Innovation and Development Chef

Company DescriptionCP Fresh is a Charlie's Produce Company - Who We AreCharlie's Produce is the largest privately owned produce wholesaler on the West Coast, and we are growing. The secret to our success in this industry is PEOPLE We strive to hire the best and we reward them with a working environment that fosters loyalty, stability, innovation, and growth. Charlie's was founded in quality, and we are proud that it is still our focus.CP Fresh brings the same quality to processed foods that Charlie's brings to produce Our state of the art processing plant provides fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, an expanded salad line, and a USDA-certified hot kitchen. We partner with local vendors to offer our customers fresh, high- quality, made-to-order products.With a team of dedicated people who are passionate about food, supply chain, and their community- we are looking for like minded individuals to help further our goal to enhance our communities through quality produce and prepared foods.What We offer:An amazing company cultureMedical/Dental/Vision on the first of the month following hire.ESOP (Profit Sharing) and 401(k).Paid vacations, paid holidays.Coverage under State Sick Leave.100% Prepaid College Tuition for employees and their dependents.Employee assistance program (EAP).Additional Compensation Details:$105-115K annuallyPotential 90-day performance-based raiseYearly review with possibility of increase based on performance and tenureJob DescriptionJob Summary:Develop and implement new prep-foods and fresh processed produce product programs for produce, food service, and retail deli sales team within Seattle, Portland, Spokane, and Boise divisions. The product programs will include product development, sourcing from third party suppliers, achievement of gross margin targets, promotion and Ad plans, marketing materials, packaging, and private label programs. The director will also coordinate sales of fresh produce ingredients to third party suppliers from Charlie's Produce.Collaborate with the sales team of each division to support sales growth, new account development, new initiatives, and provide performance reports to division presidents, general managers, and sales managers. The director will work closely with the general manager of CP Fresh and third-party suppliers to coordinate forecast demand, recipe development and product innovations required from collaborating with each division. Quarterly travel to each division will be expected to visit with key customers, review retail execution, competitive assessment and coordinate efforts with the sales team.Duties Include but are not limited to:Comfortably and confidently manage several workstreams simultaneouslyProvide culinary expertise in assigned projects, demonstrated by exceptional culinary concept creation and product developmentPlay an active role in all stages of product development, from ideation to manufacturingMeticulously record all tests and pertinent analytical informationMonitor and research food trends, manufacturing processes, and culinary innovations on an ongoing basis to continue to bring new ideas to the teamEnsure that project scope guard rails are maintained throughout the development process, and product formulas are shared with and approved by the commercialization teamCalculate ingredient costing such that products are developed within cost targetsLead and participate in product tastings and plant trials of new productsAssist in the production of product samples for internal and external stakeholdersManage individual project timelines and deliverables, and support wider project direction and deadlinesEnsure the work area is orderly, organized and clean for efficient use for testing, following CP Fresh's SOP for proper kitchen operationsSales support: customer visits, facil

Created: 2026-01-19