F&B Controller

Semolina Kitchens; Mumbai; Hybrid; INR 1,800,000 - 2,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Semolina Kitchens in Mumbai is seeking a senior professional to lead cost control across all F&B operations. The role focuses on improving gross margins through effective control of food and beverage costs, inventory, yield management, recipe compliance, and supply chain efficiencies.

The candidate will partner with Operations, Supply Chain, Procurement, Central Kitchen, and business teams to identify cost-saving opportunities, minimize leakages, and strengthen financial controls across multiple

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in F&B cost control or related domains such as QSR, retail food, or large restaurant chains.
• Strong expertise in cost control, inventory management, product costing, and menu engineering.

Responsibilities

• Drive gross margin improvements by controlling food and beverage costs, inventory, yield, and compliance across all outlets.
• Collaborate with Operations, Supply Chain, Procurement, and central kitchen to identify cost-saving opportunities and strengthen financial controls.
• Lead initiatives on food cost, beverage cost, inventory governance, wastage control, procurement cost optimization, and supply chain cost analysis.
• Monitor stock variances, aging inventory, and shrinkage; publish monthly loss dashboards and enforce SOP compliance.
• Develop action plans to meet budgeted COGS targets and support vendor negotiations where appropriate.
• Forecast costs and prepare annual COGS budgets; monitor budget versus actual performance.
• Analyze procurement-to-consumption cycle and suggest improvements to reduce overall supply chain costs.

Job description

Role & responsibilities :

To drive sustainable gross margin improvement through effective control of Food Cost, Beverage Cost, Inventory, Yield Management, Consumption Controls, Recipe Compliance, and Supply Chain efficiencies across all F&B operations.

The role will partner closely with Operations, Supply Chain, Procurement, Central Kitchen, and Business Teams to identify cost-saving opportunities, eliminate leakages, improve inventory productivity, and strengthen financial controls.

Key Responsibilities

1. 1. Food Cost & Beverage Cost Management

   Lead initiatives to improve gross margins and reduce material costs.

   Develop action plans to achieve budgeted COGS targets.

2. 2. Recipe, Yield & Portion Control

   Ensure standard recipes are defined and implemented across all outlets.

   Monitor adherence to approved portion standards.

   Conduct yield testing for key food and beverage categories.

   Identify yield losses and recommend corrective actions.

   Work with culinary teams on recipe engineering and margin optimization.

3. 3. Inventory Governance & Controls

   Investigate stock shortages, excesses, and variances.

   Monitor slow-moving, non-moving, and aging inventory.

   Reduce inventory holding days while maintaining service levels.

   Establish strong inventory control processes and SOP compliance.

4. 4. Wastage, Pilferage & Shrinkage Control

   Monitor outlet-wise wastage trends.

   Investigate abnormal consumption patterns.

   Track food spoilage, expiry losses, breakages, and theft.

   Develop control measures to minimize avoidable losses.

   Publish monthly loss and shrinkage dashboards.

5. 5. Procurement Cost Optimization

   Analyze purchase prices versus budget and previous periods.

   Monitor purchase price variance (PPV).

   Support procurement team in vendor negotiations.

6. 6. Supply Chain & Distribution Cost Analysis

   Analyze procurement-to-consumption cycle.

   Recommend improvements to reduce overall supply chain costs.

   Support demand planning and inventory optimization initiatives.

7. 7. Budgeting & Forecasting

   Prepare annual COGS budgets.

   Forecast food and beverage costs.

   Monitor budget versus actual performance.

Preferred candidate profile :

With 8+ years experience in F&B, QSR, Retail Food, Airport F&B, Hotels, Lounges, Catering, or Large Restaurant Chains.

Strong experience in: Cost Control, Inventory Management, Product Costing, Menu Engineering and Experience managing multi‑location operations with turnover exceeding 500 Cr.