Product Development Manager
King's Hawaiian - Torrance, CA
posted 2 days ago
About the position
Joining King's Hawaiian makes you part of our `ohana (family). We are a family-owned business for over seventy years, respecting our roots while thinking about our future as we continue to grow and care for our customers and the communities we serve. Our `ohana members build an environment of inclusivity as they freely collaborate, pursue learning through curiosity, and explore innovation as critical thinkers. Beyond that, we are also passionate about supporting the long-term health and well-being of our employees and their families. If you're excited to rise with our team, come and join our `ohana! We are a 70+ year old family-owned business that has grown from one bakery in the small town of Hilo, Hawaii to a global family enterprise, with products enjoyed by hundreds of millions of people across the United States, as well as in 16 additional countries. Our Hawaiian heritage is a key part of our company and culture and drives us to incorporate Aloha in everything that we do. That means taking care of each other, helping each other succeed, and pushing the company to new heights together. It means striving for excellence and achievement while never compromising our integrity. And it means always delivering irresistible experiences for our consumers, just as we would for our closest friends and family. Because for us, our employees and our consumers are all ohana (family). We are extremely selective when we invite new members to join our Ohana, seeking those who have high emotional intelligence, extraordinary thinking skills (critical thinking, collaborative thinking, and intensely curious thinking) and "Aloha Behaviors," which include excellence; dignity; and the ability to tell it like it is in a way that can be heard. With great people steeped in Aloha, we continually push forward toward realizing our mission of delivering irresistible Hawaii-inspired food with aloha spirit that families enjoy every day, everywhere. This takes shape in advances across all areas of our business, from delivering perfect bread and rolls, to creating incredible new products, to designing all new ways to manufacture, to implementing technology that can make it all happen. With great people, irresistible product, and incredible brand support, we are excited for what the future holds. At KING'S HAWAIIAN we create unique and irresistible foods that people love beyond reason. We are not in the business of copying mainstream products or pursuing short-term trends. Our goal is to create new, long-term value to market with consumer-led innovation ideas. This role will report to the Director, Product Development and be a part of a multi-disciplinary Innovation & Commercialization team with a start-up type culture. With a team of Food Scientists, this individual will partner with experienced chefs to create new products and recipes for commercialization, while also working with Process and Packaging Engineers, Marketing Insights, and Production to produce these new products.
Responsibilities
- Participate in the identification, design, development, creation, and testing of product prototypes.
- Collaborate with chefs and third parties to create recipes with the ability to scale up for both limited introductions as well as national product launches.
- Develop rapid prototypes to explore with consumers in real purchase and consumption environments.
- Develop specifications for all raw materials, process controls, and finished goods.
- Manage scale up trials of products and work closely with Production leaders to train on process.
- Work closely with King's ingredient and packaging suppliers on the technical characteristics of King's materials and troubleshoot ingredient performance.
- Test and ensure food concepts are shelf stable and food safe. Work with 3rd party labs to test and analyze products.
- Develop and maintain FDA and USDA food product labeling that complies with regulatory requirements and/or customer requirements. Produce product specification sheets.
- Manage a team of Product and Senior Product Developers.
- Manage numerous projects simultaneously.
- Creatively solve technical problems in a rapid, efficient manner.
- Assist in pipeline prioritization and technical assessment of future innovation projects & ideas.
- Collaborate with Concept Developer Chefs, Marketing, Innovation Insights, R&D Process Engineers, Operations, Procurement, and Packaging Engineers in the Innovation product development process.
- Deliver accurate product trial details and collaborate with the Innovation Project Lead to guarantee accurate and on-time set up of factory trials.
- Ensure accurate and timely reporting of product development activities to key stakeholders.
- Collaborate and team up with third party manufacturing facilities to scale up and test products for commercialization.
- Perform other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of this role.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in food science, Food Technology, or a closely related field from an accredited 4-year college.
- 10+ years of progressively responsible experience in R&D and new product development.
- Extensive knowledge and experience in baking and cereal sciences (5+ years).
Nice-to-haves
- Higher education (e.g., Master of Science or PhD) in Food Science, Food Technology or a closely related field is preferred.
- Expert understanding of the process and methods for developing and commercializing shelf-stable foods.
- Expert knowledge and understanding of baking and cereal science.
- Expert understanding of physical properties and chemical composition of food and ingredients.
- Expert understanding of extensive areas of food science and technology and experimental procedures.
- Proficient ability to work with culinary or corporate chefs.
- Working understanding of different methods of packaging (retort, aseptic, UHT, Hot/Cold Pasteurization, MAP).
- Working understanding of Project management - plan, coordinate, communicate progress and challenges, execute project activities.
- Proficient ability to work with third party manufacturers (co-manufacturers, co-packers) in developing products.
- Expert ability to multi-task and contribute to many projects at the same time.
- Ability to seek and be open to new experiences with different food from other cultures and enjoy foods in a different way.
Benefits
- Hybrid work environment where we are in the office Monday through Wednesday and remote on Thursday and Friday.
