New Product Development Manager

Krispy Kreme UK & IRE; Watford; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading sweet treat brand is seeking an experienced NPD Manager to drive food innovation in a hybrid role based in Watford and London. In this position, you'll lead the entire NPD process, shaping product innovation and collaborating with various teams. The ideal candidate has over 7 years of experience in culinary development, a passion for food, and project management skills. Competitive salary with additional perks like private healthcare and discounts on products.

Benefits

Competitive salary + 10% bonus

25 days’ holiday + bank holidays

Hybrid working (3 office / 2 home)

Bupa private healthcare

Free Doughnuts in the office

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in NPD, preferably in bakery or FMCG.
• True foodie with creativity in new product experiences.
• Experience leading innovation from concept to launch.

Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end NPD process for food and drink innovation.
• Shape and deliver the annual product innovation calendar.
• Work closely with cross-functional teams for product launch.
• Monitor food trends and translate them into kitchen-tested concepts.

Skills

NPD experience

Culinary development

Project management

Collaboration

Education

Culinary Arts or Food Science

Job description

NPD Manager

Location: Watford (2 Days) & London (1 Day) – Hybrid

Contract: Full-Time | Permanent

Bring your passion for sweet treats and innovation to the brand that’s built on joy. At Krispy Kreme, we’re on a mission to be the most loved sweet treat brand and our iconic, melt-in-the-mouth doughnuts are at the heart of that. Now, we’re looking for a bold, creative, and commercially savvy NPD Manager to lead new product development and deliver doughlicious innovation that excites our customers and elevates our brand.

We don’t just make doughnuts we create moments of joy. You’ll join a passionate, supportive, and fast-moving team that lives for innovation, creativity and delivering irresistible experiences. We blend the best of retail and FMCG, giving you the unique opportunity to shape a brand that spans in-store magic and grocery shelf impact.

The Opportunity:

As NPD Manager, you’ll take the lead in developing irresistible food and drink experiences, think innovative limited time campaigns, evolving our core range, and crafting exciting new formats for both our retail and grocery channels. This is a role where you’ll be in the kitchen as much as in the boardroom, experimenting with flavours, textures, and presentations, and personally shaping each concept before it reaches our customers.

From trend spotting and recipe testing, to concept development and full-scale commercial launch, you’ll drive the full innovation lifecycle with energy, creativity, and precision. You’ll work side-by-side with our Product Developer in the creative development kitchen, collaborating closely with our Brand, Supply Chain, Commercial, and Operations teams to bring products to life. On time, on budget, and always on brand.

This is your chance to work with iconic products, an ambitious team, and a brand that dares to do things differently, where every day offers the opportunity to turn ideas into doughnuts that bring joy.

Key Duties & Responsibilities:

• Lead the end-to-end NPD process for food and drink innovation LTOs (limited time only), EPDs and core range evolution, personally overseeing recipe development and kitchen trials

• Shape and deliver our annual product innovation calendar, ensuring each concept is tested, refined, and perfected in our development kitchen

• Head up our Food & Drink meeting, driving collaboration, creativity, and visibility across the business

• Work closely with cross-functional teams to bring products from kitchen prototype to commercial launch

• Deliver exciting, customer-centric NPD while ensuring COGs, operational feasibility and quality standards remain uncompromised

• Keep your finger on the pulse when tracking food trends, technologies, and evolving customer needs, then translating them into kitchen-tested concepts

• Mentor and develop a high-performing Product Developer, fostering creativity, craftsmanship, and technical excellence

• Take ownership of the creative development kitchen, ensuring it remains a hub of innovation and delivering gold standard product showings

What we’re looking for:

• 7+ years of experience in NPD, culinary development or food innovation. Preferably in bakery, sweet treats, FMCG or QSR

• Academic background in Culinary Arts or Food Science, or equivalent hands-on experience

• A true foodie who lives and breathes flavour, creativity, and new product experiences

• A project manager at heart who is organised, commercially aware, and confident managing complexity at speed

• Collaborative, influential, and confident working across teams to deliver excellence

• Someone who thrives in a fast-paced, hands-on environment, where no two days are the same

• Experience leading innovation from concept to launch, with a track record of delighting customers

What we offer:

• A competitive salary + a 10% bonus

• 25 days’ holiday + bank hols (with the option to buy 5 more) & Sabbatical options

• Hybrid working (3 office / 2 home)

• Bupa private healthcare + wellbeing support via our employee assistance programs

• Access to a variety of discounts & vouchers for everyday spending, days out, travel, entertainment, shopping and more!

• 5% pension contribution (with 3% employer match)

• Free Doughnuts when you’re in the office & 50% off doughnuts + 30% off drinks in-store