Senior Category Manager – Fresh Food & Foodservice

Talent Edge Recruiting; Union City (CA); On-site; USD 117,000 - 143,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) with match

Paid vacation and holidays

Impactful role in expanding fresh food

Job summary

Talent Edge Recruiting in Union City, CA is seeking a Senior Category Manager for Fresh Food & Foodservice. The role is on-site with ~20% travel, overseeing 130+ locations and driving profitability through category strategy and supplier partnerships.

You will manage grab-and-go meals, deli, bakery, and beverages, lead negotiations, analyze performance, and work with cross-functional teams to launch new products and optimize assortment.

Qualifications

• 3–5+ years of category management experience in fresh food or foodservice.
• Strong vendor negotiation and supplier management experience.
• Proven ability to analyze financial performance, pricing, margins and inventory trends.
• Advanced Excel skills and strong presentation abilities.
• Experience managing multiple product categories and driving measurable results.
• Entrepreneurial, analytical, and able to work in a fast-paced growth environment.

Responsibilities

• Manage fresh food categories including grab-and-go meals, deli, bakery, hot foods, and beverages.
• Lead vendor sourcing, contract negotiations, pricing, and distributor relationships.
• Analyze sales, margins, shrink, and category performance to drive profitability.
• Develop assortment strategies, promotional programs, and new product launches.
• Partner with Operations, Marketing, and culinary teams on product development.
• Oversee merchandising standards and product availability across locations.

Skills

Fresh Food Category Mgmt

Vendor Negotiation

Excel

Financial Analysis

Product Assortment

Category Leadership

Tools

Excel

Job description

Senior Category Manager - Fresh Food & Foodservice

Location: Union City, CA (On-site) | Approximately 20% Travel

Compensation: $130,000 Base + 10% Annual Bonus

We are partnering with a well-established, growing convenience retail and foodservice organization seeking an experienced Fresh Food Category Manager to lead category strategy, vendor relationships, and profitability across 130+ retail locations.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a high-performing fresh food division experiencing significant growth, with the ability to directly influence product innovation, merchandising, and overall business performance.

What You'll Do

• Manage fresh food categories including grab-and-go meals, deli, bakery, hot foods, and beverages.
• Lead vendor sourcing, contract negotiations, pricing, and distributor relationships.
• Analyze sales, margins, shrink, and category performance to drive profitability.
• Develop assortment strategies, promotional programs, and new product launches.
• Partner with Operations, Marketing, and culinary teams on product development and execution.
• Oversee merchandising standards, product availability, and category performance across multiple locations.

What We're Looking For

• 3-5+ years of category management experience in fresh food, deli, grocery, convenience retail, or foodservice.
• Strong vendor negotiation and supplier management experience is essential.
• Proven ability to analyze financial performance, pricing, margins, and inventory trends.
• Advanced Excel skills and strong presentation abilities.
• Experience managing multiple product categories and driving measurable business results.
• Entrepreneurial, analytical, and comfortable working in a fast-paced, growing organization.

What's Offered

• $130,000 base salary + 10% annual performance bonus
• Medical, dental, and vision benefits
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid vacation and holidays
• Opportunity to make a meaningful impact within a rapidly expanding fresh food program

This is an on-site position based in Union City, CA, with occasional travel for store openings, industry events, and business initiatives.