Application Specialist - Savoury (R&D, Food Ingredients)

Date: 5 Mar 2026

Country: China

Location:

Shanghai Office, CN

Function: Innovation, Quality & Food Safety

About Us

As a leading provider of high-quality food and beverage ingredients, we work with farming communities across the globe to grow, source and produce ingredients that are good for consumers, farmers, and the world around us. We supply household food brands and manufacturers worldwide with cocoa, coffee, dairy, nuts and spices ingredients which are often grown on our own farms and estates and sourced from hundreds of thousands of farmers across ~50 countries. Along with our diverse manufacturing and innovation capabilities, this means we can provide ingredients for a range of products, from a plant-based latte mix to an almond based snack bar or a dairy-free ice cream.  Making a positive impact on people and planet is a core component of our Purpose, to be the change for good food and a healthy future. With a deep-rooted presence in the countries where our ingredients are grown, we are closer to farmers, enabling better quality, and more reliable, traceable, and transparent supply. And whoever we’re with, whatever we’re doing, we always make it real.

Food & Beverage Solutions

We have launched a new platform called Food and Beverage solutions, part of our ingredients and solutions reporting unit. This platform consolidates our current category solutions capabilities and innovation infrastructure. We support customers in developing new consumer concepts and application solutions at our four customer solution centers in Amsterdam, Bangalore, Chicago, and Singapore. Food and Beverage solutions leverages the strengths of our five product platforms, including their global and sustainable supply chain capabilities, a complementary portfolio of high-quality food and ingredients, and extensive ingredient expertise. This enables us to address a diverse range of customer requirements in the rapidly evolving Food and Beverage industry. Built on deep consumer, category, and application understanding, we are enhancing our application and R&D capabilities to provide an end-to-end integrated customer experience. This opens up more on-trend and inspired product ideation opportunities. Together, we can co-create product innovations that delight consumers and make your ambitions a reality.

Job Description

Job Title: Solution Specialist – Savoury
Location: Shanghai
Function: Innovation
Reporting manager: Savoury Solution Lead, CSC Shanghai

Position Summary
The position will be an extension to the Savory & Culinary innovation team based in Shanghai CSC (Customer Solution Centre). The candidate will be responsible for application, product development and innovation activities in the Savory & Culinary category, working closely with the central team. The solution specialist will be in-charge of new product scale-up at local manufacturing facility and ensure all NPD SOP’s are followed.

The ideal candidate for this position will have the ability to work with multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. They will need to be able to work effectively in a team environment.

Key Responsibilities:

Perform product development activities focused on developing savoury & culinary product solutions suitable for consumer-packaged goods & food service for China market.
Develop new products that meets customer and consumer product requirement
Collaborate with category managers & application specialists to design best in class product formulations that exceed the customer’s expectations.
Ensure new product development adhere to SOPs that meet the specific sensorial, stability, food safety, industry standards, and regulatory demands of our customers.
Manage the scale-up of bench top formulations to pilot plant and plant trials at ofi site or TPM sites.
Maintain thorough records of factory scaled-up product formulations, specifications, and all related documents
Identify & qualify locally available ingredient supply for finished product formulations and evaluate different options on bench top and production trials.
Lead regional projects/special projects assigned – within China or APAC

Requirements

Minimum degree in any Science discipline preferably Food Science & Technology or relevant field with minimum 6-7 years of working experience in the field of savoury & culinary, especially marinade，seasoning and savoury sauce.
Good written, oral communication and interpersonal skills to effectively work with external customers and colleagues. Fluent in English.
Ability to communicate effectively with supervisor and other stakeholders.
Good team player and ability to guide junior team members
Fast learner and able to work independently with minimum supervision
Reliable, proactive, and highly initiative

ofi is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to racial or ethnic origin, color, age, religion or belief, sex, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Applicants are requested to complete all required steps in the application process including providing a resume/CV in order to be considered for open roles.