8 Facts About Food Product Developers

When you walk down the aisles of a supermarket have you ever thought about who came up with the ideas for these products?

Who came up with the flavour for blue raspberry cookies? How were they able to make them last so long? How did they make these cookies so crunchy?

The answer to all these questions is food product developers!

Depending on the company, food product developers may also be referred to as food scientists, food technologists, or Research and Development (R&D) professionals. This will depend on the size of the company and the scope of their role. For this profile, we will narrow the scope to those who develop and improve food recipes at companies.

1. Food Product Developers make new food products

Food product developers are responsible for creating and improving food products and processes from the beginning until their commercialization. They use their knowledge of food science, chemistry, engineering, nutrition, and culinary arts to create new products that meet all performance, sensory experience, shelf life, safety, and regulation requirements. 

One of the most important aspects of a food product developer’s job is conducting trials of new products. They conduct trial runs on a small or large scale to test each product’s performance and ensure it meets all regulatory requirements. They summarize their findings and procedures into a document called a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), which operations use when they start to produce the products.

This is a highly collaborative role in which the product developer works with every department in a company to ensure the successful commercialization of a product. They collaborate with the marketing department to create products that meet consumer trends and needs. They work with the food safety and quality departments to ensure the product follows all the food safety requirements. They also work with the costing/purchasing department to ensure the ingredients are within budget.

Lastly, they work with production and operations to schedule plant trials to see how feasible it is to create the product with the operational capabilities they have. Overall, food product developers play an essential role in the food industry by creating new and innovative products that meet consumer needs and preferences while ensuring their safety and quality

2. Food Product Developers follow regulations

Did you know that food products must meet specific standards set by regulations? These standards are called “standards of identity” and are established for “standardized foods.” These foods must only contain the listed ingredients within the set limits. For example, to be considered ice cream, a product must have a minimum of 10% dairy milk fat and cannot exceed 100%. This means that when food scientists create new products, they need to follow these regulations. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency sets the regulations in Canada. These standards are regularly revised to keep up with changes in the market.

3. Food Product Developers work with every department 

Product developers require the assistance of every department when developing a new food product. Let’s take a practical example of how Research and Development (R&D) works with every department. R&D may be assigned a specific product to develop based on a consumer trend discovered by the marketing department. For instance, blue raspberry cookies might be trending on TikTok. Based on this inspiration, the product developer will start creating different batches of cookies.

The food safety and quality departments work closely with the food product developer during the trial process to ensure that the product meets all necessary food safety requirements. This requires the developer to procure ingredients from reliable sources while the department responsible for purchasing and costing coordinates the process and ensures that the ingredients are procured within the allocated budget.

Lastly, and certainly most importantly, R&D works with production and operations to schedule plant trials to determine whether it is feasible to produce these cookies with their current operational capabilities.

4. Food Product Developers have degrees in the sciences 

Food product developers come from diverse educational backgrounds, including food science, nutrition, chemistry, engineering, or culinary arts. Some have a two-year diploma in technology programs, while others have completed a four-year degree program. These backgrounds equip them with the necessary knowledge and skills to create and enhance food recipes.

While it’s not mandatory, some employers prefer product developers with a master’s or PhD in food science. Having a higher degree can help them to analyze various processes involved in research, development, and innovation.

Typically, food product developers start their career in a different department before joining this position. Many begin in a quality control/assurance role, as it provides them with a better understanding of how food is handled during production.

5. Food Product Developers are problem solvers

Food product developers are skilled at problem-solving and are always prepared to handle challenges while creating new products. Whether it’s a formulation that doesn’t work or a taste that needs refinement, these developers quickly adapt and find solutions. They rely on their creativity to generate unique and intuitive solutions. Food product developers are committed to ongoing research, always exploring whether others have previously encountered and resolved similar problems, demonstrating their dedication to continuous improvement and innovation. Suppose they are unable to solve a problem independently. In that case, they will collaborate with others, such as universities and colleges, to find the solution.

6. Food Product Developers listen to the demands of consumers

Developing a successful product involves understanding the specific needs and problems of the target market. For example, customers may demand a seasonal cookie with unique flavors, such as a mint-based one during the Christmas holiday season. As a food product developer, it is their responsibility to create a product that satisfies this demand. However, this process often involves a lot of trial and error. Even if a product looks good on paper, it may not resonate with customers once it is on the market. That is why developers must stay up-to-date with current trends and continuously refine their products to ensure they meet the needs and expectations of customers.

7. Food Product Developers need to have technical, practical and scientific knowledge

Food product developers must possess technical, practical, and scientific knowledge to create high-quality products.

• Technical knowledge involves understanding ingredient functionality, food processing techniques, and equipment operation. This expertise allows developers to analyze ingredient interactions, optimize processing conditions, and efficiently operate food processing equipment.

• Practical knowledge is gained through hands-on experience in recipe development, sensory evaluation, and quality control. Developers experiment with ingredient combinations and cooking methods, evaluate taste and texture through sensory analysis, and ensure consistency in product quality through rigorous quality control measures.

• Scientific knowledge is essential for developers to understand food chemistry, nutritional science, and food safety principles. By applying this understanding, they can create stable and safe food products, consider nutritional content and dietary guidelines, and implement food safety measures to prevent foodborne illnesses and comply with regulations.

To succeed in this field, developers require a combination of technical knowledge of how ingredients function, practical knowledge of how to work with them in the lab, and a scientific understanding of how they apply to their products.

8. Food Product Developers are organized, persistent and creative

Being a Food Product Developer demands a diverse range of skills, but some are absolutely essential. These skills are not just beneficial, they’re crucial for success in this role:

• Organization: Food product developers stay organized by managing their time, maintaining detailed records, and leveraging technological tools. They must organize their time to stay on top of project deadlines and keep track of formulations to help streamline development processes.  Different product developers have different methodologies for staying organized, with some relying on technological tools and others using analog methods. 

• Persistence: Sometimes products take a long time to develop. Over time, enthusiasm can diminish. However, a product developer who believes in their product will continue to persevere. They must remind their team of the product’s value and encourage everyone to keep working on it. It’s not uncommon for a product to undergo numerous iterations before it becomes successful.

• Creativity: Businesses must stay relevant in potential markets and stay ahead of their competition. Developers who possess creativity can devise innovative solutions to complex problems and consider new possibilities that others may not have considered. This quality gives companies a significant advantage over their competitors.