging categories, consumer preferences and competitor activity.
Translate market intelligence into actionable product development opportunities.
Partner with Marketing and Commercial teams to identify gaps within the existing portfolio.
Evaluate product concepts based on consumer relevance, differentiation and commercial viability.
3. Supplier & Partner Collaboration
Work closely with international suppliers, manufacturers, laboratories and technical partners on product development.
Evaluate ingredients, raw materials, formulations, packaging and technical specifications.
Support supplier qualification and product benchmarking.
Ensure alignment between supplier capabilities and Richa Group's quality and commercial requirements.
4. Quality, Regulatory & Food Safety
Ensure all new and existing products comply with applicable food safety, quality and regulatory requirements.
Establish and maintain product specifications and technical documentation.
Coordinate required laboratory analysis, shelf-life testing and product validation.
Work closely with Quality Assurance and Operations to investigate and resolve product-related issues.
5. Cost & Commercial Viability
Assess product development costs and commercial feasibility.
Collaborate with Procurement and Finance to optimize product costs without compromising quality.
Contribute to pricing, margin and product profitability assessments.
Identify opportunities for product reformulation, packaging optimization and cost efficiency.
6. Project & Stakeholder Management
Establish R&D project timelines, milestones, budgets and deliverables.
Lead cross-functional project teams involving Commercial, Marketing, Procurement, Quality, Supply Chain and Operations.
Ensure projects remain aligned with business priorities and launch timelines.
Present recommendations, project progress and business cases to senior management.
7. Team Leadership & Continuous Improvement
Build a culture of innovation, accountability and continuous improvement.
Coach and develop R&D team members and technical resources.
Establish clear objectives, KPIs and performance standards.
Introduce structured R&D processes, documentation and best practices.
Key Success Measures
Success in this role will be measured through:
New product development and successful launches
Speed-to-market
Product innovation pipeline
Commercial performance of new products
Product margin and cost optimization
Consumer acceptance and product quality
Reduction of product development cycle time
Supplier and development partner performance
Compliance with quality and food safety requirements
Cross-functional stakeholder satisfaction
Desired Candidate Profile
We are looking for a commercially minded R&D professional who combines technical food expertise with strong business acumen.