Food Innovation Manager

Besler; Üsküdar; On-site; TRY 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Besler, the second-largest publicly traded food company within Yıldız Holding, invites a Food Innovation Manager to join its Besler R&D team. The role focuses on scouting trends, leading multi-phase innovation from concept to industrialization, and delivering fortified, protein- and fiber-rich products for global markets.

You will design nutritional architectures, oversee prototype testing, and ensure regulatory compliance while collaborating with cross-functional teams to drive growth.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food/Chemical Engineering or Food Science; Master's in R&D Management or Food Technology preferred.
• 8+ years in innovation, new product or concept development, preferably FMCG.
• Excellent English communication for global trend tracking and reporting.
• Strong expertise in functional food formulation and ingredient functionality.
• Deep understanding of protein systems and fiber ingredients for texture and stability.
• Experience in vitamin/mineral fortification, dosage calculations, and stability.

Responsibilities

• Scout global trends in functional nutrition and build external innovation networks.
• Lead end-to-end innovation projects from concept and bench-top formulation to pilot validation and industrialization.
• Design nutritional architectures balancing high-quality protein, fiber, and micronutrients.
• Translate nutritional benefits into robust formulations and manage processing stability.
• Manage pilot production trials and collaborate with QA/production to scale up.

Skills

English fluency

Innovation mgmt

DOE

Food formulation

Education

BSc in Food/Chemical Eng or Food Science

MSc in R&D Management or Food Tech (preferred)

Tools

Statistical analysis

Job description

Our journey at Yıldız Holding began in 1944 with the production of petit beurre biscuits under the Ülker brand. With our unwavering commitment to quality and the right strategic steps, we now serve our consumers with a wide range of products under the Yıldız Holding umbrella—from biscuits and chocolate to frozen food, personal care products, and meat products. Today, we are the largest food manufacturer in CEEMEA (Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa), with over 300 brands, 80,000 employees, and operations in more than 130 countries.

What started in 1944 in Istanbul has grown into a global food and snack powerhouse, reaching 4 billion people across 5 continents with more than 300 brands. Supported by 80,000 employees, most of whom are based in Turkey, we aim to continuously improve. We produce a wide range of products in 45 factories—20 of which are abroad—including biscuits, chocolate, frozen foods, and packaging. We constantly raise the bar in economic contribution, employment, exports, social solidarity, and sustainability. Guided by our motto “Make People Happy, Be Happy,” we have been spreading happiness for over 80 years through our products, services, and sustainable social responsibility efforts.

About Besler:

Besler, the second-largest publicly traded food company within Yıldız Holding, reaches 19.5 million households and appears on approximately 61 million plates every year with 1,500 products across 57 brands in 16 different categories.

Since our inception, together with our subsidiaries, we have been committed to providing high-quality, healthy, and reliable products in the frozen food, canned food, and margarine markets. Our journey, which began with seafood exports in 1977, has now positioned us as one of the leading companies in the food industry, delivering our products to consumers in over 60 countries across 6 continents through years of dedicated investment.

In the frozen food category, brand Superfresh; we produce bakery products, vegetables and fruits, potatoes and croquettes, meat products, desserts, and frozen bakery goods. In the canned food category, we offer tuna and vegetable preserves. Besler is the only company in Turkey to offer products across all frozen food categories, maintaining its leadership in the domestic fresh frozen food market.

In the oils category, we serve our customers with consumer margarines, out-of-home consumption (OOHC) products, cooking oils, and cheese spreads. Under our three main categories—consumer margarine, OOHC (pastry, catering, and industrial oils), and cooking oils—we produce and sell leading brands such as Bizim Yağ, Teremyağ, Luna, Ona, Ustam, and Evet. One of our subsidiaries, Marsa, maintains market leadership in OOHC with the brand “Ustam Pastry Oils.”

