Category Development Manager Jobs in Appleton, WI

About Us:

Trilliant Food & Nutrition is a leadingmanufacturer of premium coffees products, proudly headquartered in Little Chute, Wisconsin. With a legacy rooted in quality, innovation, and service, Trilliant delivers branded and private label solutions across retail, foodservice, and e-commerce channels.

Horseshoe Beverage Company, Trilliant's sister company based in Neenah, WI, is a leading ready-to-drink beverage manufacturer dedicated to delivering an exceptional beverage experience. By combining industry-leading talent, cutting-edge equipment, and a vertically integrated supply chain, we drive innovation and consistently deliver the highest quality products to our customers-first and fast.

Our brand portfolio includes Dutch Bros, Victor Allen's, and Nurri, our better-for-you protein beverage line. We are passionate about beverages - and about building a team that's just as energized. We invite you to explore opportunities at Trilliant or Horseshoe, to see if your talents and career aspirations may fit with our openings.

Our Core Values:

Position Overview:

Trilliant Food & Nutrition is looking for an Associate Brand Manager to support strategic initiatives and day-to-day execution for our licensed Dutch Bros product portfolio. The ideal candidate is energized by uncovering consumer insights, contributing to category strategy, and working cross-functionally to bring winning ideas to market.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic & Commercial Leadership

• Support the development and execution of strategic plans that drive brand growth and equity within licensed categories and channels.
• Assist in annual planning and forecasting to inform business strategies and product roadmaps.
• Identify brand-building opportunities across new products, marketing initiatives, and emerging channels.
• Ensure brand strategy and execution align with Dutch Bros' vision and Trilliant's commercial objectives.

Sales & Go-to-Market Execution

• Assist with the development and execution of annual product line strategies and plans.
• Collaborate with Sales and Marketing teams to execute go-to-market plans that maximize retail and e-commerce performance.
• Develop retail activation strategies and support promotional execution to drive velocity.
• Lead cross functional team on development and execution of sell sheets and merchandising playbooks.

Brand Stewardship

• Manage brand approvals across packaging and marketing campaigns, ensuring adherence to brand guidelines.
• Maintain a clear understanding of the licensor's brand tone, values, and visual identity-and uphold them in all executions.

Innovation & Product Development

• Collaborate with Innovation, R&D, and Supply Chain teams to support new product development and commercialization.
• Conduct competitive analysis and category research to identify consumer insights and whitespace opportunities.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Support demand planning, packaging timelines, and product readiness in partnership with Ops and Supply Chain.
• Assist cross functional partners with the development of project business cases.
• Work with Creative Service team to manage packaging changes, new item graphics and testing.

Performance Tracking & Reporting

• Analyze data and market trends to provide insights and concise recommendations through formal and informal updates.
• Monitor brand KPIs. including sales, market share, distribution, and consumer sentiment.
• Prepare regular performance summaries and dashboards for internal and licensor stakeholders.

Qualifications

• 1-2 years of experience in CPG brand management
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Bachelor's degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• Up to 25% travel required.

Preferred Experience

• CPG coffee and/or beverage experience
• Experience managing, launching or scaling licensed or joint venture brands.

Why Join Us

This is a rare opportunity to lead a fast-scaling business with the agility of a start-up and the brand power of a nationally recognized name. You'll have the platform, autonomy, and resources to build something lasting-while collaborating closely with one of the most beloved brands in the country.

Hours, Location and Pay:

We offer a competitive base pay rate and comprehensive benefits package for full-time employees. This role works standard business hours at our Little Chute, WI manufacturing facility. Travel up to 25% required.

Physical and Mental Demands:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, hear, use hands to type data, use a personal computer and telephone.
• Specific vision abilities required in this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Mental demands include multi-tasking, decision making, problem solving, comparing, copying, computing, compiling, analyzing, coordinating, and synthesizing data.

Safety Statement:

At Trilliant and Horseshoe, safety is every employee's first responsibility. We expect all employees to adhere to all safety practices, have the moral courage to stop other individuals from performing unsafe acts, and immediately report unsafe conditions.

Disclosures:

• The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.
• Responsible for following food safety/regulatory policies and procedures, executing responsibilities as identified in standard operating procedures, and reporting food safety/regulatory concerns to the Production or Quality Manager.
• Trilliant Food & Nutrition and Horseshoe Beverage Company are Drug Free Workplaces. All applicants are subject to a drug screen and background check as a condition of employment.
• Trilliant Food and Nutrition and Horseshoe Beverage participate in the E-Verify process.
• EEO/AA including Vets and Disabled
• If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us by email at HR@trilliantfood.com and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.
• Trilliant Food and Nutrition is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
• The principles of the OECD and UN have been taken into consideration and used as guidance in our human rights practices and procedures.