KITCO, one of the Gulf region’s most recognised salty snack brands under the Mezzan Group, is hiring a highly experienced Product Development Manager / Senior Food Technologist in Kuwait. This senior R&D leadership role drives technical product development and the innovation pipeline across the full salty snacks portfolio — including chips, extruded snacks, and baked products — ensuring all new products meet sensory, cost, and regulatory requirements while maintaining KITCO’s strong reputation for quality and consumer appeal.
About KITCO — Kuwait’s Salty Snacks Icon
Brand Heritage: KITCO is one of the most trusted and recognised salty snack brands in Kuwait and the wider Gulf region
Portfolio: Chips, extruded snacks, pellet-based products, baked snacks, and a diverse salty snack range
Parent Group: Mezzan Group — a leading FMCG food group with operations across the Middle East
Compliance: Full adherence to Mezzan’s HSE and Food Safety policies across all R&D and production activities
Market Focus: Middle East consumer preferences with global benchmarking against international snack competitors
Innovation Impact & Career Opportunity in Kuwait
Innovation Pipeline: Lead the full product development cycle from bench trials through pilot plant to commercial scale-up
Technical Authority: Own formulation, process validation, seasoning systems, and shelf-life studies for all new products
Leadership Scope: Manage R&D technologists and assistants assigned to the snack development programme
Market Impact: Launch commercially successful snack products that compete with regional and global snack leaders
Position Overview
The Product Development Manager / Senior Food Technologist at KITCO Kuwait leads all technical development and innovation activities for the salty snacks portfolio — from formulation and bench development to pilot-plant trials, process validation, and industrial scale-up. Working closely with Marketing, QA, Procurement, Operations, Engineering, and Finance, this role drives KITCO’s innovation pipeline, optimises product formulations for cost and sensory performance, develops flavour and seasoning systems, and ensures every new product meets the quality, safety, and consumer expectations that have made KITCO a household name across the Gulf.
Why This Role Matters: As Product Development Manager at KITCO Kuwait, you are the technical engine behind one of the Gulf’s most beloved snack brands. Your formulation decisions define flavour, texture, and quality for millions of consumers, your process innovations improve yield and efficiency, your seasoning and oil management expertise drives product differentiation, and your leadership of R&D technicians ensures a consistent, well-documented innovation pipeline that keeps KITCO ahead of both regional and international competitors in the fast-moving salty snacks market.
Key Responsibilities
Product Development & Innovation
- Lead all formulation, bench development, and pilot-plant trials for new salty snack products across KITCO’s portfolio
- Work closely with Marketing to translate consumer insights and market trends into viable, commercially appealing product concepts
- Optimise snack formulations for cost efficiency, functionality, and superior sensory performance for Gulf consumers
- Develop flavour and seasoning systems in close partnership with ingredient suppliers to create distinctive, market-leading products
- Coordinate comprehensive sensory evaluations, shelf-life studies, and packaging interaction assessments for all new products
Process Development & Technical Validation
- Own the full technical validation of new snack products across production lines including extruders, fryers, and dryers
- Collaborate with Engineering teams on new equipment commissioning, line setup, and process capability validation
- Establish and document all process parameters, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and line capability studies
- Drive yield optimisation and oil absorption improvement initiatives across all applicable snack production processes
Cross-Functional Collaboration & Scale-Up
- Partner with QA, Procurement, and Operations teams to ensure successful and smooth scale-up of all new products
- Support Marketing in preparing detailed product specifications, consumer claims, and packaging validation documentation
- Liaise with Supply Chain and Finance teams to develop accurate cost models and ensure products meet margin targets
- Ensure all new products comply with Mezzan Group’s HSE and Food Safety policies throughout the development process
Continuous Improvement & Market Benchmarking
- Analyse process and product data to identify and implement improvements in stability, quality, and production efficiency
- Benchmark KITCO’s salty snack products against global and regional competitors to identify innovation and improvement opportunities
- Stay current on the latest ingredient innovations, healthier oil alternatives, and flavour trends relevant to the snack industry
Leadership & Technical Documentation
- Manage and mentor R&D technologists and assistants assigned to the snack product development programme
- Maintain complete, accurate technical documentation including formulations, process sheets, trial reports, and product specifications
- Ensure all R&D activities are conducted in full compliance with Mezzan’s HSE standards and Food Safety policies
Qualifications & Requirements
Experience Requirements
- 10–15 years of experience in savory snack manufacturing — specifically extruded, pellet-based, and potato-based products
- Proven track record of developing commercially successful snack products for regional or international FMCG companies
- Strong, hands-on understanding of snack formulation, processing, and frying systems including pellet, batch, and continuous lines
- Demonstrated experience managing pilot trials, industrial scale-up, and production validation with operations and quality teams
Technical Knowledge
- Expertise in seasoning systems, oil management, shelf-life testing, and packaging interactions for salty snack products
- Excellent project management and cross-functional coordination skills spanning Marketing, Procurement, QA, and Manufacturing
- Strong familiarity with Middle East consumer markets and regional snack preferences is a highly valued advantage
- Deep knowledge of ingredient innovation, healthier oil alternatives, and current global snack industry flavour trends
About KITCO & The Mezzan Group
KITCO is one of the Gulf region’s most iconic and beloved salty snack brands, part of the well-established Mezzan Group — a leading FMCG food group with a strong presence across the Middle East. With a portfolio spanning chips, extruded snacks, pellet-based products, and baked snacks, KITCO is committed to delivering products that resonate with consumers across Kuwait and beyond. This Product Development Manager role offers an exceptional opportunity to lead genuine snack innovation for a brand that millions of consumers trust — combining technical excellence, creative formulation, and strong cross-functional leadership in one of the region’s most dynamic and competitive FMCG food environments.
Career Excellence: Lead snack innovation for one of Kuwait’s most iconic FMCG food brands — shaping the next generation of salty snack products for consumers across the Gulf and beyond.
Who Should Apply?
- Senior Food Technologists: With 10–15 years of savory snack manufacturing and formulation leadership experience
- R&D Managers: Experienced in leading snack innovation pipelines from bench development through to commercial launch
- Snack Process Specialists: With deep expertise in extruders, fryers, pellet systems, and continuous production lines
- FMCG Product Leaders: Who have delivered commercially successful snack products in regional or international companies
- Middle East Market Experts: Familiar with Gulf consumer preferences and the regional salty snack competitive landscape
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