Category Manager - Pastry, Chocolate & Pantry

Position Summary

Peterson is seeking a strategic and commercially minded Category Manager to lead our largest product portfolio across pastry, chocolate, and pantry categories. This role is responsible for developing and executing category strategies, driving product innovation, managing supplier partnerships, and delivering profitable growth. Working closely with Sales, Supplier Management, FP&A, and culinary teams, the Category Manager will ensure our assortment meets evolving customer needs while maintaining a competitive market position.

Key Responsibilities

Category Strategy & Portfolio Management

• Develop and execute category strategies that drive growth, profitability, and market leadership.
• Monitor industry trends, consumer preferences, competitive activity, and supply market developments.
• Identify assortment gaps and new product opportunities aligned with customer demand and business objectives.
• Present category performance, insights, and recommendations to leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.

Product Development & Assortment Optimization

• Lead new product development from concept through launch.
• Partner with suppliers to develop innovative and exclusive products.
• Collaborate with Sales to understand customer needs and category opportunities.
• Manage the product lifecycle, including SKU optimization and rationalization.
• Lead product evaluations, tastings, and quality assessments.

Financial & Commercial Performance

• Own category financial performance, including revenue, margin, and cost management.
• Analyze sales, profitability, pricing, and market data to identify growth opportunities.
• Support forecasting, budgeting, and business case development.
• Partner with Sales on customer opportunities, bids, and pricing strategies.

Supplier Relationship Management

• Build and maintain strategic supplier relationships across pastry, chocolate, and pantry categories.
• Negotiate commercial agreements and drive supplier performance.
• Identify and develop new supplier partnerships and sourcing opportunities.
• Establish contingency sourcing plans to ensure supply continuity.

Events & Customer Engagement

• Support trade shows, customer events, and product showcases.
• Develop engaging product presentations and tasting experiences.
• Leverage events to introduce new products and strengthen supplier and customer relationships.

What you bring: 

Required

• 5 years of experience in Category Management, Product Development, Procurement, or a related field.
• Direct experience within pastry, chocolate, bakery, or specialty food categories.
• Strong supplier management and negotiation experience.
• Proven analytical and financial acumen, including pricing and margin management.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.

Preferred

• Knowledge of food safety and regulatory requirements.
• Experience working with culinary teams or product tasting evaluations.
• Trade show, customer presentation, or product showcase experience.
• Experience with ERP systems, category management tools, and analytics platforms.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.