Chanda Rai

Product Manager

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India7 yrs 11 mos experience

Most Likely To SwitchAI ML Practitioner

Key Highlights

Led innovative product development in skincare and body care.
Achieved significant revenue growth through strategic marketing.
Expert in sustainable packaging and product innovation.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a Product Development Specialist in the Consumer Goods industry.

Contact

Skills

Core Skills

Product InnovationProject ManagementBrand DevelopmentProduct Development

Other Skills

AccountabilityAnalytical InstrumentsArtificial Intelligence (AI)AutoCADBrand GrowthBrand StrategyBusiness DevelopmentBusiness InnovationBusiness StrategyCleaning in Place (CIP)CommunicationCompetitive BenchmarkingConsumer InsightCosmeticsCost Optimization

About

Hello, I'm Chanda Rai, a unique blend of product and packaging. My educational qualifications include a Bachelor's in Food Technology from the University of Delhi and a Master's in Packaging from the Indian Institute of Packaging, I possess a robust foundation in both domains. Throughout my career, I have made significant contributions to NPD and innovations, shaping consumer experiences at Let's Try Foods and Honasa Consumer Pvt Ltd (Mamaearth). These experiences have honed my ability to translate ideas into tangible solutions that resonate with consumers. Additionally, my internship at ITC Limited in the personal care department further deepened my understanding of consumer goods and market dynamics. Beyond my professional endeavours, I find joy in capturing moments through photography and exploring the world through travel and culinary experiments. I approach every opportunity with enthusiasm, eager to learn, grow, and contribute meaningfully. I am confident with my expertise in product & packaging, we can create a difference and take the products to the next level. Let's connect, and innovate together! Chanda

Experience

The pink foundry

Assistant Manager - Innovations & NPD

Oct 2023 – Present · 2 yrs 5 mos · Mumbai, Maharashtra, India · On-site

🌟 Product Development & Innovation: Spearhead the creation and development of innovative skincare and body care products from concept to launch, covering formulation, packaging upgrades, and new vendor development. Ensure products meet consumer needs, deliver differentiated claims, and align with brand strategy.
📅 Project Management: Lead cross-functional teams and external partners throughout the product development lifecycle, managing timelines, budgets, and resources to deliver high-quality launches on time and within budget.
🔍 Market Research: Conduct consumer studies, market analysis, and competitive benchmarking to identify white spaces and opportunities, guiding concept development, claims generation, and pricing strategy.
🎯 Business Strategy & P&L: Build business cases, develop P&L models, and define pricing and positioning to maximize market penetration, brand equity, and product profitability.
📑 Content & Storytelling: Write product names, claims, and packaging content. Develop consumer education material and storytelling-led communication to drive awareness and engagement.
📊 Performance Analysis: Monitor post-launch performance, consumer feedback, and sales metrics to identify areas for optimization and drive continuous improvement

Product DevelopmentInnovationProject ManagementMarket ResearchBusiness StrategyProduct Innovation

Earth crust pvt ltd

Lead - Innovations

Sep 2022 – Oct 2023 · 1 yr 1 mo · Delhi, India

✅️Key Responsibilities & Achievements:
✔️End-to-End Product Development: Led the complete product development cycle from ideation to launch for the healthy snacking category. Developed a diverse range including baked snacks (Cookies, Rusk, Makhana, Chips, Puffed Snacks) and traditional namkeen (Bhujia, Murukku, and other regional favorites).
✔️Brand & Marketing Growth: Spearheaded brand building initiatives and contributed to remarkable revenue growth—from INR 4,000 to INR 4 crore per month—through strategic marketing, new product launches, and strong customer engagement.
✔️Marketplace & E-commerce Management: Managed operations across multiple online platforms including Blinkit, Swiggy, Zepto, Flipkart, and Amazon. Ensured smooth execution of listings, pricing, promotions, and order fulfillment.
✔️Social Media Strategy: Handled the brand's social media presence end-to-end, focusing on community building, content strategy, influencer marketing, and campaign execution.

