Associate, Category - Ultra Fresh

foodpanda is part of the Delivery Hero Group, the world’s pioneering local delivery platform, our mission is to deliver an amazing experience—fast, easy, and to your door. We operate in over 70+ countries worldwide. Headquartered in Berlin, Germany. Delivery Hero has been listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since 2017 and is part of the MDAX stock market index.

The Category Associate – Ultra Fresh (Meat) will support the growth of the fresh meat category. The role requires strong commercial acumen, operational understanding of meat processing and retailing, and hands-on knowledge of sourcing, quality control, and market dynamics.
The ideal candidate has prior experience working with meat butcheries, understands carcass utilization, yield management, pricing structures, and ensures high standards of food safety and quality.

Butchery & Operational Understanding

Work closely with central and store-level butcheries to ensure:

• Proper carcass breakdown and yield optimization
• Minimized wastage and shrinkage
• Standardized cutting and portioning
• Understand meat grading, cuts, storage standards, and shelf-life management.
• Coordinate supply planning between procurement, warehouse, and store operations.

Quality & Food Safety

• Ensure compliance with food safety regulations and internal SOPs.
• Monitor product freshness, hygiene standards, and cold chain integrity.
• Work with QA teams to ensure quality consistency across all locations.

Market & Supplier Coordination

• Understand how the fresh meat market operates (local suppliers, pricing fluctuations, seasonality, livestock trends).
• Assist in supplier coordination and follow-ups on delivery, quality, and pricing issues.
• Track commodity price trends and provide inputs for pricing decisions.

Inventory & Stock Control

• Monitor stock aging and expiry.
• Assist in forecasting demand to prevent stockouts and overstocking.
• Support shrinkage control initiatives.

Educational Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree from a reputable university (Business Administration, Supply Chain, Food Science, Marketing, or related field preferred).

Experience:

• Minimum 2 years of experience in retail, FMCG, fresh food, or meat industry.
• Experience working with suppliers, procurement, or category planning is preferred.

Technical & Analytical Skills:

• Strong data analysis skills with the ability to interpret sales reports, margins, shrinkage, and inventory data.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and other data analysis/reporting tools.
• Understanding of demand forecasting, stock management, and assortment planning.
• Knowledge of food safety standards and cold chain management is a plus.

Core Competencies:

• Strong communication and coordination skills.
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational abilities.
• Commercial awareness and understanding of pricing and promotions.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced retail environment.
• Problem-solving mindset with the ability to identify growth opportunities.
• Strong follow-up skills and execution focus.

Behavioral Attributes:

• Proactive and self-driven.
• Team player with cross-functional collaboration skills.
• High level of integrity and accountability.

• We are fast, like mind boggling fast! So if you’re someone who loves ever changing goals and loves optimization, you’re the right fit for us!
• We love people who can develop things from scratch, own them and then work on improving them
• We love what we do, and we don’t rest until we’ve achieved our targets. So if you’re also someone who is driven until the dream is achieved, come join us!