Category Development Expert | Food & Innovation

d'Arta Belgium; Ardooie; Remote; EUR 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company car

Bonus

Attractive benefits

Job summary

Darta Belgium is seeking a commercially driven Category Development Expert to bridge customer needs with internal innovation, marketing and R&D. You will be the voice of the customer to key accounts and collaborate with Category Managers across European retail and foodservice partners to identify growth opportunities and drive category strategy.

You will connect Sales, Marketing and R&D to accelerate value creation, develop category growth plans, translate trends into development projects, and

Qualifications

• Master's degree or equivalent in a relevant field.
• 5-10 years in category/brand management or key accounts.
• Experience in FMCG or retail environments is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Build strong relationships with Category Managers and Buying Teams at key retail accounts.
• Identify emerging consumer trends and category opportunities.
• Develop category growth plans and strategic recommendations for customers.
• Generate insights using market, shopper and category data.
• Detect innovation opportunities within Darta's existing capabilities.
• Translate customer needs into concrete development projects.
• Work closely with R&D and Marketing to evaluate and prioritize opportunities.
• Support customer-specific innovation programs.
• Act as a central connector between: Sales, Marketing, R&D, Operations, Key Customers.
• Ensure opportunities are effectively communicated and converted into business projects.
• Facilitate regular innovation review meetings.
• Support Key Account Managers during strategic customer discussions.
• Prepare customer presentations and category reviews.
• Help drive cross-selling of existing innovative products and concepts.
• Contribute to long-term account growth strategies.

Skills

Strong commercial mindset

Highly analytical and data-driven

Excellent communication and presenting

Ability to influence without authority

Strong project management capabilities

Entrepreneurial and proactive attitude

Passion for trends in food and nutr it

Education

Master's degree in Business, Marketing, Economics, Food Technology or related field

5-10 years of experience in Category Management, Trade Marketing, Business Development or Key Account Management

Experience within FMCG, Retail, Foodservice, Food or Consumer Goods is highly preferred

Job description

# Category Development Expert | Food & InnovationArdooie**Wie bij Darta start, komt terecht in een sterk groeiend familiebedrijf, waar sfeer en collegialiteit belangrijk zijn. We opteren voor duurzame groei, en dit merk je aan ons ultramodern machinepark, hoogkwalitatieve producten, competente medewerkers en continue investeringen.**https://www.darta.com/solliciteren**About Darta**Darta is one of Europe's leading producers of frozen vegetables, fruits, herbs and ready-made meals. With production sites across Europe, we supply major retailers, foodservice operators and industrial customers with innovative and sustainable food solutions.As part of our growth strategy, we are strengthening our Innovation Cell and are looking for a commercially driven Category Manager who can bridge customer needs with Darta's internal innovation, marketing and R&D capabilities.**Your Mission**As Category Development Expert, you will act as the voice of the customer within Darta and the voice of Darta towards our key accounts. You will work closely with Category Managers at leading Foodservice and Retail customers to identify opportunities for category growth, product innovation and customer-specific development projects.You will be a key member of Darta's Innovation Cell and help create stronger alignment between Sales, Marketing and R&D to accelerate value creation for both customers and Darta.**Reporting to:** Commercial Director / Co-CEO## ## **Key Responsibilities****Customer & Category Development**1. Build strong relationships with Category Managers and Buying Teams at key retail accounts.2. Identify emerging consumer trends and category opportunities.3. Develop category growth plans and strategic recommendations for customers.4. Generate insights using market, shopper and category data.**Innovation & Opportunity Identification**1. Detect innovation opportunities within Darta's existing capabilities.2. Translate customer needs into concrete development projects.3. Work closely with R&D and Marketing to evaluate and prioritize opportunities.4. Support customer-specific innovation programs.**Cross-Functional Collaboration**1. Act as a central connector between: * Sales * Marketing * R&D * Operations * Key Customers2. Ensure opportunities are effectively communicated and converted into business projects.3. Facilitate regular innovation review meetings.**Commercial Support**1. Support Key Account Managers during strategic customer discussions.2. Prepare customer presentations and category reviews.3. Help drive cross-selling of existing innovative products and concepts.4. Contribute to long-term account growth strategies.## **Your Profile****Education & Experience**1. Master's degree in Business, Marketing, Economics, Food Technology or related field.2. 5-10 years of experience in Category Management, Trade Marketing, Business Development or Key Account Management.3. Experience within FMCG, Retail, Foodservice, Food or Consumer Goods is highly preferred.**Competencies**1. Strong commercial mindset.2. Highly analytical and data-driven.3. Excellent communication and presentation skills.4. Ability to influence without direct authority.5. Strong project management capabilities.6. Entrepreneurial and proactive attitude.7. A passion for trends in food and nutrition.**Language Skills**1. Fluent English is required.2. German, Italian, Dutch and/or French are strong assets.3. Additional European languages are a plus.# **About Darta**Darta is one of Europe's leading producers of frozen vegetables, fruits, herbs and ready-made meals. With production sites across Europe, we supply major retailers, foodservice operators and industrial customers with innovative and sustainable food solutions.As part of our growth strategy, we are strengthening our Innovation Cell and are looking for a commercially driven Category Manager who can bridge customer needs with Darta's internal innovation, marketing and R&D capabilities.## **What We Offer**1. A strategic commercial position with direct impact on Darta's future growth.2. A dynamic and entrepreneurial environment.3. Opportunities to shape innovation and category strategies across international markets.4. Competitive salary package including company car, bonus and attractive benefits.## ## **Why This Role Is Unique**This is not a traditional Category Manager position.You will help build the bridge between customer needs and Darta's innovation engine. You will work at the intersection of category management, sales, marketing and R&D, helping customers grow while unlocking new opportunities for Darta.If you are passionate about food, innovation and customer value creation, we would love to hear from you.