Product DevelopmentBrand GrowthE-commerce ManagementSocial Media StrategyBrand Development

Honasa consumer pvt ltd (mamaearth)

Executive - NPD & Innovation

Mar 2021 – Sep 2022 · 1 yr 6 mos · Gurugram, Haryana, India

Drives New Product Developments for Skincare, Bodycare, Haircare, perfumes and cosmetic products.
Leading all NPD projects for OTIF delivery by closely working with cross-functional teams.
Handles Prototype development, Trial Protocols, Mold validation, Machine feasibility trials, transit trial, Functional performance tests, and online machine proof approvals
To manage technical data records – project data, specifications, test results.
Works on sustainable projects to reduce plastic consumption across categories
Identify & execute cost optimization projects across categories.

New Product DevelopmentCross-functional Team LeadershipSustainable ProjectsProduct InnovationProject Management

Start global

Freelance

Aug 2020 – Mar 2021 · 7 mos · Delhi, India · On-site

Worked for Multiple startups
Let's Try Foods
Atalia Naturals

Uflex limited

Packaging Development Intern

Aug 2020 – Oct 2020 · 2 mos · Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India

Research and Development
Market benchmarking of different flexible packaging options available in the market for different products.
Day-to-day work with R & D team like testing and other functional requirements

Market BenchmarkingTesting

Itc limited

Packaging Development Intern

Feb 2020 – Jul 2020 · 5 mos · Kolkata, West Bengal, India · On-site

Worked in Personal Care Division
Major Projects undertaken:
1. Cost optimization: Alternate label substrate development of Dermafique and STS Brand.
2. Competitive benchmarking of feminine hygiene products.
3. Norms and declaration for export of goods in the FMCG industry.
4. Insights about standard testing procedures for suggesting required modifications as per relevant standards.
5. Global benchmarking of liquid handwash and dishwashing liquid to identify recent trends and sustainable options.
Day-to-day work and Activities performed:
a) Vendor exploration and coordination for Premium cosmetic products and other brands in the personal care segment.
b) To understand the costing of packaging materials (Rigid and Flexible) with the procurement team.
c) Transit trial evaluation and preparation of TT report for different products of different brands like Savlon, Engage, etc.
d) Risk mitigation study of packaging material.
e) Data compilation from QM database of different SKUs for easy evaluation of Packaging materials in the future.
f) Testing, functional and dimensional analysis of different Rigid and flexible Packaging materials (rigid bottles, pump, caps, pouches, Al can, glass bottle, labels, shrink sleeve and CFC, etc.)
g) The testing requirement for E-commerce ready packaging.
h) KLD evaluation of different products.

Cost OptimizationCompetitive BenchmarkingTesting Procedures

Moon beverages ltd

Summer Intern

Jun 2018 – Jul 2018 · 1 mo · Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India

Learned about Cleaning in place (CIP) system, Filling, Packaging, and manufacturing of Maaza syrup and PET bottles.
Also saw how effluent treatment and water treatment plant work.

Cleaning in Place (CIP)Manufacturing Processes

Dabur india limited

Quality Assurance Intern

May 2017 – Jul 2017 · 2 mos · Kaushambi ghaziabad

Acknowledged for good performance and final submission of project report: "Analysis of raw materials and finished goods in Ayurveda industry by physical, chemical and analytical methods".
Worked in quality assurance:
1. Raw material testing.
2. Maintaining quality at every step of the processing.
3. Final product testing by physical, chemical, and analytical methods.
4. Sensory evaluation of the products.
It was a great experience learning about new machines and working on highly sophisticated instruments like HPLC, GC, spectrophotometer, etc.

Quality AssuranceRaw Material Testing

E cell srcasw

Core committee Member

Jul 2016 – Jun 2018 · 1 yr 11 mos · Delhi

Organization of annual fest "Conquest 2018", various seminars, and entrepreneurship awareness camps.
🌟Participated in National Entrepreneurship Challenge 2017 organized by IIT Bombay and ours was the only girl's college in the top 5