Innovation & Product Management Analyst

WHO IS 7 BREW...

7 Brew is a rapidly expanding drive through beverage experience with over 600 locations across 38 states in the US. We are one of the fastest-growing QSR brands in the world, with plans to open more domestic locations in 2026.

We're passionate about crafting delicious and unique beverages while providing a fast and friendly customer experience. We believe in creating a vibrant and energetic work environment where our team members can thrive and grow.

Our mission is to cultivate kindness one tasty drink at a time.

WHAT’S BREWING IN THIS ROLE…

The Manager of Menu Strategy & Category Management plays a key role in advancing 7 Brew’s mission to cultivate kindness by creating a positive experience. This position leads the development and execution of menu & category strategies to fuel brand growth, increase guest satisfaction, and enable operational excellence.

As the leader of the Category Management function within the greater Innovation & Category Management group, the Manager brings category strategy and menu planning to life in service to 7 Brew’s growth objectives.

THE FLAVOR YOU ADD…

Beverage Development & Prototyping

• Assist in hands-on development of new beverage concepts across 7 Brew’s current and future menu.
• Build and refine drink prototypes in a test environment, adjusting ratios, ingredients, and preparation methods to optimize taste and consistency.
• Conduct structured tastings and attribute evaluations using sensory methods.
• Document all formulations, testing notes, and revisions with precision and organization.
• Support bench-top experimentation to improve flavor balance, cost efficiency, and scalability.

Product Testing & Validation

• Execute product testing protocols, including internal tastings, small group panels, and operational simulations.
• Evaluate drink build complexity, ticket times, ingredient handling, and back-of-house flow implications.
• Identify potential operational friction points and recommend adjustments to simplify execution.
• Assist in preparing samples and materials for cross-functional reviews and pilot programs.
• Manage incoming product samples of current and future products, cataloging supplier shipments, managing inventory, organizing and executing timely test plans, and frequently being the first to review and assess a product for the Innovation group.

Operational Feasibility & Back-of-House Integration

• Apply knowledge of Brewista skills and back-of-house procedures to ensure new beverages are realistic and executable in a high-volume drive-thru environment.
• Consider equipment limitations, prep processes, storage constraints, and speed-of-service requirements during development.
• Support in-store pilots by observing preparation, gathering feedback, and documenting operational learnings.
• Partner with Field Operations and Training to understand how new products impact workflow and team experience.

Cross-Functional & Supplier Collaboration

• Assist in sourcing and testing new ingredients, flavors, and components with Supply Chain, Procurement, and FSQA functions at 7 Brew. Where appropriate, work directly with supplier partners on ingredient assessments and drink build prototypes.
• Support product evaluations for quality, consistency, shelf life, and functionality in beverage applications.
• Maintain organized records of ingredient specifications, samples, and test results.

Innovation Pipeline Support

• Help maintain organized trackers of concepts, test results, pilot learnings, and development stages.
• Contribute to innovation briefs and summaries that clearly communicate flavor intent, build instructions, and operational considerations.
• Support preparation & tear-down for stage-gate meetings, tastings, and executive reviews.

Culture of Experimentation

• Contribute to a fast-paced test-and-learn environment by actively building, tasting, iterating, and refining ideas.
• Demonstrate curiosity about flavor trends, beverage formats, and emerging ingredients.
• Help build a structured “learning library” of documented test results and best practices for future innovation.

MUST-HAVE INGREDIENTS...

Education

Bachelor’s degree required; preferred concentration in Food & Beverage Science, Culinary Arts, Marketing, or Business.

Experience

• Sufficient experience in foodservice industry, particularly in QSR and coffee shops as a barista.
• Hands-on experience preparing beverages in a fast-paced setting strongly preferred.
• Operational or back-of-house experience at 7 Brew or similar drive-thru/QSR concept is highly valued.

Skills & Attributes

Hands-On Builder: Enjoys physically making beverages, testing variations, and working in a kitchen or lab environment.

Flavor Curiosity: Strong interest in flavor pairing, ingredient functionality, beverage trends, and sensory evaluation.

Operational Awareness: Understands Brewista skills and back-of-house workflows; able to anticipate how a new drink will affect speed, prep, and execution.

Detail-Oriented: Maintains accurate documentation of formulas, tests, and results.

Adaptable & Energetic: Comfortable working in a fast-moving, experimental environment where ideas evolve quickly.

Collaborative: Works well across Marketing, Supply Chain, FSQA, Operations and Training to bring concepts to life.

Growth Mindset: Eager to learn the full innovation lifecycle from ideation through pilot and launch.

Performance Metrics

• Quality, accuracy, and organization of product testing documentation.
• Effectiveness and repeatability of beverage prototypes.
• Operational feasibility of developed concepts.
• Timely support of pilot testing and launch readiness.
• Positive cross-functional collaboration and feedback.

Career Trajectory

This role provides foundational experience in hands-on beverage R&D and innovation execution. With demonstrated growth and performance, this role enables an entry-level employee to continue developing in the food & beverage space, adding product development skillset with strategic innovation experience over time.

Cultural Fit

7 Brew’s Innovation team is entrepreneurial, fast, and flavor-obsessed. We test, taste, adjust, and repeat — constantly. The ideal candidate is curious, practical, energized by experimentation, and passionate about creating beverages that are as executable as they are exciting.

If you love asking “What happens if we try this?” — and then actually building it — this role is for you.