Besler’s sustainable growth and success are built on its commitment to consistent quality and customer satisfaction. Our sustainability-driven approach ensures we manage our environmental impact in line with international standards, working to secure the future of both our business and our planet. Through our “Investing in People” vision, we develop projects that foster fair, safe, and inclusive work environments—strengthening our reputation as one of the most desirable employers. With the support of the Yıldız Holding Women’s Platform, we take effective steps to promote gender equality and empower women in the workplace.

Does the idea of gaining a unique career experience at a leading and innovative brand that delivers practical, fresh, and delicious products through a healthy and secure value chain appeal to you?

Food Innovation Manager

To learn more about us: https://www.besler.com.tr/en

Follow our LinkedIn account: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gidabesler/

What Are the Qualifications We Expect?

• Bachelor's degree in Food/Chemical Engineering or Food Science; Master's degree in R&D Management or Food Technology preferred.
• 8+ years of experience in innovation, new product or concept development, or strategic business development, preferably within FMCG.
• Excellent English communication skills for global trend tracking and reporting.
• Strong expertise in functional food formulation and ingredient functionality (proteins, dietary fibers, prebiotics, vitamins, and minerals).
• Deep understanding of protein systems (dairy, plant, emerging sources) and fiber ingredients (inulin, resistant starches, beta-glucans), including their impact on texture, sensory quality, and process stability.
• Experience in vitamin and mineral fortification, including dosage calculations, overage strategies, and stability throughout processing and storage.
• Proven ability to convert early-stage concepts into prototypes quickly and manage scale-up processes from bench-top to full-scale production.
• Deep understanding of food processing effects (freezing/IQF, baking, extrusion, thermal processing) on nutritional quality and ingredient functionality.
• Competence in Design of Experiments (DOE), statistical data analysis, and data-driven technical decision-making.
• Strong knowledge of sensory and consumer science, specifically in optimizing taste, texture, and satiety in high-protein and high-fiber products.
• Ability to design shelf-life and stability programs tracking physical, chemical, sensory, and nutritional changes.
• Strong technology scouting capability across start-ups, universities, and scientific literature to translate external technologies into product opportunities.
• Knowledge of food safety (HACCP, ISO 22000) and nutrition labeling regulations for local and international markets.
• High interest and capability in digital and AI-enabled R&D, including formulation support, trend analysis, and experimental planning.
• Ability to lead multiple incubation projects simultaneously, defining technical hypotheses, milestones, and success criteria.

What Awaits You, What Will Be Your Responsibilities?

• Scout global trends in functional nutrition and metabolic health (including GLP-1 impact) and build external innovation networks with research partners and start-ups.
• Lead end-to-end innovation projects for nutrient-dense, portion-smart products, from concept and bench-top formulation through pilot validation and industrialization.
• Design nutritional architectures combining high-quality protein, fiber, and micronutrients while balancing sensory quality and consumer acceptance.
• Translate target nutrition benefits into robust formulations by managing ingredient interactions, dosage limits, and processing stability.
• Develop rapid prototypes and manage iterative formulation-test-learn cycles with a particular focus on fortified product concepts.
• Design and supervise shelf-life and stability studies, ensuring functional ingredient stability throughout the product lifecycle.
• Solve sensory and formulation challenges associated with functional ingredients, such as protein texture, off-notes, and mineral interactions.
• Manage pilot production trials and collaborate with factory engineering and quality teams to ensure robust scale-up of validated concepts.
• Ensure formulations, nutrition declarations, and health claims strictly comply with applicable local and international regulatory requirements.

Which Skills Will Highlight You?

• Passion for food and curiosity about global food trends.
• Hands-on approach and creative problem-solving in the lab.
• High sensory empathy to transform consumer needs into delicious experiences.
• Strong collaboration skills bridging R&D precision and production reality.
• Resilient and agile mindset with a “fail fast, learn fast” attitude.
• Exceptional attention to detail and a commitment to brand excellence.