The Olive Oil Factory, LLC is a fast-growing company focused on delivering the highest quality products to our customers. We are looking for a Product Developer to join our team and be a part of something great. We have an outstanding career opportunity for a driven, successful Product Developer with 5 or more years of experience in food science/food manufacturing.
Roles and Responsibilities
Formulation and Development:
Key recipe formulator
Develop new SKUs from scratch, re-create customer kitchen recipes, and/or mirror commercialized retail recipes for private label brands.
Establish specs for raw materials used in recipe, prioritizing quality and market-available materials with enough capacity to scale.
Responsible for initiating communication with vendors for samples and specifications.
Work with purchasing to acquire sample materials for recipe and development tests.
Develop multiple samples/iterations and associated information (NFP, ingredient statement) to customers for feedback.
Provide key formula input for product costing documentation.
Work to support Commercialization Manager with assigned tasks as needed.
Quality Assurance in Scale / Commercial Operations:
You will be responsible for ensuring formulas created can be run on production equipment and are compliant with food safety and quality programs -
Work with production team to ensure lab recipe creation translates well to production processing equipment at commercial scale. I.e. Ensure accurate roll out of betas and initial production runs to recipe and development retains for taste, color, and viscosity.
Work with QA team to ensure materials used are compliant with current food safety and quality programs
Convert lab sample recipes and measurements to production-level units of measure and processing.
Check initial runs to yield %s.
Responsible for generating all new BOMs and items in ERP.
Other R&D details:
Ensure recipe and development lab supplies are fully stocked and equipment is clean and in working order.
Create and maintain accurate recipe database- both electronic and physical.
Work with QA to get NFP / labels approved.
Work with QA to update BOMs, as needed.
Assist QA with supplier approval program, as needed.
Assist with sourcing alternative vendors for similar, more affordable or unique raw materials.
Requirements
At least 5 or more years of recipe and development experience and/or educational equivalent, required.
At least 3 or more years in formulating and commercializing acidified sauces and condiments, preferred.
Proven track record of working independently and collaboratively with QA, Sourcing, and Product Development teams.
Ability to prioritize and work through multiple demands of a fast-paced and rapidly growing environment.
Strong attention to detail while also understanding the bigger picture.
Bring an understanding of trending and complementary ingredients and flavors.
Bring a desire to stay up-to-date with industry best practices for formulation and manufacturing of sauces and condiments.