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Food Innovation Jobs (NOW HIRING)

PepsiCo

Food Innovation Lead

Bessemer City, NC

$14 - $19/hr

Overview We are looking for a Food Innovation Lead to join our Food Ventures Business Unit, a newly created E2E platform designed to accelerate PepsiCo's expansion into the Meals category. Food ...

KFC Corporation

NY · On-site

$99.20 - $146.36/hr

Associate Manager, Food Innovation Technology (FIT) FL, United States (Hybrid) Assoc Manager, FIT is responsible for supporting the initiatives and strategic objectives associated with innovation ...

Jobtailor

NY · On-site

$90 - $130/hr

Support on developing new concepts for testing (gathering ideas from global, suppliers or food trends/ social, developing concepts description and testing with MDI) * Innovation Hub - add all LA&C ...

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How much do food innovation jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 16, 2026, the average hourly pay for food innovation in the United States is $16.22, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $14.42 and $17.55 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges faced by professionals in food innovation roles, and how can they be addressed?

Professionals in Food Innovation often encounter challenges such as balancing creativity with strict food safety regulations, keeping up with rapidly changing consumer preferences, and ensuring scalability of new products. Collaborating closely with R&D, marketing, and supply chain teams helps address these hurdles by integrating diverse expertise and viewpoints early in the development process. Staying informed about industry trends, engaging in continuous learning, and being open to feedback are also crucial for overcoming obstacles and driving successful food innovations.

What is the difference between Food Innovation vs Food Product Development?

AspectFood InnovationFood Product Development
CredentialsTypically requires degrees in food science, innovation, or related fieldsRequires similar degrees, often with additional focus on product formulation
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, innovation centers, R&D departmentsManufacturing facilities, R&D labs, production lines
Industry UsageFocuses on creating new food concepts, trends, and technologiesFocuses on developing, testing, and launching new food products

Food Innovation involves generating new ideas and technologies to advance the food industry, while Food Product Development focuses on turning those ideas into market-ready products. Both roles often overlap but differ mainly in scope: innovation emphasizes creativity and research, whereas product development emphasizes execution and production.

What is food innovation?

Food innovation refers to the development and implementation of new ideas, products, technologies, or processes within the food industry. This can include creating healthier food products, developing sustainable packaging, improving food safety, or introducing novel ingredients and production methods. Food innovation aims to meet changing consumer demands, address environmental concerns, and enhance the overall quality and variety of food available in the market. Professionals in this field often work in research and development, product design, and collaboration with culinary experts and scientists.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in food innovation, and why are they important?

To thrive in Food Innovation, you need expertise in food science, culinary arts, and product development, often supported by a degree in food technology or a related field. Familiarity with food safety regulations, sensory analysis tools, and R&D software is typically required. Creative problem-solving, collaboration, and adaptability are crucial soft skills for generating and implementing novel food concepts. These skills enable professionals to develop innovative, safe, and marketable food products that meet consumer demands and regulatory standards.
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Food Innovation jobs near you
Infographic showing various Food Innovation job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 70% Full Time, and 30% Part Time. Highlights an 99% Physical, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $33,746 per year, or $16.2 per hour.

Food Innovation Lead

PepsiCo

Bessemer City, NC

$14 - $19/hr

Full-time

Re-posted 9 days ago

PepsiCo rating

7.5

Company rating: 7.5 out of 10

Based on 895 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

155th of 438 rated food and drinks producers

Job description

Overview

We are looking for a Food Innovation Lead to join our Food Ventures Business Unit, a newly created E2E platform designed to accelerate PepsiCo's expansion into the Meals category.

Food Ventures plays a critical role in delivering culinary-led, consumer-first solutions, translating global strategies into scalable concepts that win in the market.

Reporting to the Market Food Ventures Lead for Spain, this role will be instrumental in driving the culinary innovation agenda at market level, ensuring strong alignment between global priorities and local consumer, customer and cultural needs.

This position can be based in Barcelona or Madrid and will play a key role in bringing innovation to life within the AFH (Away From Home) space and beyond, partnering across cross-functional teams and external ecosystems to ensure operational readiness, cultural relevance and commercial impact.

We are looking for a strategic and entrepreneurial profile, with a passion for food, strong understanding of culinary trends, and proven ability to translate ideas into scalable, market-ready solutions

Responsibilities

Drive Market Innovation Pipeline Execution

  • Define and lead the market culinary innovation strategy, ensuring strong alignment with global priorities while addressing local consumer, customer and cultural needs.
  • Own and manage the end-to-end innovation pipeline for the market, delivering speed to market, agility and executional excellence.
  • Tailor, pilot and validate concepts in-market, ensuring consumer relevance and cultural fit before scaling.
  • Partner with food entrepreneurs, chefs and local creators to co-create and execute scalable, repeatable culinary solutions rooted in local food culture.
  • Collaborate with local teams, agencies and external partners to deliver high-impact activations, events and promotional initiatives.
  • Work closely with New Business Director and Key Account Managers to support customer retention, growth and new business acquisition through differentiated culinary propositions.

Shape the Future Innovation Pipeline

  • Identify and track emerging trends, ingredients, competitive dynamics and culinary movements, translating insights into opportunities for both local and global platforms.
  • Act as a thought leader and strategic partner to cross-functional teams including R&D, Marketing, Commercial and Supply Chain.
  • Bring external inspiration, food-tech innovation and culinary expertise into the pipeline to continuously elevate propositions.
  • Ensure innovation ideas are translated into commercially viable, scalable solutions across channels (Retail, AFH, DTC).
  • Contribute to building a high-impact local culinary ecosystem, fostering strong partnerships with suppliers, startups, and culinary institutions.
  • Partner closely with the Market Food Ventures Lead and Global Innovation teams to successfully land and scale relevant concepts in market.
  • Share insights, learnings and best practices to influence global strategy, innovation pipelines and portfolio decisions.
  • Represent the Anchor Market in global forums, shaping upstream innovation and strengthening market voice.

External Engagement & Brand Elevation

  • Actively participate in industry events, food innovation forums and culinary platforms to elevate PepsiCo's presence, build networks and fuel the future business pipeline.
Qualifications
    • 10+ years of experience in culinary innovation, product development, food marketing or related fields within FMCG or food industry.
    • Strong understanding of local food culture, consumer behavior and market trends.
    • Proven ability to translate culinary inspiration into scalable, commercially successful solutions.
    • Experience operating in cross-functional, matrix organizations, with strong stakeholder management skills.
    • Entrepreneurial mindset, with passion for food, innovation and brand building.
    • Excellent communication, collaboration and influencing skills, with the ability to engage across levels and functions.
Employment Type: FULL_TIME

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About PepsiCo

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated $86 billion in net revenue in 2022, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay's, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Industry

Food and drink manufacturing

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Purchase, NY, US

Year founded

1965

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