Assistant Manager Product Development - Food Services

At National Foods Limited, we are on a journey of growth and on building our most valuable assets which include our brands, financial strength, global presence, and our unbridled commitment to becoming a truly sustainable and a renowned company in the world.

Job Purpose:

To improve and evolve NFL’s institutional/food-service product range in line with changing customer preferences, regulatory requirements and evolving market trends – working closely with Sales and the National/Regional Culinary Experience Manager team to ensure all FSD product developments are executed seamlessly from concept through to launch.

Key Accountabilities & Responsibilities:

• Work closely with cross-functional teams – including Sales and the Regional/National Culinary Experience Manager team – to brainstorm and develop new food product ideas for institutional/food-service customers, in line with market trends and customer demands.
• Work closely with the Sales team (RBDM/ZSM/TSM) and National/Regional Culinary Experience Managers to analyse market trends, competitor products and institutional customer preferences to identify opportunities for product innovation and improvements.
• Create and refine food product recipes and formulations – in partnership with the National/Regional Culinary Experience Manager team – considering taste, texture, appearance and nutritional content, and determine the appropriate combination and proportions of ingredients to achieve desired attributes (taste, shelf life, cost-effectiveness) suited to institutional/HORECA use.
• Stay abreast of food safety regulations to ensure that all product development activities meet legal and regulatory requirements (e.g. labelling, nutrition facts, and allergen declarations).
• Seek to optimize ingredient costs while maintaining product quality and taste, including evaluating alternative ingredients and production methods suited to institutional/bulk food-service applications.
• Work closely with the Quality Control team to ensure the relevant quality control procedures are established to ensure consistency and safety in the production process.
• Organize and conduct sensory panels and trials – in coordination with Regional Culinary Experience Managers and key institutional customers – to assess product attributes, make improvements, and gather customer feedback.
• Manage the end-to-end product development process from concept through to launch for FSD – including setting timelines, allocating resources, testing and tracking progress – to ensure timely product launches aligned with Sales/customer requirements.
• Work with the Manufacturing team to scale up the production process from lab-scale to commercial production, ensuring formats and pack sizes suit institutional/food-service requirements.
• Work closely with the Procurement team to identify and evaluate potential suppliers for ingredients and raw materials, ensuring they meet quality and safety standards.
• Work closely with Supply Chain and Manufacturing to explore sustainable ingredient sourcing and production methods to reduce the environmental impact of food products.
• Maintain comprehensive records of recipe formulations, ingredient specifications, quality control procedures, and regulatory compliance documentation.
• Continuously seek to improve existing FSD products and processes to enhance product quality, reduce costs and increase efficiency, incorporating feedback from Sales and the Culinary Experience Manager team.  
• Support Regional/National Culinary Experience Managers and Sales in translating new product concepts into practical menu applications and trial materials for institutional customer demonstrations.
• Stay abreast of industry trends, emerging technologies and best practices through ongoing education and training, with particular focus on institutional/food-service and HORECA trends.

Preferred Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Technology or a related discipline, with 4 – 6 years of experience
• Postgraduate degree in relevant discipline with 2 – 3 years of experience

Location:

Corporate Head Office, Karachi.

National Foods Limited provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, origin, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, marital status, status with regard to public assistance or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.