Building a career in Category Management at Co-op Wholesale

My career journey so far

Before becoming a Category Manager at Co-op Wholesale, I ran my own business. I owned greengrocers and delicatessens, running two retail stores, market stalls, and supplying local pubs with wholesale products. After a few years, and with a young family, I started looking for a better work-life balance, and this led me to move into category management.

I started in a more admin-based job, which gave me a really good grounding in how the commercial side of retail works. From there, I moved into a Junior Category Manager role, looking after the Frozen category for my previous employer. Over time, I built up my experience, developed my skills and, after a year, I was promoted into a more senior position.

What does a typical day look like?

Essentially, a Category Manager looks after a specific group of products, such as sweets and confectionary. They decide what to sell, how much to stock, and how to price them so our wholesale retailers get the right products, in the right quantities, at the right time.

As for me specifically, I joined Co-op Wholesale just as we started planning for Christmas. At the moment my days include reviewing how previous seasons performed, looking at what worked well (and what didn’t), and negotiating ranges, prices, and NPD (new product developments) with suppliers. I’ve also been planning smaller seasons like Valentine’s Day and Father’s Day, and keeping a close eye on sales to spot and fill any gaps.

When we’re building a seasonal range, suppliers present their full offering to us. We review past performance, pricing changes, and whether the products are right for our retailers before deciding what to list.

One of my favourite parts of the role is negotiating with our suppliers. It can be challenging at times, but it’s really satisfying when you land a great deal. I also love having the freedom to challenge pricing when something doesn’t quite work for our wholesale retailers. Ultimately, it’s all about helping them stay competitive and make a profit, and that’s where I can add real value.

Why did you choose to be a Category Manager?

I just find the role really exciting. I love building relationships with suppliers, keeping an eye on market trends as they’re developing, and really getting stuck into what retailers want and need. Having run my own stores, I feel like I bring something a bit different to the role. I understand the day-to-day realities of retail and how much it costs to just open the doors each morning, which really helps when making decisions that work for retailers.

Why Co-op Wholesale?

This role really lets me get stuck into the commercial and buying side of things. Compared to my previous roles, where the ranges were mostly already decided, I have much more involvement and ownership.

Career development was also a big reason I chose Co-op Wholesale. From the start, I could see how quickly the business is growing, and that really excited me. It feels like a place where I can continue to develop and progress my career, and when the business does well, I know I will too.

I also had a really good feeling about the office environment. The Scunthorpe office is easy to get to, just off the motorway, and from the moment I walked in, the atmosphere stood out. It’s productive, collaborative, and has a real buzz, especially on Wednesdays and Thursdays, which are my main office days. I also get over to the Manchester office occasionally, which is another amazing space to work in.

What’s next for you?

Next on the list for me is working towards becoming a Senior Category Manager. Looking a bit further ahead, I’d love to eventually progress into a Head of Trading role.

Although I’m really enjoying looking after our Seasonal category, I’d love the chance to get back to my roots in Fresh & Frozen, or even have a go at Beers, Wines & Spirits. That’s what I love most about this role, there’s so much variety and opportunity. I genuinely feel like Co-op Wholesale is the best place for me to keep learning, progressing, and really thrive in my career.

Alana Reeves, Category Manager