Product Developer

The Vegetarian Butcher Collective; Netherlands; Remote; EUR 55,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Growth opportunities

Dynamic environment

Impactful work

Job summary

The Vegetarian Butcher Collective is hiring a Product Developer to own the formulation workstream and drive product development from concept to commercialization. You will scale up approved formulations with internal teams and external manufacturers while documenting results and ensuring quality and safety standards.

You will collaborate across R&D, Marketing, Supply Chain and Quality to deliver innovative plant-based products for global markets, joining our Holten and/or Wageningen locations

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Food Technology or related field.
• Experience in formulation development and scaling from concept to production.
• Knowledge of TVP and meat processing technologies preferred.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a hands-on mindset.
• Fluent in English, both spoken and written.
• Teamwork and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Own the formulation workstream within innovation projects.
• Drive product development from concept through implementation and commercialization.
• Provide formulation-related technical expertise in scoping and feasibility.
• Lead recipe approval and stakeholder decision sessions.
• Scale up formulations through pilot plant and factory trials.
• Document formulations, trial results, and activities accurately.
• Collaborate with R&D, Consumer Insights, Marketing, Procurement, Supply Chain, Quality, Operations and external partners.
• Support continuous improvement, ingredient optimization and renovation projects.

Skills

Product development

Analytical thinking

Cross-functional teamwork

English communication

Hands-on problem solving

Quality & safety mindset

Education

Master's degree in Food Technology

Job description

In 2025, a new chapter began: De Vegetarische Slager and Vivera merged and joined forces under the new identity The Vegetarian Butcher Collective. Two pioneers in the plant-based food category that reinforce each other, while each brand retains its own unique character. Our collective stands for craftsmanship, entrepreneurship, sustainability and pioneering. Together, we are accelerating the biggest food revolution ever. With creativity, courage and conviction, we create products that are loved for their taste and trusted for their nutritional value.

By now we are present in roughly 55 markets, partnering with some of the biggest global food chains such as Burger King and Subway. Are you ready to help shape the future of plant-based food? We are looking for a Product Developer who will work from our locations in Holten and/or Wageningen. This full-time position includes approximately 5% international travel.

What you'll be responsible for

As a Product Developer, you will take ownership of the formulation workstream within innovation and renovation projects. Together with the Branded Retail R&D team, you will drive product development from early concepts and prototypes through to successful implementation and commercialization.

Your key responsibilities include:

• Providing formulation-related technical expertise during project scoping and feasibility assessments.
• Developing product formulations in line with business design briefs, processing requirements, quality standards, and food safety requirements.
• Conducting physical, chemical, and functional analyses of products and ingredients to support project objectives.
• Leading the recipe approval process and facilitating decision-making sessions with key business stakeholders.
• Scaling up approved formulations through pilot plant and factory trials, ensuring successful implementation at TVBC and external manufacturing partners (3PMs).
• Ensuring accurate, complete, and high-quality documentation of formulations, trial results, and project activities within relevant software systems.
• Collaborating closely with cross-functional teams including R&D, Consumer Insights, Marketing, Procurement, Supply Chain, Quality, Operations, and external partners to deliver business objectives.
• Supporting continuous improvement initiatives, ingredient optimization, and product renovation projects to enhance performance, quality, sustainability, and cost competitiveness.

This role offers a unique opportunity to combine hands-on product development, scientific problem-solving, and business collaboration to bring the next generation of great-tasting plant-based products to market.

Who are you?

You love developing irresistibly tasty plant-based meat products and enjoy switching between solving complex technical challenges one day and delivering three exciting new flavour concepts in a rapid sprint the next. You thrive in a fast-paced, international environment where innovation, creativity, and execution go hand in hand. You're humble yet rebellious, entrepreneurial, energetic, and fun, and you're always ready to challenge the status quo to create better products.

What you'll bring

• A Master's degree in Food Technology or a related field;
• Relevant experience in product development within the food industry: formulation development and scaling products from concept to production;
• Knowledge of and experience with Texturized Vegetable Proteins (TVP) and/or meat processing technologies is considered a strong advantage;
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a hands-on technical mindset;
• Excellent communication skills and fluency in English, both spoken and written;
• Teamwork, easily connecting with others and effective cross-functional collaborator

What’s in it for you?

At The Vegetarian Butcher Collective you can be yourself while bringing your purpose to life through the work you do, making a better company and a better world. We offer an exciting, dynamic environment where you can make things happen.

• A role with responsibility - but also freedom. You’ll join a people-focused organization where your growth matters and initiative is rewarded:
• Make real impact: Every day you contribute to our plant-based mission, helping create a better world by offering people delicious alternatives to meat.
• Inclusive environment: Your ideas matter. A culture where everyone can be themselves, and diversity in background, experience, and perspective makes us stronger.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

We are committed to equal opportunity. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability, age, parental status, pregnancy, or any other legally protected status. Gender diversity is encouraged, and we welcome applications from both men and women. If you’re returning after a career break or any leave, we strongly encourage you to apply.

For the recruitment of this position, we would like to emphasize that local conditions apply to the position and that we will in principle first consider candidates from the Netherlands for this vacancy. If you live outside the Netherlands and are interested in applying, feel free to do so, but we can only accept your application if it is decided to recruit outside the Netherlands as well.

Additional information

In case of equal suitability, preference will be given to internal candidates over external applicants.

Interested candidates are kindly requested to submit their application by 22 September, 2026