Food Scientist Needed — Fruit-Shell Snack Formulation (Organic, Shelf-Stable)

We're developing a bite-sized organic snack: a chewy, dehydrated fruit "shell" (blueberry, strawberry, or apple based) wrapped around a nut butter, honey, and protein filling. Think a fruit-leather-style outer layer around a creamy center, similar to a stuffed fruit leather, but needs to be shelf-stable at room temperature for retail — not a fresh or refrigerated product. What we need help with: Formulating the fruit shell (dehydrated fruit puree, pectin, honey, lemon juice) for the right texture, chew, and shelf stability Formulating the filling (organic peanut/almond butter, honey, grass-fed collagen peptides, organic sunflower seeds) and balancing its water activity against the shell so moisture doesn't migrate between the two over time Guidance on realistic shelf life — targeting 9-12 months at room temperature, open to what's actually achievable given the ingredients A recommendation on whether this needs a specialty confectionery/fruit-snack co-packer versus another production path Nutrition facts panel analysis once the formulation is locked Hard constraints: No seed oils, no gums or stabilizers, USDA Organic ingredients throughout, no egg. Ideal experience: Formulation work involving fruit leathers, fruit snacks, or shell-and-filling confections specifically — general granola or protein bar formulation isn't quite the same skill set, since the water-activity balancing between two separate components (shell vs. filling) is the core technical challenge here. Scope & timeline: Looking to complete initial formulation and shelf-stability testing within 1-3 months. This is a defined, single-product formulation project, not an open-ended R&D engagement — though there's potential for follow-up work (additional flavors, scale-up guidance) once this phase is done. Budget: Fixed price, $3,000, structured in milestones (concept/brief, prototype formulation and testing, final documentation and nutrition panel guidance). Please include in your proposal: relevant past work with fruit-based or shell-and-filling products, and your general approach to balancing water activity between two components.