A leading food manufacturing business in Riyadh is looking for a motivated New Product Development (NPD) Specialist to take bakery, pastry, confectionery, and dessert products from first concept to commercial launch. This is a creative, technical role for someone who enjoys turning ideas into products that customers want and that the factory can make consistently and profitably. As New Product Development Specialist, you’ll develop new products from concept through commercial launch; improve existing products for quality, consistency, and cost efficiency; run product trials, pilot runs, and factory validations; work with production, quality, procurement, and commercial teams throughout development; prepare specifications, recipes, formulations, and technical documentation; evaluate ingredients and raw materials; support factory implementation, scale-up, and launches; track market trends, consumer preferences, and competitor products; and ensure every product meets food safety, quality, and regulatory standards. The role calls for a bachelor’s degree in food science, food technology, nutrition, or a related field, and three to five years of NPD experience in food manufacturing.
About the Business — Food Manufacturing in Riyadh
Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Product Focus: Bakery, pastry, confectionery, desserts, and snacks
Operations: Industrial manufacturing with factory validation and scale-up
Teams: Production, quality, procurement, and commercial collaboration
Standards: Food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance
NPD Specialist Role — Concept to Commercial Launch
Department: Product Development & Innovation
Primary Focus: Product creation, trials, specifications, and scale-up
Scope: Bakery, pastry, confectionery, and dessert product lines
Mission: Launching products that are delicious, consistent, scalable, and cost-effective
New Product Development Specialist Position Overview
The New Product Development Specialist role is where ideas become products. You’ll be responsible for taking bakery, pastry, confectionery, and dessert items from the first concept through to commercial launch, shaping each one so it tastes right, runs well on the production line, and makes business sense. Development work begins with the recipe and the formulation. You’ll prepare product specifications, recipes, and technical documentation, and evaluate ingredients and raw materials to find the right combination for each new product. Trials and pilot runs follow, and you’ll carry out factory validations to confirm that a product performs the same way at production scale as it did in the test kitchen. The work doesn’t stop at launch. You’ll support factory implementation and scale-up, and you’ll also look at existing products, refining their quality, consistency, and cost efficiency. Collaboration runs through every stage. You’ll work with production teams on what the line can achieve, with quality on specifications and testing, with procurement on ingredient sourcing and cost, and with commercial teams on what the market will accept. Keeping an eye on the market is part of the job too. You’ll track consumer preferences, emerging trends, and competitor products to identify the next opportunities for innovation. Throughout, you’ll make sure every product meets food safety, quality, and regulatory standards before it reaches shelves.
As New Product Development Specialist, you’ll build expertise in ingredient functionality, formulation, bakery and confectionery processing, and the practical realities of industrial food manufacturing, while sharpening your analytical and problem-solving skills. The ideal candidate holds a bachelor’s degree in food science, food technology, nutrition, or a related field, and brings three to five years of new product development experience in food manufacturing. Strong experience in bakery, pastry, confectionery, dessert, or snack product development is essential, along with a solid understanding of ingredients, formulations, and manufacturing processes. Hands-on experience with product trials, validations, and factory implementation is important, as is the ability to communicate clearly across teams. Good command of English is required. Experience in industrial bakery, confectionery, pastry and dessert production, snack food manufacturing, FMCG food manufacturing, or central kitchen and commissary operations is particularly valued. For food technologists in Riyadh who want to bring new bakery and dessert products to market, this role offers creative freedom and real impact.
Why This Role Matters: As New Product Development Specialist in Riyadh, you bring new bakery, pastry, and dessert products from idea to shelf, make sure products scale from the test kitchen to the factory floor, improve the quality and cost of existing lines, work across production, quality, and commercial teams, and build a career in food innovation and product development in Saudi Arabia.
Key Responsibilities & Development Duties
Concept to Commercial Launch
- Develop new bakery, pastry, confectionery, and dessert products
- Take products from concept through commercial launch
- Define product concepts aligned with market opportunity
- Set development timelines and milestones
- Coordinate launch readiness with cross-functional teams
- Review product performance after launch
Recipes, Formulation & Ingredients
- Prepare recipes and formulations for new products
- Evaluate ingredients and raw materials for each initiative
- Balance flavor, texture, and shelf life in formulations
- Document formulations and technical specifications
- Test alternative ingredients to improve cost and quality
- Maintain accurate formulation records
Trials, Pilot Runs & Factory Validation
- Conduct product trials and sensory evaluation
- Plan and run pilot production batches
- Carry out factory validations for new products
- Confirm consistency between test and production scale
- Record trial results and recommend next steps
- Adjust processes to resolve trial issues
Optimization & Scale-Up
- Improve quality and consistency of existing products
- Identify cost-efficiency opportunities in current lines
- Support factory implementation of new products
- Lead scale-up activities from pilot to full production
- Support smooth product launches
- Document lessons learned from each scale-up
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work with production on feasibility and line capability
- Partner with quality on specifications and testing
- Coordinate with procurement on ingredient sourcing and cost
- Align with commercial teams on market requirements
- Share development updates with stakeholders
- Resolve cross-team issues during development
Market Insight & Compliance
- Monitor market trends and consumer preferences
- Track competitor product launches and positioning
- Identify innovation opportunities in bakery and confectionery
- Ensure products meet food safety requirements
- Ensure quality and regulatory standards are met
- Support labeling and compliance documentation
Qualifications & Requirements
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in Food Science
- Bachelor’s degree in Food Technology or Nutrition
- Bachelor’s degree in a related field
Experience
- 3 to 5 years of new product development in food manufacturing
- Strong experience in bakery, pastry, confectionery, dessert, or snack development
- Experience in product trials, validations, and factory implementation
Technical Knowledge
- Solid understanding of food ingredients and functionality
- Knowledge of formulations and manufacturing processes
- Understanding of food safety, quality, and regulatory standards
Personal Skills
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Strong communication across technical and commercial teams
- Good command of English
Preferred Industry Experience
- Industrial bakery manufacturing
- Confectionery manufacturing
- Pastry and dessert production
- Snack food manufacturing
- FMCG food manufacturing
- Central kitchen and commissary operations
Career Development & Growth Opportunities
Professional Advancement
- Pathway toward Senior NPD Specialist or R&D Manager roles
- Opportunity to lead innovation for a product portfolio
- Exposure to scale-up and commercial launch decisions
- Growth within a food manufacturing business in Saudi Arabia
Learning & Development
- Hands-on experience in industrial bakery and confectionery
- Expertise in factory validation and scale-up
- Skills in trial design and sensory evaluation
- Cross-functional leadership in product launches
About the Business — Innovation in Saudi Food Manufacturing
This food manufacturing business in Riyadh produces bakery, pastry, confectionery, and dessert products for the Saudi market. Its development team combines food science with the realities of industrial production, moving products from concept to factory-scale launches with close attention to quality, consistency, and cost. The business values innovation that is grounded in consumer insight and practical manufacturing.
Career Excellence in Food Product Development: Join a food manufacturer in Riyadh, create bakery and dessert products from concept to launch, run trials and factory validations, support scale-up and commercialization, improve the quality of existing lines, and build a senior career in new product development in Saudi Arabia.
Who Should Apply?
- Food Technologists: With bakery or confectionery experience
- Pastry Chefs with Technical Training: Moving into product development
- R&D Scientists: Interested in industrial food innovation
- Nutrition Graduates: With product formulation interest
- Snack and Dessert Developers: Seeking a factory-based role
- Central Kitchen Professionals: Ready for a development role
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