Produce & Floral Category Manager

Mothers Market•Newport Beach, CA

13d•Hybrid

About The Position

At Mother’s Market, we are passionate about providing the freshest organic and natural products while helping our communities live healthier lives. As a Produce & Floral Category Manager, you will lead the strategy, merchandising, and financial performance of our Produce and Floral departments across all store locations. This is more than category management, it’s an opportunity to drive innovation, build supplier partnerships, and ensure our customers receive the highest quality fresh products every day.

Requirements

Minimum 2 years of experience in Produce procurement, category management, buying, merchandising, or retail grocery operations
Retail grocery experience required
Strong knowledge of Produce merchandising, seasonality, commodity markets, and retail food trends
Understanding of food safety regulations and industry best practices
Proven experience managing category financial performance, including sales, margins, shrink, and profitability
Strong vendor negotiation and supplier relationship management skills
Experience with inventory management, forecasting, and distribution partnerships
Excellent analytical, organizational, communication, and problem-solving abilities
Proficiency in Microsoft Office and retail reporting systems
Ability to stand and walk for extended periods during store visits
Ability to lift up to 25 pounds occasionally
Ability to travel regularly between store locations
Ability to work evenings, weekends, and special events as needed
Ability to attend industry conferences and trade shows as needed

Nice To Haves

Multi-unit retail experience preferred

Responsibilities

Develop and execute Produce and Floral category strategies to achieve sales, gross margin, shrink, and profitability goals
Manage all Produce and Floral categories, including fruits and vegetables, packaged salads, fresh-cut produce, floral, and seasonal programs
Monitor industry trends, seasonality, commodity markets, and customer preferences to optimize category performance
Lead assortment planning, pricing strategies, promotional planning, and merchandising initiatives
Partner with Marketing to execute seasonal promotions, product launches, and advertising campaigns
Identify opportunities for new products, category growth, and customer engagement
Build and maintain strong relationships with growers, vendors, brokers, and supplier partners
Negotiate costs, promotional support, quality standards, and supply agreements
Collaborate with distribution partners to ensure product availability, service levels, and operational efficiencies
Maintain the highest standards of freshness, quality, presentation, and food safety across all store locations
Develop merchandising standards, operational procedures, and category guidelines
Conduct regular store visits to evaluate product quality, inventory levels, department conditions, and execution
Review sales trends, inventory movement, shrink, and category profitability to identify opportunities and improve results
Prepare budgets, forecasts, financial reports, and performance analyses
Support new store openings, remodels, and department enhancement initiatives