Beverage R&D & Innovation Lead

MAXIUS TRADING PTE. LTD.; Singapore; On-site; SGD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

MAXIUS TRADING PTE. LTD. is seeking an experienced Beverage Research & Development Manager to lead development, innovation, and improvement of our beverage products, including bubble tea, fruit tea, milk tea, specialty tea, and other tea-based beverages across outlets.

The role demands strong beverage knowledge, creative thinking, technical expertise, and the ability to translate market trends into commercially viable products while managing timelines and cross-functional teams.

Qualifications

• Diploma or Degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Food & Beverage Management, Culinary Arts, or a related discipline is preferred.
• Minimum 3–5 years of relevant experience in beverage R&D, product development, or the F&B industry.
• Prior experience in bubble tea, tea beverages, café drinks, beverage chains, or beverage manufacturing is highly preferred.
• Strong knowledge of tea varieties, tea extraction and brewing techniques, flavour profiling, milk tea formulation, fruit tea, and beverage ingredients.
• Experience in recipe development, sensory evaluation, product testing, and recipe standardisation.
• Good understanding of food safety, hygiene, ingredient handling, and quality control.
• Ability to calculate recipe costs, analyse ingredient costs, and develop commercially viable products.
• Strong project management, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Creative, detail-oriented, and able to work independently in a fast-paced environment.
• Willingness to conduct product trials and visit outlets when required.

Responsibilities

• Develop innovative beverage recipes, including milk tea, fruit tea, fresh tea, specialty drinks, and seasonal beverages.
• Research and introduce new flavours, ingredients, toppings, and beverage concepts based on consumer preferences and market trends.
• Improve existing recipes to enhance taste, texture, appearance, consistency, and cost efficiency.
• Conduct product trials, taste tests, and sensory evaluations before launching new products.
• Standardise recipes, preparation methods, ingredient measurements, and product specifications.
• Monitor beverage industry trends, competitor offerings, consumer preferences, and emerging ingredients.
• Identify new product opportunities to strengthen brand positioning and increase sales.
• Collaborate with the Marketing and Operations teams to develop new product concepts, seasonal promotions, and limited-time offerings.
• Gather customer and outlet feedback to continuously improve products.
• Research and evaluate tea leaves, milk, fruit ingredients, syrups, powders, toppings, and other beverage raw materials.
• Work with the Procurement team to identify suitable suppliers and assess ingredient quality, availability, and pricing.
• Conduct ingredient testing and evaluate alternative ingredients where necessary.
• Calculate recipe costs, monitor ingredient usage, and ensure new products meet the company's target gross margin.
• Establish and maintain beverage quality standards to ensure consistent taste and presentation across all outlets.
• Develop and update standard operating procedures (SOPs), recipe cards, preparation guidelines, and product specifications.
• Ensure compliance with applicable food safety, hygiene, labeling, and regulatory requirements.
• Investigate product quality issues and implement corrective actions where necessary.
• Conduct regular product reviews and support outlet teams in maintaining beverage standards.
• Coordinate product development timelines, testing, pilot launches, and nationwide rollouts.
• Work closely with Operations to ensure new products can be prepared efficiently in actual outlet conditions.
• Train outlet managers and beverage teams on new recipes, preparation techniques, and product standards.
• Evaluate equipment, preparation processes, and ingredient shelf life to support operational efficiency.
• Review post-launch performance and recommend improvements based on sales data and customer feedback.
• Lead and manage the R&D team, including planning projects and prioritising development timelines.
• Coordinate with Marketing, Operations, Procurement, Quality Assurance, and senior management.
• Prepare product development reports, cost analyses, and recommendations for management review.

Skills

Beverage R&D

Product development

Market research

Quality control

Team leadership

Education

Diploma or Degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Food & Beverage Management, Culinary Arts, or related discipline

Job description

MAXIUS TRADING PTE. LTD. is seeking an experienced Beverage Research & Development Manager to lead development, innovation, and improvement of our beverage products, including bubble tea, fruit tea, milk tea, specialty tea, and other tea-based beverages across outlets.

The role demands strong beverage knowledge, creative thinking, technical expertise, and the ability to translate market trends into commercially viable products while managing timelines and cross-functional teams.