Cape Town Region: Product Developer posted by Tanya Serra Food, Wine, Hospitality Recruitment

Location: Head Office Employment Type: Full-time About the Role An exciting opportunity exists for a passionate and detail-driven Product Development Specialist to join a dynamic food-focused business. This role plays a key part in developing, enhancing, and protecting the quality, integrity, and innovation of the menu offering across local and international markets. You will be involved from early-stage concept ideation through to prototype development, operational testing, documentation, and launch support—working closely with Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing, Training, and Development teams. Key Responsibilities Product & Menu Development Develop new menu items and enhance existing offerings from concept through to workable prototypes Localise menu items for international regions while maintaining brand integrity Conduct research into consumer, sales, nutritional, fitness, and dining trends Independently explore improvements in cost, quality, flavour, texture, colour, nutrition, and shelf life Supplier & Ingredient Development Source and develop new ingredient suppliers to improve quality and margins Partner with Purchasing and Supply Chain on ingredient feasibility, costing, and availability Resolve ingredient specification and functionality challenges Operational & Technical Support Partner with Operations to test new products and assess in-store viability before launch Collaborate with Training and Operations to address quality, production, and performance issues Provide technical support to Sales, Marketing, and Customer Care teams Compliance & Quality Ensure recipes and supplier products meet food safety and regulatory requirements Conduct shelf-life testing and ensure accurate product formulation Maintain complete, accurate, and timely product documentation Additional Contributions Recommend store equipment, crockery, décor, merchandising, and food presentation aligned with the real-food philosophy Support licensed product development with approved suppliers Assist and support senior leadership within the Product Development and Development teams Qualifications & Experience Relevant tertiary qualification in Food Science , Culinary Arts , or equivalent experience Minimum 5 years’ experience in product development, food innovation, or the food industry Strong understanding of food safety, nutrition, and regulatory standards Proven ability to work cross-functionally and manage multiple projects Ideal Candidate Passionate about real food, nutrition, and innovation Highly organised with strong documentation and communication skills Analytical, curious, and solutions-focused Comfortable working independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment