The Cost Controller is responsible for monitoring, analyzing, and controlling food, beverage, and packaging costs across CAARA India's cafes and kitchens. The role safeguards margins by ensuring accurate costing, minimizing wastage, tightening inventory discipline, and providing management with reliable, real-time cost data to support pricing and purchasing decisions.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Costing & Menu Engineering
- Maintain accurate recipe cost cards for every menu item (e.g., bowls, sandwiches, bakery, beverages) and update them whenever ingredient prices or recipes change.
- Calculate and track food cost %, beverage cost %, and packaging cost % by category and by outlet.
- Work with the culinary and F&B teams on menu pricing, portion control, and profitability of new launches and seasonal specials.
- Flag high-cost or low-margin items to management with data-backed recommendations (repricing, portion adjustment, or delisting).
Inventory & Stock Control
- Conduct regular physical stock counts (daily/weekly/monthly as applicable) and reconcile against system records.
- Investigate and report variances, pilferage, spoilage, and wastage; recommend corrective action.
- Monitor stock ageing and expiry, especially for perishables (dairy, produce, bakery items), to minimize write-offs.
- Ensure proper store, receiving, and issuing procedures (FIFO, requisition sign-offs) are followed across locations.
Purchasing & Vendor Coordination
- Cross-check purchase orders, GRNs (goods received notes), and vendor invoices for rate accuracy and quantity discrepancies.
- Track vendor price trends (e.g., dairy, produce) and alert management to cost spikes that affect menu margins.
- Support periodic vendor rate comparisons/negotiations in coordination with the purchase team.
Reporting & Analysis
- Prepare daily/weekly/monthly cost reports: food cost %, beverage cost %, wastage reports, variance reports.
- Prepare outlet-wise and category-wise profitability summaries for management review.
- Support budgeting and forecasting for F&B costs across outlets.
- Maintain audit-ready documentation for all costing, inventory, and stock adjustment records.
Compliance & Process
- Ensure standard recipes and portion sizes are followed consistently to protect costed margins.
- Work with outlet managers/supervisors to reinforce cost-control discipline (e.g., correct use of add-ons, wastage logging, accurate stock requisitions).
- Support internal audits and implement corrective actions from audit findings.
KEY SKILLS & COMPETENCIES
- Strong grasp of F&B costing principles: recipe costing, food cost %, contribution margin.
- High attention to detail and comfort with repetitive reconciliation work.
- Proficiency in Excel/Google Sheets (pivot tables, VLOOKUP); experience with POS and inventory management systems is a plus.
- Analytical mindset — able to translate raw numbers into clear, actionable recommendations.
- Good communication skills to work across kitchen, purchase, and outlet teams without friction.
- Integrity and ownership — this role directly protects the business's margins.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree in Commerce, Accounting, Hotel Management, or related field.
- 2–5 years of relevant experience in a cost control, F&B accounting, or hospitality (cafe/restaurant background preferred).
- Prior experience with multi-outlet F&B operations is an advantage.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPIs)
- Food & beverage cost % vs. budgeted/target cost %
- Inventory variance % (system vs. physical stock)
- Wastage/spoilage % of total purchases
- Timeliness and accuracy of cost & variance reports
- Number of menu items with updated, accurate recipe cost cards
Job Type: Full-time
Benefits:
- Flexible schedule
- Food provided
- Health insurance
- Provident Fund
Work Location: In person
