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About the Role

Lead product development and innovation initiatives for sweet goods, focusing on icings for cakes and donuts. Oversee product development, improvement, scale-up, and commercialization to meet customer expectations, manufacturing capabilities, quality standards, and business objectives. Requires strong technical bakery expertise, project leadership, and hands-on knowledge of cakes, donuts, icings, glazes, fillings, and related applications. Confectionery product development experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead the development and commercialization of icings, glazes, fillings, frostings, and other finishing applications for cakes, donuts, and additional sweet goods.
Manage new product development and product-improvement projects from initial concept through plant scale-up and commercialization.
Develop and execute project plans, including timelines, priorities, technical requirements, testing protocols, and commercialization activities.
Evaluate ingredients and technologies related to icing performance, including texture, viscosity, stability, adhesion, appearance, flavour, shelf life, and application.
Identify opportunities to improve existing products through formulation optimization, ingredient substitutions, process improvements, and cost reduction.
Provide technical leadership during benchtop testing, product trials, plant trials, first production runs, and commercialization.
Ensure product specifications are complete and accurate, including product characteristics, costs, measurements, ingredients, processing parameters, case pack, and distribution requirements.
Oversee customer sample requests and the preparation of sample boards and product presentations.
Partner with team members to prepare development samples according to specifications, including mixing, baking, finishing, decorating, packaging, and shipping.
Conduct production and packaging line reviews to ensure quality, consistency, food safety, and product standards are maintained.
Lead and participate in sensory evaluations focused on taste, texture, appearance, application, stability, and freshness.
Ensure all products comply with regulatory requirements, including ingredient declarations, allergen statements, labelling, and supplier documentation.
Work directly with customers to understand product-development needs, present solutions, and address technical inquiries.
Collaborate cross-functionally with Operations, Quality Assurance, Regulatory Affairs, Procurement, Marketing, Sales, and external suppliers.
Support continuous-improvement initiatives related to product quality, production efficiency, cost optimization, and manufacturing capability.
Monitor project progress, communicate risks and priorities, and provide regular updates to senior leadership and key stakeholders.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Technology, or a related field, or a Culinary Diploma/Certification in Baking and Pastry Arts.
Minimum 7 years of progressive experience in bakery product development, pastry, or food manufacturing.
Previous experience leading R&D projects and providing direction, coaching, or mentorship to technical team members.
Strong hands-on experience developing and manufacturing cakes, yeast donuts, and cake donuts.
Demonstrated expertise in the development and application of icings, glazes, fillings, frostings, or other sweet-good finishing systems.
Experience with confectionery products, ingredients, or manufacturing processes is preferred and considered a strong asset.
Proven experience managing products from concept and formulation through plant scale-up and commercialization.
Strong knowledge of ingredient functionality, formulation principles, processing parameters, product shelf life, and industrial bakery operations.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and shifting priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.
Flexibility to work early mornings or alternative schedules as required to support production trials and commercialization.
Willingness to travel to the US and within the Toronto GTA as needed.
Valid Ontario G driver’s licence and access to a vehicle is required.

Skills

Bakery product development
Project leadership
Cakes
Donuts
Icings
Glazes
Fillings
Confectionery product development
Formulation optimization
Ingredient substitution
Process improvement
Cost reduction
Benchtop testing
Product trials
Plant trials
First production runs
Commercialization
Product specifications
Customer sample requests
Sample board preparation
Product presentations
Mixing
Baking
Finishing
Decorating
Packaging
Shipping
Production line reviews
Packaging line reviews
Sensory evaluation
Regulatory compliance
Ingredient declarations
Allergen statements
Labelling
Supplier documentation
Customer interaction
Cross-functional collaboration
Continuous improvement
Risk communication
Priority management
Microsoft Office
Excel
Verbal communication
Written communication

Location

Toronto GTA

Work Type

Onsite

Experience Level

Manager
7 years progressive experience

Education Level

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Technology, or related field
Culinary Diploma/Certification in Baking and Pastry Arts

Benefits

Competitive Compensation
Health Benefits
Generous flexible medical / Health spending account
RRSP matching program
Tuition reimbursement
Employee bonus program
Discount program

About the Company

FGF believes in Home Grown Talent, accelerated career growth with leadership training.
Unleashing Your Potential
Working at FGF Brands, there is never a dull moment!
As a successful company that is continually growing there is always challenging yet rewarding work to be a part of.
We have an entrepreneurial spirit which encourages all our team members to use their own creativity and out of the box thinking to come up with solutions and new ideas.

Equal Opportunity

FGF Brands is committed to providing an accessible recruitment process. Accommodations are available upon request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the recruitment and selection process. If you require an accommodation, please let our recruitment team know, and we will work with you to meet your accessibility needs.