Category Manager [frozen & chilled]
Job Introduction
itsu is a crusading, dynamic, & fast-growing chain of Asian-inspired healthy food shops. itsu [grocery] brings the itsu vision into retail and wholesale worldwide.
itsu [grocery] has a strong presence within all major UK retailers, on track to taking the brand to £57m turnover (31% growth year on year).
Buoyed by the success in the UK, itsu [grocery] International have expanded into several European markets, winning some major listings in key retailers and going from strength to strength. With more ground-breaking products in the pipeline and expanding into new and exciting categories (and markets), this is just the beginning.
itsu [grocery] is committed to building a diverse, equitable and inclusive organisation. We encourage applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply for all of our opportunities.
When applying for a role with us, please remove your: full name, name of University/School, address, email address and any photos of you on your CV and covering letter. non-anonymised CVs may not be reviewed.
Package Description
itsu [grocery] are hiring: Category Manager [frozen & chilled]
the ideal candidate:
- An eye for detail
- Excellent communication skills to enable you to develop and manage a number of key buying relationships
- A flexible, can-do attitude with the willingness to work closely with others
- within a small team, a real self-starter
- The energy to work within a rapidly growing business that is constantly
- evolving and growing
- A true entrepreneur
- A passion for food
- 2 years + FMCG experience [category management, finance, sales, trade marketing]
- Strong Excel skills
- In depth understanding of the UK grocery market
- Proactive and creative problem solver
about us:
itsu is the healthy eating, Asian inspired quick service retail & grocery brand with over 70 stores in the UK and a leading grocery business across Europe and beyond. Renowned for its best-in-class food made fresh in every shop every day, itsu has huge global ambitions with a commitment to continue to open many more stores and intensify the growth of its already thriving grocery arm. With its best-is-class healthy food, latest technology, innovation, and talented workforce, itsu is the future of fast food.
itsu [grocery], which this role falls under, takes the itsu brand into supermarkets, health food stores, online, wholesale and internationally with products such as crispy seaweed thins, frozen gyoza & bao, brilliant’broth, rice’noodles & miso’easy to name a few…
D&I statement:
itsu [grocery] is committed to building a diverse, equitable and inclusive organisation. We encourage applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply for all of our opportunities.
When applying for a role with us, please remove your: full name, name of University/School, address, email address and any photos of you on your CV and covering letter. non-anonymised CVs may not be reviewed.
scope of the role:
- Building strong relationships across buying contacts at multiple retailers
- Delivering category updates for frozen & chilled both externally and internally
- Tracking and analysis of itsu and competitor performance across multiple customers and categories, regularly updating team on NPD and performance
- Sharing data and key insight across the business using a range of data sources e.g. Nielsen, Dunnhumby, nectar
- Understanding of shopper behaviour impacting both itsu and wider category performance
- Tracking key food trends and working with our NPD, marketing, RGM and sales teams to drive and support insight-led innovation
- Line management responsibility for 1 direct report
what we offer
- Competitive salary
- Competitive bonus scheme
- 25 days holiday + bank holidays (two bank holidays are interchangeable for other religious holidays)
- Health insurance
- Company pension scheme
- Hybrid working (2 days wfh)
- Opportunity to work from abroad
- 50% employee discount in itsu shops
- Free itsu lunch
- Discounts at major retailers
- A sizeable training budget to support your ongoing development
we want to hear from you
- Ideal start date: July 2025
About the Company
- Competitive salary
- Competitive bonus scheme
- 25 days holiday+ bank holidays (two bank holidays are interchangeable for other religious holidays)
- Hybrid working (2 days wfh)
- Health insurance
- Company pension scheme
- The chance to work directly with the co-founder of itsu & Pret
- 50% employee discount in itsu shops
- Free itsu lunch
- Discounts at major retailers
- A sizeable training budget to support your ongoing development