Market Development Lead

We are working with an established business on a genuinely pioneering consumer proposition within the food sector. The product is at an early stage of its commercial journey, creating an unusual opportunity for an experienced market development professional to help establish where it fits, who will buy it and how it reaches the consumer. This isn't an opportunity to step into an established market with a proven playbook. The market needs to be explored, tested and built from the ground up. The Role: As Market Development Lead, you will take ownership of turning an early-stage proposition into a commercially viable consumer opportunity. Your challenge will be to identify and develop the most effective routes to market, exploring everything from retail and foodservice to wholesale, specialist channels, direct-to-consumer and other opportunities that may not yet be obvious. You will need to understand the commercial landscape, identify potential customers and partners, open doors and test different approaches to establish where genuine demand exists. There are also some unique considerations around the proposition itself. Consumer understanding, perception and education will all play an important role, meaning you'll need to think beyond traditional sales and distribution and consider how to make something unfamiliar relevant and compelling to the consumer. You'll have significant autonomy to shape the approach, test ideas, learn from the market and build a strategy based on what works. The ultimate objective is to take something that currently sits outside the mainstream and create a credible, scalable route to consumer adoption. You Will Be: A proven 0-to-1 commercial builder, with demonstrable experience taking a new product, proposition, category or business from an early-stage concept to viable commercial product. Experienced within food or FMCG with a strong understanding of routes to market. Entrepreneurial & comfortable working without an established playbook, identifying opportunities, testing theories and adapting your approach based on what the market tells you. A natural relationship builder, with the confidence and credibility to develop partnerships and create opportunities. Resilient, curious and consumer-focused, able to navigate an unconventional proposition, understand potential barriers to adoption and find creative ways to turn an unfamiliar product into a compelling consumer opportunity. Ready to build something new? If you are interested in finding out more about this interesting position then contact Kieran Clark at or call (phone number removed)