ANADI SRIVASTAVA
Gurgaon
Summary
A Performance driven professional with over 17 + years of experience in Food processing industry. Currently associated with VRB- VEEBA as General Manager R&D for India and budding business in GCC region. Having expertise in food product creation, technical sales and ingredients development without losing sight of quality, cost and timelines with Speed to market as key to win over competition. An effective communicator with excellent relationship management skills and strong analytical, problem solving & organizational abilities and a bent for system and process implementation.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
Work History
General Manager R&D- Culinary (India)
VRB Group - VEEBA
09.2025 - Current
- Strategic leadership: Develop and execute the company's R&D strategy, creating a long-term roadmap for product innovation that aligns with corporate goals.
- New product development (NPD): Lead the entire NPD pipeline, from ideation, understanding the customer requirement and formulation to meet the requirement. Ensure new products meet consumer preferences, nutritional standards, and export requirements.
- Team management: Build, mentor, and manage a multidisciplinary R&D team, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and accountability.
- Cross-functional collaboration: Work closely with other departments, including marketing, production, sales, quality assurance and finance to translate R&D outcomes into viable, marketable products.
- Research and innovation: Stay current on industry trends
Senior Manager R&D - Culinary (GCC & India)
SYMEGA Food Ingredients Ltd
07.2024 - 08.2025
- Was also responsible for technical sales for solutions to B2B clients, ensuring strong application support and customer satisfaction.
- Increased visibility of the brand in GCC among Key Global Customers with multi technology visibility.
- Successful LTO launch of Ghost Mayo in KSA followed by UAE market for Burger King and new in line for launch.
- Americana Restaurants- UAE- CORE product development and sales (6 SKUs)
- SFC- Abu Dhabi New LTO launch with Rice Bowl concepts.
- REBEL Foods (UAE)- Line extension of Menu with multiple technology introduction.
- KFC UAE- LTO development with the team on Dry & Wet culinary.
- Mc Donalds' India- Core product development and innovation meetings and presentations.
- JFL- LTO Win
- Contributed $ 5m current year keeping strong bottom line.
- Customer engagement & Relationship building- meeting and understanding the customer's product line, pain points, actively involved for building strong product pipeline and marketing calendars to be the industry leader.
- Understanding Technical Requirements and smooth recipe management for commercial trials and Customer presentation.
- Product recommendation & Demonstration, Co-ordination with internal teams.
- Business Development along with market & competitor insights.
- Consultative selling, Customer relationship management, technical support, business development.
- Development of new vendors as required by the Wet & Dry Culinary Vertical with respect to quality and cost effectiveness as per markets and competition awareness.
- Created value added culinary products for the brand in GCC & India QSR and HoReCa market.
- Road to market with diversified product line with all the Global Key accounts (Americana Foods (Restaurant & Frozen division), Mc Donald's, YUM, Olayan Foods, Muvi, Spinney's, Carrefour).
- Recipe formulation and standardization with practical and more process driven PIs.
- Conduct training sessions for international markets to understand the Indian flavors' and also to understand the recipe matrix for key accounts.
- Worked with marketing team to understand the market gaps and range completion.
Sr. Manager R&D and Technical Sales Culinary - (India & UK)
Neo Foods Pvt Ltd
Bangalore
05.2023 - 06.2024
- Cost Effectiveness of the formulations having strong bottom line.
- Win with one of the biggest UK's Food chain (Premier Foods) on Meal kits having sustainable business.
- JFL India- Introduction to RTE category products.
- Multiple product introduction in Chili's brand under RTE & RTC category.
- Customer engagement & Relationship building- meeting and understanding the customer's product line, pain points, actively involved for building strong product pipeline and marketing calendars to be the industry leader.
- Understanding Technical Requirements.
- Innovation along with Neo Technologies and product line.
- Road to market with diversified product line with all the Global (Premier Foods UK) & India Key accounts (Mc Donald's, YUM, JFL Burger King, Subway, leading coffee chains etc.), handling customer meetings and presentations along with commercials one of the key focuses as technical sales professional as well.
- Dry & Wet Culinary development and Commercials.
