Leading the R&D, Technical & Food Innovation team consisting of 2 chefs, 1 R&D Manager and 1 Packaging Specialist. In the past 10 years, the team has launched 150 plus FMCG products. This has more than doubled the contribution of Private Label sales.

• ✦ Established Spencer’s Corporate R&D Centre and hired and trained a complete Innovation team to develop and launch PL food products.
• ✦ Developed 150 new food products under Spencer’s Private Label brand (Smart Choice & Tasty Wonders) which have been launched in the past 6 years. Products include Tea, Coffee, spices, Snacks, Fruit Juices in Tetrapak, Spice Mixes, Vermicelli, Jams, Pickles, Staples, Ready to eat Foods, Cookies, Biscuits, Sauces, Snacks, Muesli, Dessert Mixes, Cereals, Soups, Confectionary, Mayonnaise and condiments.
• ✦ Set up Spencer’s in-house Patisseries across 22 hypers across India with a wide range of breads, cakes, pastries, desserts etc.
• ✦ Set up the Specialty Foods Department for Spencer – specifically known as Epicuisine with an emphasis on fresh & healthy foods. The team has created a variety of foods from both Indian & International cuisines.
• ✦ Work with Marketing and Categories to understand competition, and evolving Consumer trends. Work closely with the legal team to ensure all FSSAI legal compliance is met across all verticals.
• ✦ Established a NPD process with a Stage Gate Process Approach from Concept to Commercialization to drive Innovation. Institutionalized a structured method to the Product Development Process along with an evaluation process at each milestone.
• ✦ Responsible for approvals of FSSAI label regulations on food formulations, Nutritional claims & validity support along with label design. Worked with Marketing on Consumer research, Food styling & Packaging design. Manage all 3rd Party manufacturers & cost efficiencies.
• ✦ Developed Spencer’s range of Specialty breads and Chocolates.
• ✦ Helped in the startup, launch and roll out of the Au Bon Pain Café chain (a subsidiary of Spencer’s) in India.
• ✦ Responsible for setting goals, training, budgets & employee development and meeting the company’s business strategies

R&D Director [Quality, Innovation & Technology]

• ✦ Reporting to the CEO and leading the R&D Technical & Culinary team
• ✦ Designed and set up the R&D laboratory
• ✦ Successfully Introduced 25 New Products in last 3 years (Nationwide Distribution) with sales of $20 Million under the brand name of Juanita’s
• ✦ Responsible for Formulation / Commercialization & New Product Launches for the Company
• ✦ Responsible for Company’s long term new product strategic planning, visions and long term goals
• ✦ Handle Market & Consumer Research on Competitive Products
• ✦ All USDA & FDA Regulatory Labeling Issues & Resolve Mfg & Quality Challenges. Manage Co-Packer / Vendor Issues

Responsible for Overseeing the R & D Director / QUALITY ASSURANCE Activities and reporting to the CEO

• ✦ Matched Several Competitor Products Bringing in New Business & Increased Saless
• ✦ Worked with Food service / Restaurant chains in recipe development & commercialization
• ✦ Microbiology Testing Procedures / Vendor Certification / Specification Control / Inbound Ingredient Inspections Lot Tracking / Pre-Operational Inspections / Responding to Customer Complaints
• ✦ Responsible for Company’s long term new product strategic planning, visions and long term goal
• ✦ Responsible for all legal activities with FDA

Senior Formulator

[Reported to Vice President of QA & R&D]

Project Leader in a $50 Million Dollar R&D Project for the innovation of a line of Nutraceutical Baked Products (Cookies & Nutritional Bars) Assisted in the development of Hi-Calcium Chews/ Herbal Supplements / Weight loss products/ Diabetic Snacks / Sports Nutrition Products and beverages/ Nutritional Bars / Soy Protein and hi- fiber Beverages, Worked with the Director of Scientific Studies in Clinical studies and Nutritional research to develop and deliver new nutritional claims. Identified new claim opportunities with marketing teams.

Research Scientist – Technical Services Department

[Responsible to Technical Director for Creative New Product Development, Managing Multiple Projects, Cost Reductions, Product Maintenance & Quality Improvement]

• ✦ In the bakery dry mix area, developed 17 new mixes with gross profit margins of over $1,000,000. This included cakes, muffins, brownies, cookies, cheesecakes, streusels, pancakes, mousses and other desserts
• ✦ Worked with various Restaurants & Chefs in recipe development specifically in International Cuisine - Entrees & Sauces for Restaurants (European, French, American/Ethnic Cuisines – Mexican, Italian, Chinese, Thai, Japanese & Indian)
• ✦ Also Developed & Commercialized Beverages & Fruit Juices (Canned, Refrigerated & Dry Mix), Bottled Sauces, Bottled Gourmet Salad Dressings and Frozen Appetizer

[Health & Nutritional Retail Food Manufacturer & Distributor]

Product Development Project Leader

[Responsible to Director for New Product Development of Neutraceutical, Healthy Snacks, Such as Nutritional Fruit Bars, Fortified Shakes, Granola Bars, Cereal Products, Chocolate & Confectionary Products]

• ✦ Commercially launched and developed 6 new flavors of very profitable granola fruit breakfast bars (FI-BARS) that are being sold in the market today. These are low fat, low calorie and high fiber
• ✦ Developed new flavors in the Slim Fast range of Weight loss Shakes
• ✦ Responsible for all FDA label claims

[Retail Food Manufacturer for the American & Japanese Market]

R&D / QA Manager

Responsible for the management of the R&D/ QA Department.

Managed the Co-Pack Program and Product Development for Heinz (Weight Watchers) and Hain (Westbrae Natural), Con-Agra (Healthy Choice).