Category Manager - F&V (Quick Commerce)
About the role
We are looking for a Category Manager – Fruits & Vegetables (Quick Commerce) to own the end-to-end performance of the F&V category for our quick commerce business.
This role requires a strong operator-builder mindset. You will act as the Business Owner for F&V, responsible for assortment, sourcing, pricing, availability, wastage control, vendor management, promotions, and overall P&L performance. You will work closely with sourcing, supply chain, dark store operations, merchandising, tech, and marketing teams to build a high-performing, scalable F&V business delivering freshness, availability, and customer trust.
What you will be doing
Category Ownership & Growth
Own the complete P&L for the Fruits & Vegetables category in Quick Commerce
Define and execute category growth strategy across fresh produce
Build category plans to drive revenue, margins, and repeat customer behavior
Drive category expansion based on customer demand, local preferences, and seasonality
Assortment & Merchandising
Build and optimize assortment across fruits, vegetables, herbs, and staples
Ensure hyperlocal assortment relevance based on city/store clusters
Continuously improve SKU productivity and category mix
Drive merchandising and visibility across app/storefront to maximize conversion
Sourcing & Vendor Management
Identify, onboard, and manage farmers, aggregators, mandis, and supply partners
Negotiate commercials, procurement models, and service-level agreements
Build strong supplier relationships to improve cost, quality, and reliability
Develop alternate sourcing models for supply continuity
Pricing & Monetization
Own pricing strategy balancing competitiveness, customer value, and margin
Manage dynamic pricing based on mandi trends, seasonality, and demand
Drive promotions, bundles, and campaign planning
Identify additional monetization opportunities through supplier-funded programs
Inventory, Availability & Waste Management
Ensure high fill rates and best-in-class on-shelf availability across dark stores
Work closely with planning and operations to optimize inventory turns
Minimize wastage, shrinkage, and dead stock through better forecasting and replenishment
Improve freshness metrics and reduce stock-outs
Operations & Quick Commerce Excellence
Partner with dark store and supply teams to ensure seamless daily execution
Build SOPs for receiving, grading, storage, and handling of fresh produce
Improve operational efficiency across procurement-to-customer delivery
Support new city/store launches and scale-up readiness
Data & Performance Tracking
Track key KPIs: revenue, margin, fill rate, stock-outs, inventory turns, wastage %, freshness score, and vendor performance
Use data to identify growth opportunities and corrective actions
Build repeatable category playbooks for scale
What we would like to see in you
4–8 years of experience in Category Management / Buying / Sourcing within Fruits & Vegetables / Fresh / Grocery / Quick Commerce
Strong understanding of fresh supply chains, mandi dynamics, and perishables management
Experience in end-to-end category ownership including P&L
Strong vendor management and negotiation experience
Deep understanding of forecasting, inventory planning, and wastage control
Analytical mindset with strong operational rigor
Comfortable working in a fast-paced, high-growth environment
Prior experience in Blinkit, Zepto, Instamart, BigBasket, or similar is a strong plus