New Product Development Manager

Company: Eat Better Co.
Location: Jaipur, Rajasthan
Department: New Product Development / R&D
Experience: 2–5 Years
Employment Type: Full-Time
Industry: FMCG / Food & Beverage / Healthy Snacking
About Eat Better Co.
Eat Better Co. is a fast-growing healthy snacking brand on a mission to make everyday snacking better without compromising on taste.
Founded in 2020, the brand has grown from experimenting with dates, millets and real Indian flavors to serving 10L+ families and operating a 50,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Mahindra World City, Jaipur. The company offers a growing portfolio of laddoos, roasted namkeens, nut & seed mixes and other better-for-you snacks.
At Eat Better Co., product development combines consumer insights, clean ingredients, nutrition, taste and innovation. The company follows a structured quality journey covering sourcing, quality checks, preparation, cooking, batch testing and packaging.
As we continue to expand our product portfolio, we are looking for an NPD Manager who can take ownership of products from the initial idea all the way to commercial launch and post-launch improvement.
About the Role
We are looking for a proactive and commercially-minded New Product Development Manager who can lead the end-to-end product development lifecycle.
The ideal candidate should have hands-on experience in FMCG/Food NPD, R&D, third-party/contract manufacturing, market research, product trials, costing and commercialization.
You will work closely with R&D, Quality, Procurement, Production, Packaging, Marketing, Sales and external manufacturing partners to convert market opportunities into successful products.
Key Responsibilities
1. Market Research & Consumer Insights
Track emerging FMCG, food and healthy snacking trends.
Conduct market, competitor and consumer research to identify new product opportunities.
Analyze competitor products, pricing, ingredients, packaging, claims and positioning.
Identify gaps in the market and convert consumer needs into product concepts.
Monitor category trends, consumer preferences and changing ingredient/format preferences.
2. Product Ideation & Concept Development
Generate and evaluate new product ideas aligned with the company's brand and growth strategy.
Develop product concepts, product briefs and initial feasibility assessments.
Define product positioning, target consumer, format, flavour profile and key product attributes.
Evaluate commercial potential, scalability and manufacturing feasibility of concepts.
3. R&D and Product Development
Coordinate with the R&D team for recipe/formulation development and product improvement.
Drive development of prototypes and samples through multiple iterations.
Plan and coordinate product trials, sensory evaluations and sample approvals.
Work on ingredient selection, formulation, texture, taste, shelf life and nutritional requirements.
Ensure products meet defined quality, regulatory and consumer requirements.
4. Third-Party / Contract Manufacturing
Identify, evaluate and coordinate with third-party/contract manufacturers for product development and production.
Assess manufacturing capabilities, MOQ, capacity, feasibility, lead times and commercial terms.
Coordinate product trials and pilot batches with external manufacturing partners.
Ensure external manufacturers follow approved product specifications and quality requirements.
Track development timelines and resolve manufacturing-related issues through effective follow-up.
5. Product Costing & Commercial Feasibility
Prepare and analyze product costing including raw materials, manufacturing, packaging and other relevant costs.
Work with Procurement and Finance to evaluate commercial feasibility and target margins.
Identify opportunities for cost optimization without compromising product quality.
Compare vendor/manufacturer quotations and support commercial negotiations where required.
6. Packaging & Product Specifications
Coordinate with Packaging and Marketing teams for packaging development.
Finalize product specifications, ingredient details, pack sizes and other technical requirements.
Coordinate packaging trials and ensure compatibility with the product.
Maintain updated BOMs, specifications, formulation records, samples and other NPD documentation.
7. Product Launch & Commercialization
Own the NPD project timeline from concept approval to commercial launch.
Coordinate cross-functional teams to ensure launch readiness.
Ensure product, packaging, manufacturing, quality and documentation requirements are completed before launch.
Coordinate first commercial production and resolve launch-stage issues.
Ensure products are launched within agreed timelines and budgets.
8. Post-Launch Product Lifecycle Management
Monitor product performance after launch.
Gather feedback from customers, Sales, Marketing and other stakeholders.
Identify opportunities for product improvement, reformulation, cost optimization and line extensions.
Drive product modifications and upgrades based on market feedback and performance.
Maintain a continuous product innovation pipeline.
End-to-End NPD Ownership
The candidate will be expected to independently manage the complete product lifecycle:
Market Research → Consumer Insight → Product Idea → Concept Validation → Feasibility → R&D/Formulation → Prototype Development → Product Trials → Sensory Evaluation → Costing → Third-Party Manufacturing → Quality & Regulatory Approval → Packaging → Pilot Batch → Commercial Production → Product Launch → Post-Launch Analysis → Product Improvement
Required Qualifications & Experience
Bachelor's/Master's degree in Food Technology, Food Science, Nutrition, Engineering, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Management or a relevant field.
2–5 years of experience in New Product Development, R&D or Product Development within FMCG/Food & Beverage.
Hands-on experience with third-party/contract manufacturing is strongly preferred/required.
Experience in taking products from concept to commercialization.
Strong understanding of market research, product trials, formulation development and product costing.
Experience working with vendors, suppliers and manufacturing partners.
Good understanding of FMCG product development and commercialization processes.
Key Skills
New Product Development
Food/FMCG Product Development
R&D Coordination
Third-Party / Contract Manufacturing
Market & Competitor Research
Consumer Insights
Product Trials & Sampling
Product Costing
Vendor Management
Product Commercialization
Project Management
Cross-functional Coordination
Product Lifecycle Management
MS Excel, PowerPoint & documentation
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
What We’re Looking For
Someone who can own projects end-to-end, not just coordinate them.
Strong follow-up and stakeholder management skills.
Commercial understanding along with product-development knowledge.
Ability to balance taste, quality, cost, scalability and consumer demand.
Comfortable working in a fast-paced startup environment.
Strong attention to detail with the ability to manage multiple NPD projects simultaneously.
A hands-on individual who enjoys taking an idea from “What if we make this?” to “It is now on the shelf.”
Why Join Eat Better Co.?
Work with a fast-growing healthy snacking brand.
Opportunity to build and launch new products from the ground up.
High ownership and exposure to multiple functions.
Work closely with R&D, Manufacturing, Quality, Marketing, Procurement and Leadership.
Be part of a company focused on making healthy snacking more accessible without compromising on taste.

Work arrangement
No