Redondo Beach, CA 90278
512-815-7160
Seeking a position as
―Category Management―
with an organization where I can utilize my experience and knowledge of product development, procurement, innovation, channel strategy and global partnership
Accomplished and result driven professionalwith over 20 years of experience in food industry.
•10+ years Private Label development
•17+ years experience in natural & organic foods
•3+ years Quality Assurance environment
•3+ marketing environment
•2 year logistics and distribution environment
•3 year certification management
•2+ management
•1+ food manufacturing, R&D Environment, Regulatory
•1+ year Project Management
•1+ Food Service, Turbo Chef
Core Competencies•Global sourcing, Cost Analysis (Raw Material)
•Manufacturing, and food service environment
•Sensory Panel trained
•Superior Internal and External Sales & Marketing ability
•Process development
•SQF Experience (practitioner)
•Third Party Distribution / •Competitive/ Strategic Planning
•Innovation oriented
•Superior presentation skills
•Strong conflict resolution skills;
team building
•SOP development
- Strong Understanding of Organic, Non GMO, Fair Trade, Social Accountability Sourcing
•Stage Gate methodology
•Strong Analytical Skills; Forecasting MRP
•Technical Knowledge- frozen food, HPP
•Project Management
•JIT Experience
•CPG Experience
Experience & Accomplishment
Fresh & Easy 2015- present
Sr. Category Manager Prepared, Service and Beverage Counters
- Category Management of 20 Categories and sales volume over 3 million
- Develop, and implement, all prepared product development
- Industry analysis to provide to forecast a long-term category strategy.
- Perform continuous improvement/value engineering; current product line
- Drive all aspects of the RFP process
- Collaborate with cross functional team on food sourcing expertise
- R&D assistance to the culinary team and commissary teams.
- Brand strategy and architecture, new product development for consumables, line extensions, and quality assurance and vendor management.
- Responsible for the development and management of all business and marketing plans; associated budgets.
- Trend leader on Organic foods; Vegetarian, and HPP product lines
- Maintained hundreds of supplier partnerships across over all categories
Michael Angelo’s 2013- 2015
Product Development, R&D (Manufacturing), Global Sourcing
- Project Management- cross functional team communication
- Developed, implemented, and provide supportive sourcing and R&D documentation
- Drive, manage, implement of new product timeline- Communicate issues for collaborative planning for resolution or alternate plan.
- Perform continuous improvement/value engineering; current product line
- Develop, and drive NPD Stage Gate methodology- scope documentation
- Drive all aspects of the RFP process- all categories
- Source, and negotiate initial costing globally on all new raw material; conventional, non-GMO, and conventional- cost reduction of existing raw materials Build and Implement research to fulfill company’s organic certification; QAI
- Quality Improvement Process- support all aspects of R&D role continuous improvement; value engineering of existing product lines
- Initiate contracts, and evaluate all new product performance; Over-see vendor scorecards
- Implement effective sourcing strategy to reduce cost, and manage the sourcing process- 30+ raw material items
- Prototypes for range of Organic & Made w/organic based on company’s objective (recipe development)
Whole Foods Market Austin, TX2008-2013
Private Label Procurement Manage and maintain projects from concept to shelf.
- Team Member of Private Label Innovator of the Year 2012 by PLMA, Category winner in Fresh Salsa and Specialty Chocolates 2012;Manage, and oversee the largest PL launch in WFM history in 2012 (Greek Yogurt)
- Increased sales in Specialty, Frozen and Cheese categories during the last ten fiscal periods by an average of 27%
- Direct working relationship with over 25 vendors- global travel
- Product development of 15 grocery categories- launched 200 items in the 365 and Whole Foods Market brand
- Manage, maintain and perform all purchasing duties associated with 29 Exclusive Brands grocery categories
- Analyze internal sales data, outside industry information, branded competitors’ innovations and shelf-space allocation for overall category management
- Review, negotiate and initiate costing for category bid submissions, cost/retail changes and line extensions lowest possible COGs
- Source, develop and manage private label food and beverage categories totaling sales in excess of $200mm annually
- Establish Global partnerships with new and existing vendors sourcing from developing countries-retail opportunities; social accountability and fair trade programs
- Developed and increased market placement recognizing market trends and competitive patterns
- Sensory panels on Exclusive Brands new product lines –R&D
Performance Food Group Broadline Batesville, MS 2007-2008
Buyer Perishable
• Maintain product costing and pricing, for major chain, local and regional accounts
• Implement purchasing methods that provide quality products- JIT
• Contract negotiation; National Brands, Casino, C-store, Prison
• Manage inventory levels to the designated goal level
• Created and developed Fresh Cut and Herb programs for 300 vendors- message and position
Trader Joes Company Monrovia, CA 1995- 2007
Quality Assurance Coordinator Perishable Merchandise Senior Customer Relations Specialist Store Management
• Fresh Bakery; Ready to eat entrees & salads; Dairy, Produce; Meats; National Floral & Plants-create Purchase Orders
• Development of Private labeled product-creation of Private Label, Artwork
• Secure future crop/ harvest buys, costs, set retail pricing
• Maintain relations with external vendors
• Team Lead with new hire training; including Supervised and trained additional Customer Relations Representatives
• Manage documentation related to food safety and audit, SOP development-compliance, GMPs and Food Safety Programs, QAI, the Bioterrorism Act as it pertains to Plant and Floral product
• Direct Reports 10-12 crew member
EDUCATION
Masters of Business Administration- Global Marketing- UoP, 2013