Product Application Specialist

Job Title

Product Application Specialist (Beverage)

We're seeking a Product Application Specialist to support beverage innovation through hands-on recipe blending, structured sensory/taste panels, customer needs discovery, and market trend research. This role will be a key contributor to new product development, helping translate customer feedback and competitive insights into beverage concepts that are tested, refined, documented, and ready for development.

Customer Communication & Needs Discovery

• Communicate directly with internal team members and existing customers to understand their beverage programs, menu goals, operational constraints, and product needs.
• Gather and document feedback on current products and new concepts (flavor, performance, preparation, packaging, price/value perception).
• Share insights internally and help translate them into clear development briefs and product opportunities.

New Product Development (NPD) Contribution

• Serve as a strong hands-on contributor to NPD by ideating, building, and refining beverage concepts aligned with trends and customer needs.
• Prepare prototypes for internal review, incorporate feedback into iterative improvements.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with R&D, Sales, Marketing, and Operations to align product performance, positioning, and readiness.

Sensory & Taste Panel Execution (New, Existing, and Competitive)

• Plan and run taste panels for:
• Potential new beverage products in development
• Existing products in the current portfolio
• Competitive/benchmark products from the market

• Manage panel logistics: sample prep, blinding/labeling, serving procedures, timing, and panelist coordination.
• Create and maintain tasting tools (scorecards, sensory descriptors, preference questions) and compile results into clear summaries and recommendations.

Beverage Blending & Recipe Documentation

• Confidently blend beverage recipes and prototypes (hot, iced, and blended applications as applicable).
• Conduct bench trials, adjusting ratios and methods to hit target flavor and performance.
• Accurately log recipes, iterations, and test conditions including ingredients, weights/volumes, process steps, equipment used, yield, and tasting notes.
• Maintain organized records to ensure repeatability and support scale-up and commercialization.

Trend & Market Research (Trade Shows and Field Learning)

• Travel to relevant trade shows and industry events to stay current on trends in the coffeehouse and beverage space.
• Conduct structured market research: sampling, note-taking, photography (where permitted), and competitive tracking.
• Convert trend findings into internal insights, concept proposals, and test plans.

Required Qualifications

• Experience in beverage applications, beverage formulation, product development support, barista beverage development, or sensory evaluation.
• High confidence in beverage blending and recipe development with strong attention to detail and consistency.
• Strong documentation skills (sensory results, customer notes, recipe logs, iteration tracking).
• Strong interpersonal skills—comfortable speaking with customers, asking discovery questions, and presenting recommendations.
• Willingness and ability to travel for trade shows and customer visits as needed.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, timelines, and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Strong spreadsheet skills for tracking formulas, sensory data, and competitive comparisons.

Preferred Qualifications (Nice to Have)

• Prior experience running sensory panels (preference, difference, descriptive testing).
• Coffeehouse beverage experience (espresso-based drinks, syrups/sauces, dairy & alt-dairy systems, frozen/blended beverages).
• Familiarity with basic food safety and sample handling.

Work Details

• Employment Type: Full-time, Mon–Fri
• Location: Onsite in Columbus, Ohio
• Travel: Occasional
• Reports To: Green Coffee Buyer