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Calbee America · 3 days ago

Brand Manager, Innovation

Fairfield, CA

Full-time

Onsite

Senior Level

5+ years exp

Calbee America is focused on shaping and executing innovation in the food and beverage sector. The Brand Manager, Innovation will manage the innovation pipeline, translate insights into product concepts, and lead cross-functional teams to ensure successful project delivery.

Food and BeverageFood ProcessingSnack Food

Responsibilities

Support the development and execution of Calbee’s innovation pipeline, including line extensions and white-space opportunities aligned with brand and business priorities

Translate consumer insights, category trends, and competitive learnings into clear innovation concepts with strong consumer benefits and commercial potential

Partner closely with Innovation and Brand leadership to refine product propositions, positioning, and target consumers

Serve as the project manager for assigned innovation projects, owning timelines, milestones, risks, and deliverables

Lead cross-functional teams through Calbee’s Stage Gate process, coordinating efforts across R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Sales, Finance, Quality, and external partners

Partner with R&D and Product Development to support formulation development, prototyping, testing, and iteration

Drive consumer validation activities (concept tests, IHUTs, sensory tests) and translate learnings into actionable refinements

Work closely with Brand Marketing and Sales to support sell-in strategies, go-to-market plans, and post-launch tracking

Monitor market trends, category adjacencies, and emerging consumer behaviors to inform future pipeline opportunities

Qualification

Brand ManagementInnovation ProcessesProject ManagementConsumer InsightsNielsen ToolsEntrepreneurial MindsetAgile EnvironmentCross-functional Coordination

Required

+5 years of experience in Brand Management, Innovation, or Marketing, preferably within CPG or food & beverage

Hands-on experience supporting innovation projects from concept through launch

Strong project management skills with experience coordinating cross-functional teams

Exposure to Stage Gate or structured innovation processes

Experience with tools such as Nielsen, Numerator, or similar

Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, or related field (MBA a plus but not required)

Entrepreneurial mindset with comfort working in a fast-paced, agile environment

Company

Calbee America

Welcome to Calbee America! Our mission is simple yet profound: crafting delightful, natural snacks using premium ingredients that not only taste exceptional but also brighten your day with every bite.

Founded in 1970

Fairfield, Connecticut, USA

501-1000 employees