Manager RD&A- Culinary (GCC & India)
Kerry Ingredients India Pvt Ltd
Bangalore
07.2016 - 05.2023
- Was also responsible for technical sales for solutions to B2B clients, ensuring strong application support and customer satisfaction for GCC market.
- Americana Foods- KSA- CORE & LTO product development and sales.
- Mc Donalds' UAE- LTO & CORE product development with the team on Dry & Wet culinary.
- Mc Donalds' India- Core product development and innovation meetings and presentations.
- Smooth and proper setup of Factory along with the recipe management for commercial trials.
- Contributed €4m year on year basis keeping strong bottom line post 2nd year of plant commissioning and product commercialization.
- Development of new vendors as required by the Wet & Dry Culinary Vertical, in respect to quality and cost effectiveness as per Indian market and competition awareness.
- Created value added Culinary Sauces & Seasonings (Indian & International profiles) for 'Kerry' brand in for GCC & India (QSR & HoReCa market)
- Road to market with diversified product line with all the Global & India Key accounts.
- Meetings and presentations along with commercials one of the keys focuses as technical sales professional as well.
- Testing, inspecting and troubleshooting to ensure that products are following specifications without impacting taste and texture.
- Recipe formulation and standardization with practical and more process driven PIs.
- Conduct training sessions for international markets to understand the Indian flavors' and also to understand the recipe matrix for key accounts.
- Worked with marketing team to understand the market gaps and range completion.
- Actively involved in Customer meetings and presentations for strong product pipeline and marketing calendars to be the industry leaders.
Asst. Manager RD&A- Culinary (Southeast Asia & India)
Del Monte India
Gurgaon
05.2011 - 05.2016
- Created Culinary products, emulsion & non-Emulsion based sauces, dips and spreads for local and Global Key accounts (Pizza Hut - Malaysia & Singapore)
- Recipe formulation and standardization, Re-engineering of launched recipes/products to ensure margin increase and more process driven products and recipes.
- Got trained in Seasoning technology with industry professionals.
- Manage coordination with the Customer, Marketing Team and working with them to develop customized recipes for key accounts and to understand the market gaps and range completion.
- Delivered on the business plans consistently across the year with close to m $4 year on year basis including all the markets (B2B, B2C, HORECA & Exports)
- Ensured stellar executions of NPDs enabling on time launches and activation in the field.
Pastry Chef
Indian Hotels Company Ltd
Mumbai
07.2008 - 05.2011
- Specialized in Pastry Confectionery and Bakery.
- Only member from department to be part of the ISO- audit team, taking care of the prerequisites and all the documentation post audit
Education
Executive programme -
Indian Institute of Management- Calcutta
CalcuttaBachelor's Degree - Hotel Management
Welcome Group School for Hotel Administration
Manipal, KarnatakaSkills
- New Product Development
- Process Improvement
- Technical Sales
- Product Knowledge
- Customer Knowledge
- Sales Strategies
- Implementation
- RM Management
- Cross-functional Team Coordination
- Communication Skills
- Regulatory Compliance
- Product Scale Up
- Commercialization
Extracurricular Activities
Driving Travelling
Personal Information
Age: 39
Languages
English
Advanced
C1
Hindi
Proficient
C2
Timeline
General Manager R&D- Culinary (India)
VRB Group - VEEBA
09.2025 - Current
Senior Manager R&D - Culinary (GCC & India)
SYMEGA Food Ingredients Ltd
07.2024 - 08.2025
Sr. Manager R&D and Technical Sales Culinary - (India & UK)
Neo Foods Pvt Ltd
05.2023 - 06.2024
Manager RD&A- Culinary (GCC & India)
Kerry Ingredients India Pvt Ltd
07.2016 - 05.2023
Asst. Manager RD&A- Culinary (Southeast Asia & India)
Del Monte India
05.2011 - 05.2016
Pastry Chef
Indian Hotels Company Ltd
07.2008 - 05.2011
Executive programme -
Indian Institute of Management- Calcutta
Bachelor's Degree - Hotel Management
Welcome Group School for Hotel Administration