Every morning, Andrew Gugula wakes up thinking about snacks.
That’s because a typical day in the life of a product developer at Walmart Canada includes tasting any number of delicious foods – from salty snacks, sweet and savory biscuits, cookies, crackers, and shelf-stable beverages.
It’s a pretty delicious job.
For Andrew, a certified chef and a vital member of the Walmart Brands product development team, every day is an opportunity to blend creativity with market insights. This team of 30-plus award-winning product developers, quality assurance managers, food safety managers, and more, are responsible for deciding which products Walmart Brands will bring to market, made exclusively for our customers.
Bringing Walmart Brands to life on shelf
From understanding customer trends to creating unique product experiences, Andrew's role is pivotal in shaping the diverse range of Walmart Brands food products. With 1000s of products on the shelf, including Great Value, Our Finest and Your Fresh Market, Walmart Brands offers customers an array of delicious options to choose from, all at affordable prices.
“We create our Walmart Brands products to meet various customer needs,” said Andrew. “This includes considerations for sensory experiences, dietary preferences, sustainability, and affordability. When we bring a product to market, we’re looking to both surprise and delight our customers with innovation and provide quality products at the everyday low prices they expect from Walmart”.
The team of product developers stay up to date on the latest food trends by attending trade shows and collaborating with industry experts like manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, and other chefs, ensuring Walmart's shelves feature unique and relevant offerings.
Bringing culinary creativity to life
“My favourite part of my job is being able to bring my culinary creativity to life every day,” he said. “Experimenting with different ingredients and flavor combinations is a source of joy, and the collaborative and vibrant atmosphere within our Walmart Brands team inspires me to consistently bring our best to the table – and our customers’ homes.”
Quality is a constant focus throughout the development process. Our product developers conduct tastings at various stages to guarantee consistency and quality against the targeted shelf life. Despite the allure of a morning coffee, Andrew skips it to protect his palate for the days tasting, making him the ultimate flavour detective!
In addition to tasting product every day, a typical day for Andrew starts with a comprehensive review of his product development plan, a roadmap spanning 1-2 years. Andrew is always planning ahead – in fact, he’s already preparing for how Canadians can feast with their families in Christmas 2026!
From concept research to sensory optimization, Andrew and the product development team ensure that every product aligns with Walmart's guidelines and exceeds customer expectations. That’s just our way of saying they’re professional taste testers!
Recently, Andrew’s creativity has come to life through programs that highlight new product standards and bring new flavours to Canadians.
- Ingredient Wise launched with more than 400 “renovated” products without ingredients like synthetic colours, artificial flavours and sweeteners, hydrogenated vegetable oil and monosodium glutamate.
- Our new Secret Recipe series platform introduced flavours like Hot Honey and Queso into the Walmart Brands assortment.
- In celebration of Walmart Canada's 30th anniversary, the team is turning the Walmart Kitchen into a treat lab, whipping up mouthwatering goodies. Get ready to indulge in an array of birthday cake flavoured treats, launching soon in store and online at walmart.ca
The Walmart Brands team continues to craft snack sensations, one tasty bite at a time – who knows what will come out of the test kitchen next!
