2 Market Launch Jobs

JOB DISCRIPTION Dairy Day was started in 2002 by two veterans from the ice-cream industry, with a keen desire to chart their own course in a category they were deeply passionate about. Over the past 20 years, Dairy Day has grown to become a regional leader in the ice-cream category, with market leadership in Karnataka & with the brand ranked 3rd in Tamil Nadu. The brand boasts of strong presence on-ground across 70000+ retailers, and continues to grow rapidly at 25%+, with FY24 revenues at 680 Cr. Along the way, Dairy Day has attracted significant investor interest, with investments from Motilal Oswal in 2016 and a sizeable investment from Kedaara Capital in 2024. We are seeking a forward-thinking New Product Development (NPD) Manager to lead the ideation, formulation, and commercialization of innovative frozen dessert products. This role will oversee the complete product development lifecycle from concept creation, recipe formulation, sensory evaluation, and pilot plant trials to scale-up, packaging development, and successful market launch. The NPD Manager will partner with R&D, Procurement, and Marketing to identify consumer trends, optimize raw material and process efficiencies, and deliver differentiated product pipelines. In addition to driving innovation, the role will also support capacity expansion projects, value engineering, and cost optimization initiatives. The ideal candidate will have strong expertise in food technology, frozen desserts, and project management, with a passion for creating consumer-preferred ice cream products and transforming business growth through innovation. Lead formulation development for new and existing ice cream products. Drive new product development (NPD) from concept to commercialization, ensuring consumer relevance and market differentiation. Benchmark internal and competitor formulations to ensure product superiority in taste, texture, and quality. Identify and execute material margin improvement strategies through smart ingredient selection, process optimization, and value engineering. Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including procurement, manufacturing, marketing, and quality assurance. Support factory trials, vendor evaluations, and pilot runs to ensure development effectiveness and smooth scale-up. Conduct sensory evaluations, shelf-life studies, and stability testing to validate product performance. Ensure compliance with food safety standards, regulatory requirements, and labeling guidelines. Explore and integrate new technologies, ingredients, and packaging formats to drive innovation. Translate consumer insights and market trends into differentiated product concepts. Maintain accurate technical documentation, formulation records, and project timelines. Partner with suppliers to evaluate novel ingredients, optimize costs, and enhance product quality. Support continuous improvement of existing product portfolio through recipe optimization and line extensions. QUALIFICATIONS AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENT Academic Bachelors degree in Food Technology, Dairy Technology, Food Science, or related discipline. Additional specialization in Frozen Desserts / Dairy Processing will be an added advantage Masters degree (M.Tech / M.Sc) in Dairy Technology, Food Technology, Food Science & Nutrition, or allied specialization (preferred). Additional certifications in Sensory Evaluation, HACCP, FSSAI/Regulatory Compliance Professional Experience: 5 to 10 years of progressive experience in New Product Development (NPD), preferably in the ice cream, frozen desserts, or dairy industry. Proven track record of taking products from concept to commercialization (recipe design, pilot trials, scale-up, and market launch). Strong knowledge of frozen dessert formulations, dairy ingredients, stabilizers, emulsifiers, flavors, inclusions, and packaging technologies. Hands-on experience with pilot plant equipment, factory trials, and vendor development. Expertise in sensory evaluation, shelf-life testing, and regulatory compliance (FSSAI, Labeling norms). Ability to identify consumer trends and translate them into market-relevant product innovations. Familiarity with project management tools, documentation systems, and stage-gate NPD processes. Excellent cross-functional collaboration with R&D, Manufacturing, Procurement, Marketing, and Quality Assurance teams. Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills with a consumer-first mindset BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES Demonstrates an innovation-driven mindset with curiosity for new ideas. Keeps consumer needs at the centre of all product development. Collaborates effectively with cross-functional teams and partners. Leads and influences teams towards achieving innovation goals. Adapts quickly to changing priorities and market dynamics. Delivers results with focus on quality, speed, and cost efficiency. Pays close attention to detail in formulations and documentation. Thinks strategically while balancing short- and long-term goals. Communicates clearly across technical and non-technical stakeholders. Page 1 of 2

Job Title: Product Development Manager Department: Groceries (Staples) Reports To : Category Head Summary: A Product Development Manager is responsible for overseeing the entire product development lifecycle, from concept ideation to market launch, ensuring new products align with market needs, business objectives, and company strategy. They lead cross-functional teams, manage project timelines and budgets, and drive innovation to develop successful products that meet customer requirements and deliver a competitive advantage. Product Ideology should cover as -Do we need it? Can we make it? Can we sell it? Post launch responsible for managing the scalability, sustainability & profitability. Key Responsibilities: Market Analysis and Strategy Development: Conduct comprehensive market research to identify customer needs, market trends, and competitor analysis to inform product development strategy. Develop compelling product roadmaps and strategic plans to prioritize features and functionalities based on market insights and business goals. Define target market segments and develop clear product positioning to differentiate offerings to solve pain areas around product usage occasion or add convenience value to the product. Product Concept Generation and Evaluation: Collaborate with cross-functional teams (design, Sourcing, packaging, growth) to brainstorm and refine new product concepts. Assess the feasibility and commercial viability of new product ideas through customer survey analysis, cost projections, and potential margin earning. Develop detailed product specifications and requirements documents to guide product development prior to launch. Customer Focus and Feedback Integration: Conduct user research and gather customer feedback to inform product design and feature development. Analyse customer data to identify pain points and opportunities for product improvement. Advocate for customer needs within the development team to ensure product meets target customer expectations. Product Launch and Commercialization: Develop comprehensive launch plans, including on line app requirement, product description, content requirement and Pricing. Collaborate with Growth and content teams to execute successful product launches and manage post-launch customer survey activities. Monitor product performance post-launch, gather customer feedback, and implement necessary adjustments to optimize customer penetration Monitor the post launch supply chain including monthly sales forecast, price negotiation, stock availability, Pricing and suppliers management. Post launch cost optimisation of product sourcing, packaging, supply chain, quality testing and sales return. Overall managing P&L of launched new products Required Skills and Qualifications: Master / Bachelor's degree in Food or allied subject, or a related field. Proven experience (8-10 years) in product development management, ideally in [Food Processing/ D2C industry] Strong understanding of market research methodologies, customer segmentation, and competitive analysis Excellent project management skills, including ability to manage complex timelines and budgets Strong leadership and communication skills to effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams Technical proficiency in product development processes and finalisation Ability to analyse data and make informed decisions based on market insights and customer feedback Suppliers negotiation, cross functional engagement, labelling declaration and supply chain control Fair knowledge of supply chain and distribution to keep a close track of product performance post launch Ability to take lead in setting up in-house production in long run for all scalable, sustainable and profitable products.