Commercialization Manager

Wawona Frozen Foods•Clovis, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Commercialization Manager will lead the successful launch and ongoing market performance of Wawona's frozen fruit products across retail, foodservice, and industrial channels. This role bridges operations, sales, marketing, and quality to ensure products are effectively brought to market, meet customer expectations, and drive revenue growth. This position works cross-functionally across two production facilities in Clovis and Fresno, CA, ensuring alignment between product development, manufacturing capabilities, and commercialization strategies.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in commercialization, product management, sales, or operations within food manufacturing (frozen or produce preferred)
Strong understanding of food production processes and commercialization lifecycle
Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage product launches
Experience working with customers in retail, foodservice, or CPG environments
Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills
Bilingual English/Spanish highly preferred
Ability to travel between Clovis and Fresno locations and flex across business needs

Nice To Haves

Experience in frozen food, produce, or high-volume manufacturing environments
Knowledge of GFSI/SQF standards and food safety requirements
Experience with ERP systems, forecasting, and demand planning
Background in pricing strategy, margin management, or market analysis

Responsibilities

Develop and execute commercialization strategies for new and existing frozen fruit products
Identify target markets, customer segments, and channel opportunities (retail, foodservice, industrial)
Partner with Sales and Marketing to define product positioning, pricing, and launch plans
Collaborate with Operations, Quality, R&D, and Supply Chain to ensure product readiness and launch success
Align production capabilities with customer demand, timelines, and product specifications
Serve as a key liaison between plant operations and commercial teams
Lead end-to-end commercialization from concept through launch and post-launch performance tracking
Coordinate timelines, resources, and deliverables for new product introductions
Monitor product performance, customer feedback, and market trends to drive continuous improvement
Analyze market trends, competitor activity, and customer needs to identify growth opportunities
Support key customer relationships by aligning product offerings with their requirements
Translate customer insights into actionable product and operational strategies
Drive efficiencies in commercialization processes, including product setup, specification alignment, and launch execution
Standardize processes and documentation across both facilities
Track and report on KPIs such as product launch success, revenue growth, and customer satisfaction