Food Product Innovation Officer (Part-time, Equity only)

Food Innovation Product OfficerEquity-Based Founding Role | KefiloAbout Kefilo Kefilo is a NutritionTech and personalised wellness transformation company combining functional nutrition, food science, technology, data, fitness and intelligent food manufacturing. We are building a Nutrition Intelligence Engine and a scalable food innovation ecosystem focused on developing personalised, functional and commercially viable nutrition products. Role Overview We are looking for a Food Innovation Product Officer to identify, develop and manage innovative food products from concept to commercialisation. The role will sit at the intersection of food science, nutrition, consumer needs, R&D, product development and business strategy, with responsibility for turning new food ideas into validated, standardised and scalable products. Key Responsibilities1. Food Innovation & Ideation Identify new opportunities in functional foods, nutrition products and wellness-focused food categories. Research emerging ingredients, food technologies, processing methods and consumer trends. Generate innovative product concepts aligned with Kefilo's nutrition and transformation objectives. Identify opportunities for differentiated and proprietary food products. 2. Product Development Convert concepts into clear product specifications and development plans. Work with Food Scientists, Nutritionists and Food Processing Experts on formulation and trials. Coordinate the journey from concept → formulation → testing → validation → standardisation → launch. Evaluate products based on nutrition, taste, functionality, quality, cost and scalability. 3. Nutrition & Functional Product Development Develop products aligned with specific nutritional and wellness objectives. Explore high-protein, high-fibre, gut-friendly and functional food opportunities. Work with nutrition experts to define nutritional targets and functional benefits. Support integration of product attributes into Kefilo's Nutrition Intelligence Engine. 4. R&D & Testing Coordinate product trials, experiments and prototype development. Track trial results, customer feedback and technical improvements. Support sensory evaluation, nutritional testing, shelf-life studies and product validation. Maintain structured product-development documentation. 5. Product Standardisation Convert successful prototypes into standardised formulations and production specifications. Define ingredients, quantities, nutritional targets, quality parameters, processing requirements and packaging specifications. Develop product sheets, SOPs and quality standards. Ensure products can be consistently reproduced at scale. 6. Commercialisation Evaluate product-market fit and customer demand. Support pricing, costing, margins and unit economics. Develop launch plans for new products. Work with operations, marketing and business teams to take products from R&D to market. Evaluate opportunities for contract manufacturing and strategic partnerships. 7. Intelligent Manufacturing & FoodTech Collaborate with the Food Processing and Smart Kitchen R&D teams. Identify opportunities for automation, process optimisation and scalable production. Support Kefilo's Dark Factory and intelligent food manufacturing roadmap. Evaluate how new technologies can improve product quality, consistency, cost and scalability. 8. Innovation Pipeline & IP Build and maintain a pipeline of new food innovation opportunities. Track emerging food technologies, ingredients, research and industry developments. Identify potentially patentable formulations, processes and product innovations. Work with the legal and patent teams to document and protect proprietary innovations. 9. Cross-Functional Product Leadership Coordinate Food Scientists, Nutritionists, Data Scientists, Food Processing Experts, Kitchen Operations and technology teams. Translate technical and customer requirements into actionable product priorities. Track product-development milestones, risks and outcomes. Ensure innovation projects move from ideas to measurable commercial outcomes. Ideal Candidate Bachelor's/Master's degree in Food Technology, Food Science, Nutrition, Food Engineering, Biotechnology or a related field. Experience in food product development, FoodTech, FMCG, functional foods or food R&D. Strong understanding of food ingredients, nutrition, formulation and product development. Experience taking products from concept through trials and commercialisation. Understanding of costing, unit economics, scalability and food manufacturing is preferred. Strong research, analytical and project-management skills. Ability to work with multidisciplinary R&D and product teams. Entrepreneurial mindset with strong ownership and execution ability. Interest in NutritionTech, functional foods, personalised nutrition and intelligent food manufacturing. Engagement Equity-based founding position. Part-time contribution: approximately 20–25 hours/week. Remote/hybrid engagement. No fixed salary at the current stage. Fixed compensation will be introduced after funding and revenue stabilisation. Equity will be determined based on expertise, contribution, responsibility, commitment and long-term ownership. Core founding members will follow a 5-year vesting structure. Key Outcome Build Kefilo's food innovation pipeline and take promising concepts from research and ideation to validated, standardised, scalable and commercially viable food products that strengthen Kefilo's NutritionTech ecosystem and Nutrition Intelligence Engine.