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Home › Course pathways › Product developer courses · Technical and engineering

Product developer courses in South Africa

Develops new products and reformulations, from recipe to label.

SAATCA-registered TC 065
FoodBev SETA-accredited 587/00337/1900
QR-verified certificates
No VAT added

Do you have a food science or technology degree? Yes No

The shape of your path

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

StartAbout 60 hours, each block sized by its hoursCertified

Your route, in order

Untick anything you already holdIn basket

Food Science for Industry Professionals 21 h Intermediate Comes first because a graduate needs the chemistry, microbiology and processing principles refreshed before formulating, to predict how an ingredient change behaves in the product. R6 850 Add Food Science for Industry Professionals to the basket
Introduction to Food Science 18 h Foundation Builds the food chemistry and microbiology foundation a developer without a degree needs to understand why a formulation works or fails. R5 400 Add Introduction to Food Science to the basket
Introduction to Food Technology 18 h Foundation You can design a recipe that survives processing and storage after this, which covers the unit operations and preservation methods used in the plant. R5 400 Add Introduction to Food Technology to the basket
Intermediate Food Microbiology: Principles and Application 8 h Intermediate HPCSA CPD Teaches preservation, water activity, pH and heat processing so you can choose a hurdle that controls the organisms your product supports. R1 450 Add Intermediate Food Microbiology: Principles and Application to the basket
Introduction to HACCP 8 h 76 enrolled · 4.5★ (14) Comes before the product reaches the line, so the seven HACCP principles identify process hazards while the recipe can still change. R1 195 Add Introduction to HACCP to the basket
Overview of Conducting a Shelf-Life Study 4.5 h Foundation Shows you how to design a shelf-life study, so the date on the label is defended by data rather than guessed. R799 Add Overview of Conducting a Shelf-Life Study to the basket
Essentials of Food Labelling Claims for Food Manufacturing 4 h Foundation Gives you the vocabulary of claims and mandatory declarations, so your first draft label is written in the terms R146 uses. R1 250 Add Essentials of Food Labelling Claims for Food Manufacturing to the basket
Labelling Claims and Regulatory Framework 8 h Intermediate The course on R146 as amended and how each claim must be substantiated, so the claim you write survives legal review. R1 750 Add Labelling Claims and Regulatory Framework to the basket
Allergen Labelling and Artwork Control 6 h Intermediate Covers allergen declarations and the artwork approval step, so a reformulation never reaches print with an undeclared allergen. R1 650 Add Allergen Labelling and Artwork Control to the basket
Food Technology for Industry Professionals 21 h Intermediate Optional For scale-up to the plant Optional for scale-up: takes the bench recipe to plant equipment, so you can predict what changes when batch size goes from litres to tonnes. R6 850 Add Food Technology for Industry Professionals to the basket
Advanced Food and Beverage Labelling 16 h Optional Optional for complex products and claims strategy, covering reformulation labelling so you can handle a full range change without outside help. R2 950 Add Advanced Food and Beverage Labelling to the basket

R14 9447 courses

Your path

92 learners enrolled on these courses

R14 944

7 courses · about 60 h

Includes a bundle saving of R0

ASC8YEARS birthday discount: 8% off eligible courses, applied for you in the basket until 30 October 2026.

Hours a week you can study: 5

About 12 weeks at 5 hours a week

Training a team?

5people

Get a quote for 5 people → WhatsApp us about this path

No VAT is charged: the price you see is the price you pay.

Which courses does a food product developer need?

Start with Food Science for Industry Professionals, then Intermediate Food Microbiology: Principles and Application, Introduction to HACCP, Overview of Conducting a Shelf-Life Study, Essentials of Food Labelling Claims for Food Manufacturing, Labelling Claims and Regulatory Framework and Allergen Labelling and Artwork Control. 7 courses, 60 hours. Food Technology for Industry Professionals and Advanced Food and Beverage Labelling are optional.

Without a degree, start with Introduction to Food Science and Introduction to Food Technology, then Intermediate Food Microbiology: Principles and Application, Introduction to HACCP, Overview of Conducting a Shelf-Life Study, Essentials of Food Labelling Claims for Food Manufacturing, Labelling Claims and Regulatory Framework and Allergen Labelling and Artwork Control. 8 courses, 75 hours. Advanced Food and Beverage Labelling is optional.

In what order should product developers take these courses, and why?

Formulation comes before process, so the path starts with Food Science for Industry Professionals, or with the introductory food science and food technology courses if you have no degree. Intermediate Food Microbiology covers preservation and heat processing. Introduction to HACCP comes before the product reaches the line. The shelf-life study sets the date and the date goes on the label, so the three labelling courses follow: claims, the regulatory framework, then allergen labelling and artwork. Food technology for scale-up and advanced labelling are optional.

How long does the product developer path take, and what does it cost?

The 7 core courses take about 60 hours of self-paced study and cost R14 944 bought one by one. At 5 hours a week that is about 12 weeks, on a phone or a laptop.

That is about R2 135 a course. Set it against what it protects: a recall, a rejected consignment or a failed audit costs a business far more than any course on this page.

Hours and prices are read from each course page. Last checked 11 October 2026.

What you get on this path

A certificate per course, the day you passEach carries a QR code that an inspector, auditor or employer scans to verify it.
Marked the moment you submitEvery assessment has a 70% pass mark and three attempts, with feedback that names the lesson to go back to.
Access does not expire, so there is no deadline to finish.Start today on a phone or a laptop, stop and resume whenever you like.
Pay online or by invoiceNo VAT is added. Teams get per-learner pricing and a manager dashboard that tracks every certificate.

Questions product developers ask before they enrol

What is the path for No?

Do I need a food science degree to take the product developer path?

No. Choose No at the degree question and the path starts with Introduction to Food Science (18 hours, R5 400) and Introduction to Food Technology (18 hours, R5 400), instead of the 21 hour Food Science for Industry Professionals course. The rest of the path, from Intermediate Food Microbiology: Principles and Application to Allergen Labelling and Artwork Control, is the same. Every course is online and self-paced, with a 70% pass mark and three attempts.

Can I skip Introduction to HACCP if I only do formulation?

We would not. Introduction to HACCP is 8 hours and R1 195, and it sits in the path before Overview of Conducting a Shelf-Life Study for a reason: process hazards are cheaper to design out while the recipe can still change. A developer who knows the seven principles hands the HACCP team a product whose hazards are already identified, instead of a recipe the team has to rework.

Which labelling courses does a product developer need for a new label?

Three, in order: Essentials of Food Labelling Claims for Food Manufacturing (4 hours, R1 250), Labelling Claims and Regulatory Framework (8 hours, R1 750) and Allergen Labelling and Artwork Control (6 hours, R1 650). That is 18 hours covering the vocabulary, R146 as amended, substantiation of claims, allergen declarations and artwork approval. Advanced Food and Beverage Labelling, 16 hours at R2 950, is optional for complex products and claims strategy.

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