Product Development Manager

🌱 Who we are

Mother Root is the Ginger non-alcoholic aperitif. We harness the power of apple cider vinegar to serve up a dose of good feelings. Our mission is to redefine what it means to drink well and feel good - with drinks that are complex, delicious and rooted in nature.

Fresh from securing three offers on BBC Dragons’ Den, we’re on an exciting growth journey — scaling from a £7m brand today towards £50m+ in the years ahead, with 250% year-on-year growth already underway. With our small but mighty team, we’re building one of the UK’s fastest-growing non-alcoholic brands, both online and in retail.

We’re bold, inclusive and ambitious. We value creativity, curiosity and collaboration — and we believe work should be joyful, purposeful and full of flavour.

🚀 The Role

We’re hiring a Product Development Manager to lead the delivery of our product pipeline in NPD and EPD — from early-stage ideas through to launch and ongoing improvement.

Reporting into the Head of Operations , you’ll be the central point of coordination across product development, working closely with Technical & Quality, Supply Chain , Packaging Development and partnering closely with the CEO , who drives much of the product vision and strategy.

This is a hands-on role for someone who loves drinks, flavour and process — and who brings clarity, pace and discipline to complex projects.

📋 What You’ll Do

Product Development

• Lead end-to-end NPD and EPD across liquids, formats, gifting, serveware and ritual-led experiences.

• Drive continual improvement of existing products — taste, consistency, quality, yield and scalability.

• Translate customer insight and feedback into clear product development briefs.

Project Leadership & Delivery

• Own and run a disciplined stage-gate process from concept through to launch.

• Act as a central point of contact between Technical & Quality, Supply Chain, Packaging Development, Brand and leadership , keeping workstreams aligned and moving, managing critical paths and ensuring launches land on time, on spec and on brand .

• Manage external development partners and specialist suppliers where required.

Brand, Ritual & Customer Experience

• Work with the Founder, Brand and Growth teams to develop ritual-led products and experiences

• Partner with Brand, Marketing and Content to unearth ingredient, formulation and process stories that strengthen brand equity and product storytelling.

Supply Chain, Technical & Risk

• Lead hands-on formulation and recipe development, scaling from bench to factory in close collaboration with our suppliers.

• Anticipate ingredient, packaging and manufacturing dependencies, working closely with the Technical & Supply Chain Manager to mitigate risk.

• Build optionality into formulations and specifications, developing alternative supply routes well ahead of need.

• Partner with the Technical & Quality Manager to embed food safety, regulatory compliance and manufacturing readiness into development.

🎓 What You’ll Bring

• Circa 5-10 years’ experience in product development within drinks or adjacent CPG categories.

• Deep expertise in flavour development, formulation and sensory balance.

• Proven experience taking products from concept through to commercial production.

• Strong experience working with manufacturers and ingredient suppliers.

• Excellent project management skills, with the ability to run multiple workstreams in parallel.

• Strong commercial judgement - margin, complexity and feasibility are always considered.

Nice to have:

• Experience in craft drink making , whether non-alcoholic, alcoholic, or a mix of both.

• Hands-on experience developing liquids where balance, mouthfeel and complexity really matter.

💫 You’ll Thrive Here If You

• Are flavour-obsessed and hold a very high-quality bar.

• Enjoy owning complex problems end-to-end.

• Bring structure, clarity and calm to fast-moving environments.

• Can work autonomously and make sound judgement calls.

• Balance creative ambition with practical delivery.

💛 Benefits & Perks

• Share Options Programme: Equivalent to 15% of salary

• Annual Leave: 25 days per year

• Summer Hours: Early finish Fridays (June–August)

• Work From Anywhere: Up to 2 weeks per year

• Pension: 5% matched contribution

• Cycle Scheme: Bike or Lime/Forest Pass

• Personal Development: £300 annual allowance for approved training

• Wellbeing Support: Access to Spill app & Heka allowance (£40/month) + birthday/work anniversary boosts

• Annual Team Trip: Gastronomical & wellbeing-focused team away trip

• Free access to Fora gym & classes

• Parental Leave: Competitive maternity/paternity package

• Lots of free Mother Root