How to Become a New Food Product Developer: Career Path Guide
If you want to become a new food product developer you first need to determine if this career path is a good fit for you. If the following description sounds like you, then you’re probably well suited for a career as a new food product developer:
Those who become new food product developers have a keen interest in the opportunities and challenges that this career presents; the opportunity to create delicious and successful food products sold on grocery store shelves everywhere; and the challenge of thinking of a product that will satisfy a market need while meeting profit objectives.
Those who become new food product developers must be individuals who are able to keep their ‘ears to the ground’ and speak with people, read magazines, read food blogs and watch food shows, all in an effort to understand which food products people enjoy, and where market vacancies are.
Those who become new food product developers also have a strong educational background in science, usually in a field such as food science, food studies, nutrition or food technology. They are also individuals who thrive in a team atmosphere and have excellent communication skills.
Below we've outlined what you'll need to begin a career as a new food product developer. We've also included helpful information for this career, such as job description, job duties, salary expectations, a list of possible employers and much more!
Education Needed to Become a New Food Product Developer
The educational requirements for becoming a new food product typically vary form employer to employer. However, you typically need a bachelor’s degree in an area such as food science or nutrition in order to get a junior level job as a new food product developer.
Larger food manufacturing companies may prefer new food product developer candidates that have either a master’s degree in an area related to food science or nutrition, or bachelor’s degree combined with years of industry experience.
New Food Product Developer Job Description
Working for food product developing and manufacturing companies, New Food Product Developers act as coordinators of all new food product development activities from concept stage to completion. They must plan for the research, development, testing, manufacturing, improvement, marketing and sales stages and processes of new food product development.
New Food Product Developers must:
Decide what the food product will be. This involves brainstorming ideas, discussing the product’s requirements, and determining market and overall feasibility for a particular product concept.
Discover who’s going to buy it and ways to make it unique: Use surveys and other research tools to focus the product concept and target goals, such as what market void it will fill.
Define the key elements of the new food product, such as the taste, colour, consistency and vitamin fortification.
Develop the new food product, including its formula, ingredients, flavouring, shelf life and packaging. Developing a new food product involves assembling and analyzing a prototype of the product to see how the ingredients interact, and to balance the technical realities of the product with its market goals.
Deploy the product to market, which involves determining the final details of the product formula, such as packaging, pricing, marketing, shipping and distribution. This stage of the development process also involves ensuring the product meets profit goals.
New Food Product Developer Job Duties
• Complete new food product trials and document results
• Prepare reports and recommendations based on new food product trials
• Lead new product and packaging innovations and coordinating activities
• Liaise with the Vice President of Supply Chain and Quality Control Manager
• Collect samples for internal and external review
• Coordinate outside testing by third parties
• Coordinate shelf life studies with the laboratory technician
• Review ingredients to insure they are compliant with company standards and industry regulations
• Monitor food development process to ensure products are made consistently every time
• Assist in conducting timely and in-depth investigations to resolve non-complaint product or packaging
Who Hires New Food Product Developers?
New food product developers are hired by food and beverage processing and manufacturing companies, and private consulting firms, involved in food production activities such as:
• Meat and poultry slaughter and processing
• Dairy processing
• Cereal grains and their products including flour, cereal, pasta and snack foods
• Bakery and confectionery goods production
• Vegetable oil refining and product manufacturing
• Soft drink manufacturing
• Brewing, winemaking and distilling
• Vegetable processing
• Sugar manufacturing
• Specialty foods manufacturing
• Food service (such as restaurants and catering companies - develop new menu items)
New Food Product Developer Salary
The salary level of new food product developers can vary depending on factors such as their level of education, their level of experience, where they work, the specific responsibilities of their job, and many others.
There is no reliable salary data available specifically for the career New Food Product Developer, however we can get a good idea of what they earn by looking at the salary levels of closely related occupational groups.
New Food Product Developer Salary Alberta: According to the 2011 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey, Albertans working in the Manufacturing Managers occupational group earn an average of between $35.20 and $50.64 per hour.
New Food Product Develop Salary Canada: According to Service Canada, workers in the Manufacturing Managers occupational group earn an average salary level of $71,895 per year.
New Food Product Develop Salary United States: According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean salary level of workers in the General and Operations Managers occupational group is $114,850 per year.
Skills Needed to Become a New Food Product Developer
In order to become successful in a career as a new food product developer, you need to posses a certain set of skills and personality traits. These skills and traits will help you perform your job with enthusiasm and competence, and will help you endure the ups and downs of this career.
• Enjoy working in a team setting with other food science professionals
• Able to direct and supervise the work of others
• Enjoy analyzing data and conducting sampling and analysis programs
• An interest in food production and preparation
• Able to build relationships with suppliers and vendors
• Able to identify market opportunities
• Able to ensure new product aligns with company goals
• Able to determine feasibility for new product concept
• The ability to work with strict hygiene rules
• Good communication skills, to explain ideas to other scientists and factory staff
• Able to overcome product failure
Careers Similar to New Food Product Developer
Listed below are careers in our database that are similar in nature to New Food Product Developer, as they may involve many of the same skills, competencies and responsibilities.
References: How to Become a New Food Product Developer
Please use the references below to find more information on the various aspects of a career as a New Food Product Developer.
Occupations in Alberta: “Food Scientist.” (March 31, 2019). ALIS website - Alberta Learning Information Service. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
Life, Physical, and Social Science: “Agricultural and Food Scientists.” (September 10, 2019). Occupational Outlook Handbook - United States Bureau of Labor Statistics website. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
Career Advice: “Food Product Development Scientist: Job Description.” (n.d.). Target Jobs UK website. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
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Scholarships for Becoming a New Food Product Developer
Scholarships listed for majors that apply to becoming a New Food Product Developer can be found on our Chemistry Scholarships and Nutrition Scholarships pages.
Success Tip: Be sure to apply for any scholarships that you even barely qualify for, as there are millions of dollars of scholarships that go unused every year due to a lack of applicants!
Becoming a New Food Product Developer: Applicable Majors
Studying one of the university majors listed below is an excellent starting point to becoming a New Food Product Developer. Click on the links to find out what else you can do with these majors!
