Senior Product Executive

apetito Limited; Cardiff; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Senior Product Executive to drive innovation in Specialist Nutrition products. This role offers a unique opportunity to work with award-winning ranges that cater to individuals with specific dietary needs. You will be responsible for developing strategies to enhance market presence, managing high-profile projects, and collaborating with various stakeholders to ensure product availability. With a focus on making a real difference, this position is perfect for someone passionate about food and dedicated to improving the lives of vulnerable individuals. Join a company committed to sustainability and ethical practices, and help shape the future of nutrition.

Benefits

25 days holiday plus bank holidays

Discretionary annual bonus scheme

Pension scheme with employer matched contributions

Life assurance scheme

Subsidised canteen

Free parking

Retail discounts through apetito perks scheme

Qualifications

• Experience managing high-profile projects with multiple stakeholders.
• Degree in a relevant commercial, nutrition or dietetic discipline.

Responsibilities

• Deliver a world-class category strategy for specialist nutrition products.
• Research new markets and manage NPD projects from brief to launch.

Skills

Project Management

Analytical Skills

Communication Skills

Collaboration

Problem Solving

Education

Degree in Nutrition or Dietetics

Relevant Commercial Experience

Job description

Overview

With a focus on owning and driving continuous improvement of our Specialist Nutrition (SN) products the Senior Product Executive will have the rare opportunity to work with truly world leading products in our award-winning SN ranges. Responsible for continually evolving and improving our proposition creating new sources of competitive advantage and putting further distance between apetito and our competitors.

The Specialist Nutrition function is of huge strategic importance to the apetito and Wiltshire Farm Foods business.

The high-profile nature of the division and breadth of commercial experience offered has been a springboard for alumni to develop their careers in apetito UK, and further-afield in apetito Germany, Canada and USA.

The apetito & Wiltshire Farm Foods Specialist Nutrition ranges are:

• Texture Modified Foods – A world leading range of products for those living with dysphagia.
• Finger Foods – A world first. Providing meal options for those who may be living with dementia, have a loss of dexterity and struggle to use cutlery, pace or become distracted at mealtimes
• Mini Meals Extra – A range of smaller portioned energy dense, higher protein meals designed to tackle malnutrition.
• Free From – A delicious range of meals free from the main 14 allergens.

For more information on the apetito/Wiltshire Farm Foods Specialist Nutrition offering please click here to be taken to our online brochure.

You'll need to be passionate about food, thrive in a customer facing environment, have gravitas and strong presentation skills.

Experience in the food industry is desirable.

Who we are

Over the past 15 years, apetito has established itself as a world leader in the provision for specialist diets. Since revolutionising the market in 2010 with an industry leading range of moulded Texture Modified meals, we have developed what is now a ‘best in class’ offering of over 100 dishes for people living with swallowing difficulties. We’ve also developed revolutionary ranges for people at risk of malnutrition, a unique range of finger foods for those living with co-ordination & dexterity challenges alongside a market leading ‘Allergen Free’ range for those living with multiple or severe food allergies.

Each range has been developed so that they can be successfully sold across our business including Care Homes, Healthcare and to consumers at home through Wiltshire Farm Foods and Meals on Wheels.

It is our ambition to double our market share over the next 5 years.

Not only have we achieved financial success, we believe that these products have clearly enabled us to differentiate apetito from it’s competition across core markets. The products embody our mission of ‘Making a Real Difference’.

Responsibilities

Deliver against the 4-point Specialist Nutrition Strategy:

• Deliver a world class category strategy to ensure apetito/WFF stay ahead of competition
• Become ‘THE’ provider for specialist nutrition products in home
• ‘Dominate’ the SN space in our key B2B markets
• Identify and unlock further specialist nutrition opportunities

Drive Innovation:

• Researching new markets, concepts and product opportunities to identify and help support delivery of multi-million pound new business opportunities. Management of NPD projects from the point of brief to launch.

Manage pricing and product mix to deliver against the target margins:

• Work in conjunction with our partners in the apetito business units to support the overall SN pricing strategy by providing regular market intelligence, including competitor price benchmarks and industry analysis of the SN categories.
• Drive continuous improvement in the SN categories by managing the product mix through range reviews, promotions and merchandising.

Build strong relationships with key stakeholder:

• From product development, to purchasing, planning and production to distribution - to help support development and availability of the SN categories to our internal and external customers

Manage excess stock and reduce risk / exposure of write-offs and support availability of the range:

• Support planning by inputting into product forecasts in order to optimise availability vs excess stock risk.

Deliver customer Insights:

• Provide actionable insights to inform your category development. Utilise first-hand methods that are fast and effective. Bring the voice of the customer to the fore. Provide real insights that spark ideas and generate debate.
• In partnership with Finance and Data & Analytics teams, provide detailed analysis of category performance to help support range review and promotion decisions.

Work collaboratively with our colleagues in the sales and marketing teams:

• Launching new products, ranges and grow sales of your SN categories across all markets with outstanding execution.
• Support with customer facing presentations as required to promote our world leading SN proposition to both new and potential customers
• Provide key support to the Head of Specialist Nutrition and wider team across a broad spectrum of projects

The dynamic nature of this business unit dictates an evolving strategy which means that projects vary, but a flavor of projects both past and present include:

• Development and launch of award-winning Texture Modified ranges
• Developing an SN only proposition for small care homes
• Developing apetito’s Dementia-friendly dining proposition
• Trialing an innovative new concept aiming to tackle malnutrition in care settings

About you

Essential Skills and Experience

• Passion for food
• Degree in a relevant commercial, nutrition or dietetic discipline or equivalent experience in a commercial or nutrition related role (e.g. category, sales, marketing, Nutritionist, Dietitian)
• Experience managing high-profile projects with multiple stakeholders
• Analytically minded and financially literate
• Strong collaboration and influencing skills
• Effective communicator, confident presenting
• High level of attention to detail
• Problem solving skills
• Self-motivated, able to manage own workload

Desired Skills and Experience

• Experience in the food industry
• Knowledge of the care industry
• Full UK Driving Licence

Your personality:

• Genuine passion for making a real difference
• Drive and ambition
• A leadership mindset – able to inspire and motivate others to achieve common goals
• Growth mindset – An optimistic outlook with determination to make things happen

Company Benefits

• Competitive salary – accredited Living Wage employer
• 25 days holiday per year, plus bank holidays
• Option to purchase up to 5 additional days holiday per year
• Discretionary annual bonus scheme
• Pension scheme - employer matched contributions up to 4%
• Life assurance scheme worth at least 1x annual salary
• Subsidised canteen
• Free parking
• Free turkey or voucher at Christmas
• apetito perks scheme including salary sacrifice options and retail discounts

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.

Our ethical standards are recognised by the ETI and we are an accredited Living Wage employer.Learn more about apetito’s commitment to a more sustainable future.

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.