Commercialization Manager, CPG

Golden West Food Group; Irving (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday Pay

Paid Time Off

Health Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

401k

Job summary

Golden West Food Group in Irving, TX seeks a Commercialization Manager to bridge culinary creativity and large-scale manufacturing. You will partner with our chef and culinary team to refine benchtop recipes and lead end-to-end scale-up of new CPG products to market.

The role requires coordinating with R&D, Operations, QA, and packaging teams, maintaining scale-up documentation, and ensuring compliance with HACCP and GMP while delivering on-time launches.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science/related field; advanced degree a plus.
• 6–10 years in food product commercialization, R&D, or process engineering in the CPG industry.
• Hands-on manufacturing plant experience with co-manufacturers.
• Proven ability to scale benchtop or pilot recipes to full production.
• Strong knowledge of food science, ingredients, and processing technologies.
• Experience translating culinary concepts for production teams.
• Excellent project management and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with chefs to refine benchtop recipes for commercial viability.
• Translate culinary intent into scalable, validated formulations.
• Lead plant trials and scale-up documentation (SOPs, specs).
• Coordinate with Operations, QA, and co-manufacturers to hit targets.
• Ensure HACCP/GMP compliance throughout development.

Skills

Manufacturing plant experience

Scale-up from benchtop

Food science principles

Kitchen vs plant environment

Project management

Communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Science/related field

Job description

Target Pay Range: $120,000 - $135,000/year, depending on level of relevant experience and qualifications

Employment Classification: Full-Time

Position Location: Irving, TX

About us:

Headquartered in Vernon, CA, we are a premium full spectrum manufacturer and distributor of fine food products. Family owned and operated since 1977, our Company offers more than 4,000 products to a variety of customers in both the foodservice and retail channels. We are committed to providing the highest quality food products with an unrelenting commitment to fresh, nutritious ingredients and promotion of eco-friendly business practices.

We are looking for a driven and collaborative Commercialization Manager to bridge the gap between culinary creativity and large-scale manufacturing. In this role, you will partner with our chef and culinary team to refine benchtop recipes and lead the end-to-end scale-up process to bring new CPG food products to market. You will be the critical link between ideation, operations, and the consumer — ensuring that what is crafted in the kitchen translates seamlessly to the production floor.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Recipe Development & Culinary Collaboration

• Partner closely with chefs and culinary team members to evaluate and refine benchtop recipes for commercial viability
• Translate culinary intent into standardized formulations, ensuring flavor, texture, and quality are preserved at scale
• Document benchtop formulas, adjusting ingredient ratios, processing methods, and raw materials as needed
• Host product evaluation cuttings, maintain product notes and approvals.
• Evaluate raw material options with sourcing and procurement teams to balance quality and cost
• Engage with co-manufacturers early in the development process to assess capabilities, align on formulation constraints, and ensure recipes are designed for their equipment and processes

Scale-Up & Manufacturing

• Lead plant trials and pilot runs at manufacturing facilities, troubleshooting process challenges in real time
• Develop and maintain detailed scale-up documentation including specifications, SOPs, and process flow diagrams
• Collaborate with plant operations, quality assurance, and co-manufacturing partners to validate processes and meet production targets
• Identify and resolve bottlenecks that arise during the transition from bench to full-scale production
• Ensure compliance with food safety standards (HACCP, GMP) throughout the commercialization process

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Manage multiple commercialization projects simultaneously, maintaining timelines and communicating progress to stakeholders
• Serve as the cross-functional liaison between R&D, Brand, Operations, Sales, Supply Chain, and Regulatory teams
• Build and maintain launch readiness checklists
• Provide key information for packaging copy; heating instructions, product descriptions, claim substantiation
• Support packaging development and labeling compliance in coordination with regulatory and design teams
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Culinary Science, Engineering, or a related field; advanced degree a plus
• 6-10 years of experience in food product commercialization, R&D, or process engineering within the CPG industry
• Hands-on experience working in or alongside manufacturing plants and co-manufacturers
• Proven track record of scaling food products from benchtop or pilot to full commercial production
• Strong understanding of food science principles, ingredient functionality, and processing technologies
• Comfort working in both a commercial kitchen and a manufacturing plant environment
• Excellent project management skills with the ability to juggle multiple launches across different product categories
• Effective communicator who can translate technical concepts for culinary creatives and plant operators alike

Who You Are

• A self-starter who takes initiative, anticipates obstacles, and finds solutions without waiting to be directed
• A true team player who thrives in collaborative environments and earns trust across departments
• Highly organized and detail-oriented with a passion for getting the product right
• Comfortable with ambiguity and able to adapt quickly as priorities shift in a fast-moving CPG environment
• Passionate about food quality and consumer experience

Benefits Overview:

• Holiday Pay
• Paid Time Off
• Health Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• 401k

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not tolerate discrimination of any kind. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core to our mission. We believe diverse perspectives make us stronger, and we are committed to creating a workplace where everyone can thrive.

Note: The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.