Product Development Manager

• Nov 2022 - Present

Product Development, Quality and Regulatory Specialist

• Aug 2021 - Oct 2022

• Delivered 4 new products from conceptualization to commercial launch while meeting objectives for timeline, sensory and nutritional attributes, quality, cost, timeline, and manufacturing. • Conducted risk management of any new ingredients and products to ensure any physical, chemical and biological hazards are properly assessed and managed. • Applied for and maintained product certifications for current and new products (Kosher, Halal, Vegan, Non-GMO Project). • Reviewed product packaging and labelling to ensure regulatory compliance (SFCA and FSMA) of artwork formatting, ingredient declaration, nutrition panel, allergen statements and claims. • Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to ensure product quality, safety & compliance with internal specifications, procedures & external regulations.• Created product formulations, sourced ingredients, conducted bench tests, planned, and supervised plant trials and shelf-life testing. • Monitored the sensory changes and microbiological shelf life of test products over time based on expected distribution and retail conditions. • Generated and maintained finished product specifications and recipes for new and existing products. • Oversaw record retention of formulations, process parameters, finished product results & sensory evaluation and shelf-life testing results.• Identified continuous improvement opportunities for product and process improvement based on test results and observations. Show less

QA Team Lead and Product Development Coordinator

• Oct 2019 - Jul 2021

• Lead QA team of 4 and guided them through daily execution of food safety and quality standards.• Developed and provided training presentations on food safety and quality topics such as Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), HACCP, Allergen control, Pest control, Food Handling and Health and Safety policies.• Escalated food safety and quality issues, conducted risk assessment and developed HACCP and HARPC plans, wrote Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for 2 new production lines.• Planned and conducted internal audits and assisted in external FSSC 22000 certification audits. • Successfully led development and market launch of 7 new products. • Coordinated marketing, finance, supply chain, and production teams to meet consumer demands, acquired materials, conducted shelf-life testing and troubleshooted production trials• Maintained product database on Genesis and generated nutritional information for new products/ingredients, created and maintained product specification sheets. • Investigated incident reports, CCP deviations, customer complaints and CAPA reports. • Conducted annual assessment of existing suppliers and approved new suppliers and ingredients. Show less

Quality Assurance Technician

• Apr 2017 - Sep 2019

• Performed routine analysis on finished product (organoleptic and pH, Aw, % moisture) along with shelf-life studies. • Informed and advised production supervisors on product or ingredient deficiencies.• Approved COAs for incoming ingredients and released ingredients and raw materials from COA/Quality hold. • Verified sanitation by conducting preoperational checks, ATP swabs & environmental swabs.• Prepared monthly ATP Reports and presented them to the production team. • Audited manufacturing facility and warehouse for GMP compliance. • Ensured all employees adhere to quality policies, GMPs, SSOPs, HACCP, and SOPs. • Ensured documentation and traceability of Quality records. • Maintained Kosher and Halal certifications, attended to Rabbi during unannounced visits Show less

Project Manager - Short term project

• Jan 2017 - Mar 2017

• Plan and design the project in collaboration with senior management. • Execute and manage the project according to time, money and organizations’ policies and procedures. • Monitor the progress of the project and make adjustments as necessary to ensure the successful completion of the project. • Plan and design the project in collaboration with senior management. • Execute and manage the project according to time, money and organizations’ policies and procedures. • Monitor the progress of the project and make adjustments as necessary to ensure the successful completion of the project.