This job is closed
Applications are no longer available for this announcement. Explore current related opportunities below.
Job description
Role Overview
The Head of R&D / Product Development will own Cha Cha Matcha’s product development process from concept through commercialization.
This role is open to candidates based in Miami, New York City, or Los Angeles . Given the highly hands-on and collaborative nature of the position, candidates should be based in one of these markets and available to work closely with our teams, stores, suppliers, and partners as needed.
This person will be responsible for developing new beverages and products, improving existing recipes, sourcing high-quality ingredients, working with suppliers and manufacturers, and ensuring every product can be executed consistently across a growing store network.
The ideal candidate combines strong formulation and culinary instincts with an understanding of ingredient functionality, sourcing, cost, scalability, and café operations.
This is a highly hands-on role. You should be equally comfortable developing a new matcha latte in the test kitchen, evaluating syrups and concentrates with suppliers, adjusting an existing recipe to improve taste and consistency, and creating the final specifications required to roll the product out across stores.
Key Responsibilities
Product Development & Formulation
Lead formulation and development of new beverages, seasonal products, food items, and menu innovations
Develop products from initial concept through testing, refinement, commercialization, and launch
Build new recipes across matcha, coffee, cold foam, syrups, concentrates, functional beverages, and other emerging categories
Continuously improve existing Cha Cha products for taste, texture, consistency, ingredient quality, and customer experience
Benchmark Cha Cha products against leading products and trends in the broader beverage and food industry
Conduct structured product testing and tastings and incorporate feedback into formulations
Product Quality & Menu Optimization
Regularly review the existing menu and identify opportunities to improve recipes and ingredients
Ensure drinks maintain the intended flavor, appearance, texture, and quality across every location
Simplify recipes where possible without sacrificing quality
Improve preparation methods to increase consistency and speed of service
Identify products or ingredients that should be reformulated, replaced, or removed
Establish clear product standards for each menu item
Source best-in-class ingredients including matcha, coffee, milk alternatives, syrups, concentrates, fruit products, flavorings, sweeteners, dairy products, and other inputs
Identify and evaluate new ingredient suppliers, manufacturers, and co-packers
Negotiate and work closely with suppliers on custom formulations and proprietary ingredients
Evaluate ingredients based on taste, quality, functionality, cost, shelf life, availability, and scalability
Develop alternative suppliers and ingredients to improve supply-chain reliability
Stay ahead of new ingredients, technologies, and trends within food and beverage
Ensure new products are designed to work operationally across a growing multi-unit café business
Build detailed product specifications, recipes, preparation methods, and ingredient standards
Work with operations to test products in real store environments before broader rollout
Ensure products can be produced consistently regardless of location
Partner with suppliers and co-packers to scale proprietary syrups, concentrates, cold foams, bases, and other components
Cost & Margin Optimization
Understand the cost of every ingredient and component within a product
Work with leadership and operations to develop products that balance quality with strong unit economics
Calculate and monitor recipe costs and beverage COGS
Identify opportunities to improve margins without negatively impacting the customer experience
Evaluate portion sizes, ingredient usage, yields, and waste
Launches & Cross-Functional Collaboration
Partner closely with marketing, operations, supply chain, store teams, and leadership on new product launches
Build and manage the R&D calendar around seasonal launches, collaborations, and strategic menu initiatives
Ensure products are finalized, sourced, documented, and tested ahead of launch dates
Support training materials and product education for store teams
Collaborate with marketing to translate product innovation into compelling customer-facing stories
Systems & Documentation
Maintain a centralized library of approved recipes and product specifications
Establish a clear R&D testing and approval process
Maintain formulation records, ingredient specifications, supplier information, and costing
Create standardized testing procedures for new ingredients and products
Ensure recipe changes are properly documented and communicated throughout the organization
What We’re Looking For
5+ years of experience in beverage R&D, food science, product development, culinary innovation, or a related field
Strong experience developing beverages for cafés, restaurants, CPG brands, or multi-unit food and beverage businesses
Deep understanding of beverage formulation and ingredient functionality
Strong palate with excellent instincts around flavor, texture, balance, and product quality
Experience working with ingredient suppliers, manufacturers, and co-packers
Ability to take products from an idea through commercial-scale execution
Strong understanding of recipe costing and product economics
Highly organized and comfortable managing multiple development projects simultaneously
Hands-on, curious, experimental, and highly detail-oriented
Comfortable operating in a fast-moving entrepreneurial environment
Bonus Points
Food science or culinary development background
Experience developing syrups, concentrates, cold foams, or beverage bases
Experience working with co-packers and custom formulation houses
Understanding of shelf life, food safety, ingredient labeling, and regulatory requirements
Experience developing products for both foodservice and retail/CPG channels
What Success Looks Like
Cha Cha consistently launches products that customers genuinely love and talk about
Existing products become better, more consistent, and easier to execute
New products move efficiently from concept to launch
Every major recipe has clear specifications and standardized preparation methods
Ingredient quality improves while product costs remain disciplined
Cha Cha develops stronger proprietary ingredients and formulations that competitors cannot easily replicate
Store teams can execute products consistently without overly complicated procedures
R&D becomes a repeatable system rather than a last-minute process
Cha Cha continues to build a reputation as one of the most innovative beverage brands in the market
Iconic, culture-driven brand with significant growth ahead
Opportunity to shape the future of the Cha Cha menu
Direct influence over products experienced by customers every day
Ability to build proprietary products, ingredients, and formulations
Fast-moving and entrepreneurial environment
Opportunity to help scale Cha Cha from a leading café brand into a much larger food and beverage platform
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Worksite address
new york, NY, 10261, US
Who can apply
Review the original listing for work authorization, qualifications and employer requirements.