Category Manager - Produce

Category Manager - Produce

The Produce Category Manager is responsible for leading the strategy, assortment, sourcing, pricing, promotions, and overall performance of the Produce category across all Nature’s Fare Markets locations. This role focuses on delivering high-quality fresh, organic, seasonal, and local produce while building strong relationships with local growers, preferred vendors, and internal teams. The Produce Category Manager manages seasonality, supports local procurement through backhaul and cross dock programs, partners with Marketing to highlight grower relationships and seasonal stories, and communicates clear expectations, programs, best practices, and seasonal shifts to stores. This role works closely with the Produce Operations Specialist to ensure category strategy is translated into strong, consistent store execution.

WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING:
You will take the lead on establishing vision, direction and overall successful performance of all organic produce initiatives across our locations.  You will use your experience and knowledge to maintain our current offerings and grow our portfolio of products to match our customers' needs.  

Category Management

• Develop and implement category strategies for Produce that balance freshness, quality, local sourcing, seasonality, sales growth, margin, and customer experience.
• Analyze market trends, customer preferences, produce movement, shrink, and store-level performance to optimize assortment and merchandising decisions.
• Manage seasonal assortment planning, including regional growing seasons, import transitions, local crop availability, and key holiday or promotional periods.
• Oversee product selection, retail pricing, promotional planning, and margin management for fresh, organic, local, and priority Produce items.
• Drive sales and margin growth through vendor negotiations, preferred vendor programs, special buys, seasonal prebook opportunities, value add program and disciplined management of shrink-sensitive items.
• Support store teams by ensuring appropriate product mix, seasonal availability, space allocation recommendations, and communication of category priorities.
• Ensure all Produce meets Nature’s Fare quality, organic, sourcing, and food safety expectations.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Purchasing, and Store Operations to support seasonal campaigns, grower storytelling, promotional programs, and consistent in-store execution.

People Management

• Provide category leadership, support, and direction to Produce Operations Manager, Produce Department Managers, store teams, and internal partners.
• Collaborate with Department Managers and the Produce Operations Specialist to support coaching, communication, and performance feedback related to Produce execution.
• Conduct Produce Manager calls to foster communication, share best practices, identify seasonal or quality challenges, and reinforce expectations.
• Work with Produce Administrative Support on vendor setup, product listings, pricing updates, data tracking, and communication tools.

Vendor Relations & Sourcing

• Build and maintain strong relationships with local growers, preferred vendors, distributors, brokers, and other Produce supply partners.
• Source fresh, local, organic, and seasonal produce with a focus on quality, availability, pricing, grower alignment, and fit for Nature’s Fare standards.
• Manage local grower programs, including planning for harvest windows, crop availability, volume commitments, pricing, quality expectations, and store communication.
• Coordinate backhaul and cross dock opportunities to improve access to local produce, support freshness, reduce complexity for growers, and create efficient distribution solutions.
• Negotiate pricing, promotional support, ad funding, credits, quality resolution, and seasonal opportunities with preferred vendors and grower partners.
• Ensure vendors and growers meet listing, quality, delivery, food safety, organic, and communication requirements.

Data Analysis & Reporting

• Review category sales reports, analyze performance, and identify growth opportunities.
• Use analytics to measure effectiveness of assortment, pricing, and promotions.
• Coordinate with administrative support to compare product movement across stores.
• Monitor and manage category-level margins and rebates to meet profitability targets.

 

Marketing & Promotional Planning

• Lead Produce promotional planning with preferred vendors, including ad item selection, pricing, seasonal timing, supply confirmation, and expected store execution.
• Partner with Marketing to highlight local growers, seasonal produce, farm stories, and customer education through in-house marketing channels.
• Coordinate promotions and seasonal programs with Purchasing, Marketing, Produce Operations, and stores to ensure product availability, accurate pricing, signage, and clear expectations.
• Review promotional performance to determine impact on sales, margin, shrink, vendor support, and operational execution.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR:

• Minimum 3 - 5 years minimum experience in Category Management - specifically in the areas of retail buying, merchandising, produce procurement or fresh food retail
• Extensive knowledge of and experience with purchasing in a retail/grocery environment - specifically related to produce, organic produce - even better!
• Post Secondary education in Business, Retail Management, Agriculture, Marketing, Supply Chain, or a related field
• Experience negotiating with vendors and managing product categories across multiple store locations
• Natural passion for organic produce
• You know the best products and are obsessed with delivering high quality options while always having your eye on gross margin management
• Experience negotiating with growers, vendors, distributor or preferred supplier partners across multiple store locations
• This position is located at our Head Office in Langley with the requirement to travel periodically throughout the year to our locations as well as industry events and trade shows

PERKS:

• Competitive wages with a starting range of $70,000 - $90,000 annual salary.    The compensation offered for this position will take into consideration location, education, skills, experience, and other factors.
• Flexible benefit package (Comprehensive package and health spending account, RRSP program, and more) 
• Up to 25% store discount
• Education allowance
• Free swag (products, food, clothing + more)
• Positive team environment (working with like-minded, vision-driven people who enjoy what they do!)

Some Things You Should Know About Us:

• We connect as a team to solve problems
• Challenging the status quo – this is always a focus in our conversations – we love influencing positive change across departments
• Work/life balance is important to us – we’ve mastered the art of focusing our efforts during the day so we’re mindful of not bringing work home each day
• Documentation and constantly strengthening structured processes are our jam
• We take our work seriously, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously
• We like to remain humble but take pride in a job well done!

This role will be headquartered in our Surrey, BC head office with a requirement to work in person as well as travel to stores as required.

Put your passion into work that matters with a growing, BC-based company, committed to being a better company for our customers, our employees, and the planet. We’ll surround you with a great team and a supportive learning environment where you can grow and thrive.

If this sounds like you, we encourage you to apply online today!