Antra Ojha

• Spearheaded the formulation and development of processed foods, including biscuits, chocolates, fruit juices, bakery items, center-filled cookies, ketchup, and waffles, for private-label brands.
• Negotiated favorable contracts with suppliers, resulting in cost savings for the company without sacrificing quality.
• Coordinated with vendors for the sourcing of components necessary for prototype creation, expediting production timelines.
• Managed a diverse portfolio of 35+ vendors (Own Manufacturing + 3rd Party), ensuring timely production and delivery.
• Developed comprehensive technical documents, including raw material specifications as per FSSAI standards, COA, manufacturing flowcharts, lab testing reports, packaging guidelines, and machinery specifications, to ensure streamlined production processes.
• Created RDA-compliant back-of-pack nutritional labeling for various products, such as instant pasta, soft candies, and masala oats, ensuring transparency and accuracy for consumers.
• Monitored and evaluated market trends, performing competitive benchmarking.
• Conducted sensory evaluations of products, leading a panel to assess attributes such as appearance, texture, flavor, mouthfeel, and overall quality.
• Successfully launched high-revenue products, including fruit juices, dairy-based confections, and hard/soft-boiled candies, contributing significantly to the company’s revenue growth.
• Managed commercial-scale trials, including a successful 100 kg batch of éclair toffees, ensuring seamless transitions from trial to full-scale production.
• Reviewed product formulations for quality, cost-effectiveness and compliance with brand guidelines and category parameters.
• Led pilot plant trials for scale-up testing, ensuring a smooth transition from lab to commercial production.

Project: Preservation and Value Addition of Mahua Flower (Madhuca indica) for Socio-Economic Upliftment of Tribals in Bundelkhand, Madhya Pradesh.

• Conducted studies on various drying methods for Mahua flowers, including sun drying, microwave drying, solar drying, and hot air oven drying.
• Identified microwave drying at 180°C for 15 minutes as the most efficient method, significantly reducing drying time.
• Analyzed the drying kinetics and color retention (L, a, b values), ensuring high-quality dried flowers through optimized drying processes.
• Developed a range of value-added products from Mahua flowers, including fortified fruit bars, jams, juices, squashes, and toffees.
• Conducted extensive quality testing on both fresh and dried Mahua flowers, and their derived products, ensuring adherence to industry standards.
• Researched and improved the shelf life of Mahua products, determining that dried Mahua flowers can be stored for six months in clean, dry, moisture-free conditions due to their hygroscopic nature.
• Conducted training workshops for local farmers, educating them on drying techniques, proper storage, and value addition to Mahua flowers.
• Enabled farmers to generate income by selling Mahua-based products in local markets, contributing to the socio-economic upliftment of the tribal community.