Title: Category Manager
Location: London, 3 days in the office
About Us:
itsu is the healthy eating, Asian-inspired retail and grocery brand with big ambitions. With over 70 shops across the UK and a fast-growing grocery arm already supplying supermarkets, health food stores, online retailers and international partners, we’re redefining the future of fast food and grocery.
itsu [grocery] has been going from strength to strength, with sales growing 25% year-on-year. Powered by best-in-class food, constant innovation, and a passionate team, our products now reach millions of customers across Europe and beyond — and this is only the beginning.
Joining us means becoming part of an entrepreneurial, dynamic environment where you can make a real impact as we scale.
The Role:
As Category Manager for Ambient & Drinks, you’ll play a pivotal role in driving category growth across major UK grocers (Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons, Waitrose, and others). You’ll be the voice of the category internally and externally - translating insight into strategy, shaping compelling customer stories, and partnering with retailers to unlock mutual growth.
You’ll manage a diverse portfolio of products, spanning ambient meals, snacks, and drinks, and work closely with Sales, Marketing, and NPD to ensure itsu continues to lead the category in innovation and relevance.
Key Responsibilities:
Category Leadership
* Own and deliver category strategies for Itsu’s ambient and drinks portfolio across all major retailers.
* Act as the category expert — analysing market, shopper, and performance data to uncover insights and growth opportunities.
* Develop and present compelling category stories to retailers, influencing range reviews, shelf layouts, and activation plans.
Insight & Analytics
* Use data sources such as Nielsen, Kantar, and retailer EPOS to track performance and identify trends.
* Monitor competitor activity and macro market shifts to inform itsu’s commercial and innovation strategy.
* Translate insight into actionable recommendations for sales, marketing, and NPD teams.
Commercial & Cross-Functional Collaboration
* Partner with Sales to support customer business plans, range reviews, and JBP discussions.
* Collaborate with Marketing and Innovation teams to shape pipeline priorities based on consumer and category needs.
* Lead post-launch reviews, identifying performance drivers and opportunities for optimisation.
Range & Space Management
* Support the creation of retailer-specific planograms, shelf recommendations, and merchandising principles.
* Work with retailers to improve visibility, distribution, and category presence in-store and online.
Wed love you to have
* Experience in Category Management or Category Insight within FMCG (ambient, snacks, or drinks ideal).
* Proven success working with major UK grocery retailers.
* Strong analytical skills with experience using Nielsen/IRI/Kantar and retailer data portals.
* Excellent communication and presentation skills - confident turning data into a compelling story.
* A commercial mindset with a passion for category growth and shopper behaviour.
* Entrepreneurial, proactive, and thrives in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.
* Passionate about food, wellness, and the Itsu brand.
What We Offer:
* Competitive salary + 20% bonus scheme.
* 25 days holiday + bank holidays (with flexibility to swap two for other religious holidays).
* Private health insurance & company pension scheme.
* Hybrid working (2 days WFH per week) and the option to work abroad for 2 weeks per year.
* 50% discount in itsu shops + free itsu lunch.
* Retail discounts and a sizeable training budget for your development.
Diversity & Inclusion:
itsu [grocery] is committed to building a diverse, equitable and inclusive organisation. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and encourage you to apply.
✨ This is a unique chance to join a fast-growing, internationally recognised brand at an exciting stage of expansion — and to help shape the future of itsu [grocery].
N.B. All Applications are being managed by our retained recruitment partner, Lime Talent Ltd.