Location
Trowbridge, Wiltshire | United Kingdom
Job description
Overview
The role and team
For 25 consecutive years, apetito has thrived by blending exceptional products, systems, and service to deliver unparalleled growth. At the heart of it all is our commitment to crafting great food to be proud of – one of our core values.
As our Business to Business (B2B) Category Manager, you'll be at the forefront of our mission, collaborating closely with divisional leaders across four business unit teams (Healthcare, Care Homes, Education, and Local Authority). Your mission is to curate and brilliantly execute a singular range of products that meet the diverse needs of all four areas.
Reporting to the Head of Marketing, this role is your chance to shape our £100million+ B2B business and drive it towards our £150million sales ambition and beyond! You will lead the charge on product innovation, guiding our roadmap with a keen eye for market trends and industry insights.
Your goal will be to lead a unified category strategy to support business growth over the next five years whilst spearheading and streamlining our common service model for maximum impact and efficiency; and playing a key role in ensuring our product developments support the business’ goal to achieve Net Zero by 2040.
We are seeking a dynamic candidate with a knack for category management, a commercial mindset, an appreciation of new product development, and stellar stakeholder management skills. Join us and be part of a team that's not just chasing numbers – but making a real difference for our customers and our business.
Who We Are
apetito is the UK’s leading food supplier to the health and social care sectors serving more than 1,300 care homes, healthcare and education settings. Our meals are expertly crafted by our dietitians and chefs, and then frozen to lock in the goodness. Wiltshire Farm Foods our sister company is the UK’s largest ready meal supplier that has been cooking and delivering over 330 different delicious frozen ready meals.
Our Values
As a family-owned business, we take great pride in being a company that makes a real difference and is dedicated to creating outstanding meals to be proud of.
We develop a range of products designed to enhance health and well-being for all our customers.
We are driven by a passion for service and dedicated to feeding some of the UK’s most vulnerable people.
We proudly support British food and farming, focusing on using the best ethical and sustainable produce in alignment with our goal to reach Net Zero by 2040. Learn more about apetito’s commitment to a more sustainable future here: www.apetito.co.uk/about-us/ethics-sustainability
At apetito | Wiltshire Farm Foods, we embrace inclusion, empowering individuals from diverse backgrounds. Our commitment to making a real difference extends to customers, communities, and staff and we're on a mission to build an inclusive workplace where everyone reaches their full potential.
Benefits at apetito | Wiltshire Farm Foods
- Competitive salary – accredited Living Wage employer
- 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
- Pension scheme – matching up to 4%
- Life assurance up to 2x Salary
- Discretionary annual bonus
- Subsidised staff restaurant
- Free turkey (or voucher) at Christmas
- apetito retailer discounts scheme
Responsibilities - Crafting Great Food To Be Proud Of:
- Evaluate the unique needs of each business unit, their contractual obligations and nutritional specifications.
- Develop, align, execute and communicate, a cohesive bi-annual (plus Christmas) program for New Product Development (NPD) and quality enhancements across the B2B business.
- Review, optimise and drive efficiencies across the entire B2B product portfolio.
- Cross-Functional Leadership:
- Serve as the primary advocate for our B2B product portfolio.
- Coordinate senior stakeholders across the four business units, NPD, Wiltshire Farm Foods Category Management, Specialist Nutrition, Procurement, Production, Planning, Customer Services & Distribution (CS&D), and beyond.
- Unified Common Service Model:
- A key player in a cross-functional strategic working group.
- Implement a unified vision to execute agreed efficiency initiatives effectively.
- Collaborative Commercial Management:
- Oversee end-to-end margins and performance, from briefing to pricing of new products.
- Collaborate closely with all B2B Divisional Heads as a key team member.
- Work with the Wiltshire Farm Foods Category Management team to drive efficiencies.
- Strategic Creation of Competitive Advantage:
- Identify and pursue opportunities to create continual competitive advantage across each B2B business unit.
- Insight-Driven Approach:
- Deepen understanding of our B2B and broader apetito business through field visits and customer presentations.
- Establish yourself as the go-to expert on the B2B product portfolio.
- Marketing Collaboration:
- Assist the wider apetito Marketing team and the broader business with corporate food photography, marketing collateral/communications, and events.
Qualifications Qualifications and Experience:
Essential:
- Two years of experience in one or more of the following areas:
- Commercial management
- Food service, including Healthcare, Care Homes, Education, Local Authority catering
- Category management
- Product management
- Exceptional presentation skills
- Outstanding stakeholder management and influencing abilities
- Self-motivated and resilient with a willingness to embrace challenges
- Proficient in commercial, numerical, and analytical skills
- Flexibility to travel and accommodate overnight stays as required
- Possession of a full clean driving license
Desirable:
- Previous experience in FMCG commercial roles, preferably within the food industry
- Degree or equivalent qualification
- Experience in consumer research and insight analysis
- Training in project management methodologies
- Familiarity with catering, nutritional requirements, and menu formats in Hospital, Care Home, Local Authority and/or Education settings
- Clear understanding of pricing strategy and margin protection principles
Personal Qualities:
- Driven by a desire to make a real difference.
- Possess gravitas to lead, contribute, and collaborate effectively across multi-functional teams.
- Resilience to championing a unified vision for B2B Category Management.
- A team player committed to building enduring relationships.
- Commercially oriented with a track record of delivering projects on time and within budget.
- Passionate about great food and dedicated to exceeding customer expectations.
- Strong analytical acumen combined with a creative mindset.
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