R&D Manager – Ketchup & Mayonnaise

Location:Dubai UAE

Role Summary

• Lead R&D and NPD for ketchup, mayonnaise, and emulsified sauces
• Own formulation, trials, scale-up, and commercialization
• Work closely with Production, QA, Supply Chain, and Commercial teams

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and improve formulations for ketchup, mayonnaise, and sauce variants
• Manage NPD from concept to factory launch
• Optimize emulsions, texture, taste, color, and stability
• Improve shelf-life, viscosity, and consistency
• Conduct lab trials, pilot runs, and full-scale factory trials
• Support cost reduction, yield improvement, and recipe optimization
• Ensure compliance with UAE & GCC food regulations
• Prepare product specs, recipes, and technical documentation
• Support customer-specific and private label requirements

Skills

Must-Have Experience

• 8+ years in Food R&D within FMCG manufacturing
• Direct experience with ketchup, mayonnaise, or emulsified sauces
• Strong understanding of emulsions, stabilizers, preservatives, and acidity control
• Hands-on factory trial and scale-up experience
• Knowledge of HACCP, ISO / FSSC 22000, Halal, labeling

Skills

• Sauce and emulsion formulation
• Shelf-life and stability management
• Troubleshooting texture, separation, and consistency issues
• Cross-functional coordination with Production and QA

Education

• Bachelor’s in Food Technology / Food Science / Chemistry (or related )