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What are some
recent changes in
your business?
Our work has become
increasingly targeted
to adapt the product mix
to a wide range of
customer and consumer
types. This demands
good communication
with store teams, along
with careful orchestration
of a wide range of skill
sets, ranging from
purchasing to sales
development to logistics.
Everyone’s contribution
is important in order to
offer the right products
to our customers.
Category director responsible
for 8 product families – sugars,
flour, desserts, baking supplies,
compotes, fruits in syrup, organic,
diet –, Natacha Simonet calls
upon awide range of expertise
to anticipate customer demand
and offer the best products
in stores. Analysis.
Developing
aproduct
mix,
aperfect
blend
Natacha Simonet
Category director
“Withmy team,
wedefine strategies
for the variousproduct
families in terms
of productmix, prices,
promotions and
merchandising,
to improve the category’s
performance.”
INTERVIEW
How do you identify
customer expectations?
Listening to customers
is fundamental. We
achieve this through
a number of
complementary tools
which include analysis
of customers’ purchases,
round tables, on-line
qualitative studies,
consumer panels and
feedback from store
teams. We also attend
a number of trade
exhibitions to identify
the latest consumer
trends. And of course,
we listen to our suppliers,
who are experts in their
fields and offer a wealth
of information.
What are
some examples?
Whether it concerns
compotes in individual
packs, organic and
gluten-free products,
we always listen to our
customers and suppliers,
seizing opportunities to
expand into new sectors.
In this way, we can rapidly
change our product mix
to satisfy our customers.
What is your role
at Carrefour?
With my team, we define
strategies for the various
product families in terms
of product mix, prices,
promotions and
merchandising. Starting
from in-depth studies
of customer expectations,
and following an analysis
of the category’s
performance indicators,
we negotiate with
manufacturers to increase
sales in each department
by revising the product
mix, quality and price
position, and by
suggesting innovations.
We also handle the
development of
Carrefour-brand
products, which
supplement our offering
and respond to
consumer demand.
MEET SELECT PURCHASE
AWIDE
RANGEOF
EXPERTISE
A category director
relies on many
skill sets within
the company,
including purchasing,
sourcing, product
managers, quality
control, packaging,
marketing, pricing,
legal, merchandising
and store operations.
The relevance of
in-store offering
depends on good
working relationships
among these
businesses.
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