Shan Foods — a well-known food brand recognized for its spice mixes, seasonings, and ready-to-cook recipe products — is hiring an experienced and creative R&D Executive in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. This is a hands-on food innovation role focused on meat products, covering product ideation, formulation, development, and optimization of flavors and seasoning blends, cross-functional collaboration with production, quality control, marketing, and sales, product performance and market trend analysis, and partnerships with external suppliers and research institutions. The position is permanent and full-time, and requires a minimum of 5 years of R&D experience in meat products within the food industry or food chains.
R&D Scope — Meat Products, Flavors & Seasoning Blends · Makkah, Saudi Arabia
Product IdeationFormulationFlavor DevelopmentSeasoning BlendsMeat ProductsProduct OptimizationMarket Trend AnalysisSupplier Collaboration
KEY REQUIREMENT: Minimum 5 Years of R&D Experience with a Focus on Meat Products in the Food Industry or Food Chains
About the Role — R&D Executive, Shan Foods Makkah Saudi Arabia
Company: Shan Foods — spices, seasonings, and food products brand
Location: Makkah (Mecca), Saudi Arabia
R&D Focus: Meat products · Flavor development · Seasoning blends · Formulation · Product optimization
Cross-Functional: Production · Quality Control · Marketing · Sales · External suppliers · Research institutions
Employment: Permanent, Full-Time · Pay details not disclosed in the listing
Why This R&D Executive Role at Shan Foods Stands Out
Flavor-Led Innovation: This is not a generic food R&D post — the role centers on flavors and seasoning blends for meat products, a craft where taste, consistency, and cultural relevance decide whether a product becomes a household staple
Idea to Launch: You will work across the full journey — from ideation and formulation through development, optimization, and launch support — with direct input from production, quality, marketing, and sales teams
Makkah Market Opportunity: Makkah welcomes millions of pilgrims and visitors each year, creating constant, large-scale demand for trusted, high-quality food products — a distinctive market context for an R&D professional working on meat and seasoning products
Career Growth: R&D Executives in established food brands advance toward Senior R&D Executive, R&D Manager, Head of Innovation, and Product Development Director roles — well-regarded positions across Saudi Arabia’s expanding FMCG and food manufacturing sector
Position Overview
The R&D Executive at Shan Foods Makkah develops and manages research and development activities for meat products — from the first idea through formulation, development, and ongoing optimization of flavors and seasoning blends. You will work closely with production, quality control, marketing, and sales teams to keep product development and launches running smoothly; monitor and analyze product performance, customer feedback, and market trends to spot improvement opportunities and recommend changes; and collaborate with external suppliers, vendors, and research institutions to bring in new expertise, ingredients, and technologies that strengthen innovation across the product range.
Why This Role Matters: In food, the difference between a product people try once and one they buy for years usually comes down to flavor — and flavor is built in the R&D kitchen. As R&D Executive at Shan Foods Makkah, the seasoning balance you perfect, the meat product formulas you refine, and the customer insights you turn into better recipes directly shape what lands on family tables and in food service kitchens. Your work links the consumer’s palate, the production line, and the brand’s growth plan.
Key Responsibilities
Meat Product R&D — Ideation, Formulation & Development
- Develop and manage R&D activities for meat products — taking concepts from first idea through bench-top formulation, trials, and refinement until they are ready for scale-up and commercial launch
- Lead ideation and new product concepts grounded in consumer taste preferences, regional food habits, and what is realistically achievable on the production line
- Document formulations, trial results, and process parameters clearly so that successful products can be reproduced consistently in full-scale manufacturing
Flavor & Seasoning Blend Development and Optimization
- Create and fine-tune flavors and seasoning blends — balancing spice profile, salt, heat, aroma, and mouthfeel so the finished meat product delivers a distinctive and repeatable taste
- Optimize existing blends for cost, consistency, and shelf stability — testing ingredient substitutions and process adjustments without compromising the signature flavor customers expect
- Run sensory evaluations and structured tastings to validate improvements before they move to wider trials
Cross-Functional Collaboration — Production, QC, Marketing & Sales
- Collaborate with production, quality control, marketing, and sales teams to keep product development and launch processes running smoothly and to make sure every new product is manufacturable, compliant, and commercially sound
- Translate marketing and sales requirements into clear technical product briefs — and bring production and QC feedback back into formulation decisions early, before problems become expensive
Product Performance, Customer Feedback & Market Trend Analysis
- Monitor and analyze product performance, customer feedback, and market trends to find opportunities for improvement and recommend practical modifications where products can be made better
- Track competitor launches and shifting consumer preferences in meat products, seasonings, and ready-to-cook categories, and turn those insights into the next round of development ideas
External Partnerships — Suppliers, Vendors & Research Institutions
- Collaborate with external suppliers, vendors, and research institutions to leverage their expertise, resources, and technologies for product development and innovation — from new spice and flavor ingredients to specialized testing and technical support
- Evaluate new ingredients and technologies for suitability, quality, and regulatory fit before bringing them into the development pipeline
Key Collaboration Interfaces
Production
Quality Control
Marketing
Sales
Ingredient Suppliers & Vendors
Research Institutions
Qualifications & Requirements
Educational Requirements
- Bachelor’s Degree in Food Science, Food Technology, or a closely related field
Experience Requirements
- Minimum 5 years of experience in R&D with a focus on meat products in the food industry and food chains — including hands-on formulation, trials, and product optimization
- Practical experience developing flavors and seasoning blends and working through the path from concept to commercial launch
Skills That Help You Stand Out
- Strong understanding of meat processing, marinades, spice systems, and how ingredients behave through cooking and shelf life
- Ability to read market and customer data and turn it into clear product improvement actions
- Clear communication and teamwork skills for working with production, QC, marketing, sales, and outside partners
- Familiarity with Saudi food standards and halal requirements is a practical advantage for food development in the Kingdom
About Shan Foods & the Food Industry in Makkah, Saudi Arabia
Shan Foods is a recognized food brand best known for spice mixes, seasonings, and ready-to-cook recipe products enjoyed by families and food service customers across multiple markets. Makkah sits at the center of one of the most distinctive food markets in the world — a permanent resident population joined by millions of pilgrims and visitors every year — which creates steady, large-scale demand for dependable, flavorful, halal-compliant food products. Under Saudi Vision 2030, food manufacturing and FMCG continue to expand across the Kingdom, increasing demand for skilled R&D professionals who can combine technical food science with real market insight.
Career Outlook: R&D Executives in Saudi food manufacturing can progress toward Senior R&D Executive, R&D Manager, Head of Innovation, and Product Development Director roles — respected, well-compensated positions in the Kingdom’s growing FMCG and food industry.
Who Should Apply?
- Meat Product R&D Specialists: With 5+ years developing processed, marinated, or ready-to-cook meat products in a food manufacturing company or food chain — comfortable owning projects from idea to launch
- Flavor & Seasoning Developers: With a strong track record formulating spice blends, marinades, and seasoning systems — and a trained palate for building signature taste profiles
- Food Technologists in KSA / GCC: With a Food Science or Food Technology degree and experience in Saudi or Gulf food manufacturing — familiar with local tastes, regulations, and supply chains
- NPD Executives Seeking Specialization: With general food product development experience and growing expertise in meat and seasoning categories — ready for a focused R&D role at an established food brand
- Food Chain R&D Professionals: With menu or product development experience in restaurant or food chain environments — looking to move into manufacturing-scale R&D for packaged and ready-to-cook products
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