Product Developer

Grand River Foods is a leading food solutions company serving customers in the North American grocery and food service industry. As a member of the Sunrise Farm family, we remain as dedicated as ever to both providing a quality work environment for our employees, as well as producing only the highest quality products for our customers. We are known for the great care we take with clients and employees alike.

The successful candidate will be a pleasant professional with good communication skills, be detail-oriented and highly organized, interacting with all departments including Sales, Production, Scheduling, Quality Assurance, Marketing, Procurement, as well as Suppliers and Customers. A background in food science, culinary or relevant food production experience is a must. The primary function involves leading new product development, re-development of existing products and optimization of processes through all development stages from concept to launch.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Development of new products to meet customer needs from conceptualization to finished product launch.
• Coordination of all technical information.
• Maintenance of all technical data in an organized and easily accessible manner.
• Work alongside the Sales department to provide documentation, data and samples of product as required. Monitors new products and competitive trends.
• Ensure all projects are compliant with internal policies, governmental regulatory policies and laws as well as customer specifications and expectations. Responsible for interpretation and application of relevant regulations/policies/guidelines (e.g. Food and Drug Regulations, Guide to Food Labelling and Advertising, NHP regulations, Processed Products regulations, Advertising Standards of Canada code, etc.) to support business and compliance goals.
• Creation of product formulations and specifications.
• Development of label copy documents such as ingredient lists, nutrient content claims, health claims, etc.
• Creation of cooking instructions that result in the best possible eating experience of the product.
• Provide advice and counsel to Sales, Operations, and Purchasing on the regulatory facts, challenges and opportunities for any new formulation or changes.
• Assist in conducting product evaluations of competitive products and all current project samples as each project progresses toward launch.
• Maintenance of PD areas in clean and safe conditions at all times.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Requirements:

• Post-secondary education in Food Science, Science, Engineering, Culinary or a related field
• Minimum 5 years' experience in a R&D/ Product Development role in the food industry
• Meat industry experience preferred
• Must work closely with Management, Sales, Production, and Quality teams.
• High proficiency in Word, Excel, and Outlook as well as label software and GENESIS
• Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills.
• Self-starter who is very passionate about product development
• Creative and flexible to learn and bring on new ideas.
• Commitment to quality and continuous improvement in all aspects of the business.
• Detail-oriented with analytical mind set
• Excellent organizational, time management and problem-solving skills
• Project Management skills
• Ability to work with minimal supervision

Work Environment:

• Varying schedule with overtime required
• Works with raw food product and meat
• Work environment is divided between the test kitchen, computer station and time spent on the plant floor. Occasional visits to customers and suppliers.

Self Development:

• Willing to upgrade and/or maintain their skill level and knowledge by attending seminars, training sessions, symposiums, batter/breading school, etc.
• Keeps abreast of upcoming changes in the food manufacturing market by reading sector magazines, internet updates on government legislation, etc.

At Sunrise Farms we are proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified individuals, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or any other identifying characteristic are encouraged to apply.

Please note that the expected new hire salary range provided is derived from a group of like roles within Sunrise Farms. The final offer amount for this role will be dependent on geographical region, applicable experience, and skillset of the candidate.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.