Brand & Business Development Manager – FMCG / Food & Beverage

We are seeking an experienced, commercially driven, and entrepreneurial Brand & Business Development Manager to lead the development and growth of an established Indian FMCG company's business in Nepal.

The initial product portfolio includes ice cream, sauces, condiments, and packaged foods. The selected candidate will take ownership of developing the Nepal market—from product selection and localization to regulatory compliance, pricing, distribution, brand building, retail development, and new product launches.

The role will work closely with the Indian principal/company and Nepal management team to adapt the established brand strategy to local market requirements and build a sustainable business in Nepal.

Key Responsibilities

Brand Development & Marketing

• Develop brand positioning, value proposition, and go-to-market strategy for Nepal.
• Build brand awareness and establish a strong market presence.
• Adapt international/Indian brand strategies to local consumer needs while maintaining brand identity.
• Develop annual brand, marketing, communication, and activation plans.
• Plan and execute digital marketing, social media, influencer campaigns, sampling, events, and retail promotions.
• Coordinate with advertising agencies, creative partners, designers, digital agencies, and other external stakeholders.
• Develop campaigns for product launches, seasonal opportunities, and key consumption occasions.

Market & Product Strategy

• Conduct market research and identify opportunities across relevant FMCG categories.
• Analyze consumer preferences, market trends, competitor activities, and market gaps.
• Benchmark competitors on products, flavors, pack sizes, pricing, positioning, and distribution.
• Recommend suitable products and SKUs from the Indian portfolio for the Nepal market.
• Identify opportunities for Nepal-specific products, flavors, pack sizes, or formats.
• Develop and maintain a structured product and category launch roadmap.

Regulatory Compliance

• Take ownership of Nepal-side regulatory and compliance requirements for food products.
• Coordinate product registration, food licenses, laboratory testing, certifications, and required approvals.
• Ensure products and packaging comply with applicable Nepalese food regulations.
• Review product labels, ingredients, nutritional information, allergens, manufacturing details, batch information, MRP, expiry dates, and other mandatory requirements.
• Coordinate with government authorities, laboratories, regulatory consultants, and the Indian principal.
• Maintain proper regulatory documentation for each SKU.
• Monitor regulatory changes and ensure continued compliance.

Product & Packaging Localization

• Work with the Indian principal/manufacturer to adapt products for the Nepal market.
• Recommend appropriate product formats, pack sizes, and SKU assortments.
• Coordinate Nepal-specific packaging and labeling requirements.
• Manage packaging artwork development, review, and approval.
• Ensure commercial and regulatory information is accurate before production.
• Provide market insights and consumer feedback to product development and manufacturing teams.

Pricing & Commercial Strategy

• Develop appropriate pricing architecture for the Nepal market.
• Analyze landed costs, taxes, distributor margins, retailer margins, promotional expenses, and profitability.
• Benchmark pricing against local, Indian, and international competitors.
• Recommend MRP and channel-specific pricing strategies.
• Develop trade schemes, introductory offers, and promotional programs.
• Monitor commercial performance and identify opportunities to improve margins and competitiveness.

Distribution & Retail Development

Develop and support distribution across:

• General Trade
• Modern Trade
• Supermarkets
• Hotels, Restaurants & Cafés (HoReCa)
• Institutional Customers
• E-commerce and Quick Commerce, where applicable

Key responsibilities include:

• Identify and onboard distributors, dealers, and channel partners.
• Develop relationships with major retailers and key accounts.
• Support distribution expansion across priority markets.
• Prepare retailer presentations, product catalogs, and sales materials.
• Monitor product availability, visibility, merchandising, and market execution.
• Work closely with sales and distribution partners to improve product availability and sell-through.

Product Launch & Market Execution

• Develop comprehensive launch plans for new products and categories.
• Coordinate product availability, distribution, marketing, and retail activation before launch.
• Plan and execute product sampling, consumer activations, launch events, and promotional campaigns.
• Track launch performance against agreed KPIs.
• Collect feedback from consumers, retailers, and distributors and convert insights into business improvements.
• Continuously optimize products, pricing, distribution, and marketing based on market performance.

Business Development & Growth

• Identify new business opportunities, market segments, channels, and strategic partnerships.
• Develop strategies to achieve sales, distribution, market share, and profitability objectives.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with distributors, retailers, institutional buyers, and other key stakeholders.
• Identify opportunities for geographic expansion and portfolio growth.
• Monitor market performance and provide regular business and market development reports to management.

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Management, or a related field.
• Minimum 5+ years of relevant FMCG experience, preferably in food, dairy, ice cream, sauces, condiments, beverages, snacks, or packaged foods.
• Strong understanding of the Nepal FMCG market and consumer landscape.
• Proven experience in launching, developing, or scaling FMCG brands in Nepal.
• Practical knowledge of Nepalese food regulations, product registration, and labeling requirements.
• Experience working with distributors, general trade, modern trade, supermarkets, and/or HoReCa.
• Strong experience in brand management, marketing, consumer activation, and new product launches.
• Good understanding of pricing, margins, trade economics, and channel profitability.
• Experience coordinating with manufacturers, suppliers, and international principals.
• Strong project management and stakeholder management skills.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building abilities.
• Strong commercial and analytical skills.
• Ability to work independently, solve problems, and take ownership from strategy through execution.

Preference will be given to candidates who have:

• Experience launching an Indian or international FMCG brand in Nepal.
• Experience in ice cream, dairy, sauces, condiments, or packaged foods.
• Managed Nepal-side product registration and food regulatory compliance.
• Built or developed brands during early-stage market entry.
• Established relationships with major Nepalese distributors, retailers, or modern trade accounts.
• Led new product launches and consumer activation programs.
• Worked directly with an international principal/manufacturer and a local Nepal operation.

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for a business builder, not simply a brand custodian—someone who can take ownership of the Nepal market and turn strategy into commercial results.

The ideal candidate should be capable of managing the complete journey:

What to launch → How to position it → How to localize it → How to make it compliant → How to price it → Where to distribute it → How to build consumer demand → How to scale the business.

The candidate will serve as a key bridge between the Indian principal/company and the Nepal market, ensuring that products, brand strategy, and commercial plans are effectively adapted to local market requirements.

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to take significant ownership in building a growing FMCG business in Nepal while working with an established Indian brand and a high-potential portfolio across food and beverage categories. If you are an entrepreneurial FMCG professional with strong knowledge of the Nepal market, experience in brand building and market development, and the ability to take a business from concept to commercial execution, we would like to hear from you.