Commercial & Marketing teams play a pivotal role in food and drink manufacturing by driving revenue growth, protecting margin and strengthening customer relationships.
In a market shaped by retailer consolidation, price sensitivity, brand competition and shifting consumer behaviour, strong Commercial & Marketing teams turn market insight into profitable sales strategy and sustainable brand growth.
Commercial & Marketing in food manufacturing is a unique discipline.
It requires a balance of:
• Retailer relationship management expertise
• Category and consumer insight understanding
• Pricing and margin management capability
• Promotional and JBP negotiation experience
• Brand positioning and marketing strategy
• Cross-functional collaboration and commercial acumen
We understand the difference between a retailer-facing National Account Manager driving negotiations and a Category Manager shaping data-led growth strategy. We know what it takes to manage branded versus private label portfolios. And we understand how Commercial & Marketing must work cross-functionally with NPD, Supply Chain and Operations to deliver profitable launches and sustainable growth.
That’s why food manufacturing is the only sector we recruit within.
We take a consultative approach to permanent Commercial and Marketing hires.
We look beyond the job description to understand:
• Your customer mix (retail, branded, foodservice)
• Category positioning and competitive landscape
• Margin expectations and pricing strategy
• Growth targets and route-to-market
• Internal cross-functional structure
• Cultural dynamics within the business
We proactively approach high-performing Commercial and Marketing professionals within food manufacturing - not just active job seekers.
Food manufacturing is evolving rapidly:
• Increased retailer consolidation and buying power
• Private label growth and price competition
• Promotional intensity and margin pressure
• Changing consumer health and sustainability trends
• Data-driven category management
• Omnichannel and e-commerce growth
Your Commercial & Marketing team sits at the centre of all of it.
The right hire doesn’t just manage accounts, they:
• Protect and grow margin
• Strengthen retailer partnerships
• Improve forecast accuracy
• Drive successful product launches
• Build long-term brand equity
Hiring incorrectly, however, can lead to lost listings, margin reduction and stalled business growth.
That’s why sector expertise matters.
We recruit across the full Commercial and Marketing lifecycle, from account management through to board-level leadership.
Account Management & Sales
• National Account Manager (NAM)
• Senior National Account Manager
• Commercial Manager
• Customer Business Manager
• Head of Sales
• Sales Director
• Commercial Director
Category & Insight
• Category Manager
• Senior Category Manager
• Category Controller
• Shopper Marketing Manager
• Insights Manager
Brand & Marketing
• Brand Manager
• Senior Brand Manager
• Marketing Manager
• Head of Marketing
• Marketing Director
Strategic & Leadership Roles
• Head of Commercial
• Managing Director
• General Manager
Interim Commercial & Marketing Professionals
We also supply interim specialists for:
• Negotiation and retailer range reviews
• Brand repositioning projects
• New product launch support
• Commercial restructuring
• Maternity cover
• Short-term revenue acceleration programmes
Explore our latest Commercial and Marketing jobs.
Our priority is to build long lasting relationships built on trust.
These are a few of our clients who have trusted us with their recruitment and who we love working with.
We’re proud of the partnerships we build. Here’s what our clients and candidates say about working with us and the results we deliver.
View more testimonialsExplore our latest market insights on all things food and drink manufacturing.
I’m a sucker for a good discount code, and I’ve seen numerous influencers posting codes lately about HelloFresh and Gousto so I thought I’d give them a try. Although recipe boxes have been around awhile now, I’m totally new to trying them. There’s a few pros and cons I’ve noticed so far.
The Future of Food: Trends, Tech and Changing Tastes in 2025 The UK food and drink manufacturing industry is always moving and in 2025, the pace feels faster than ever. With new technology, shifting consumer demands and constant pressure to stay competitive, manufacturers are being asked to do more than just keep up. They need to be forward-thinking, agile and ready to adapt. At True North Talent, we spend our time speaking to leaders, candidates and businesses across the industry. That means we’ve got a front-row seat to the changes shaping the sector right now. In our seventh article, we look at operational excellence and what that includes in food and drink manufacturing. Reducing Waste & Boosting Profitability in Manufacturing Operations In food and drink manufacturing, margins are often tight. Rising costs, supply chain pressures and growing sustainability expectations mean businesses can’t afford inefficiencies on the production floor. That’s where operational excellence comes in 24/7 and one of the biggest opportunities lies in reducing waste. Why Reducing Waste Matters Waste doesn’t just mean throwing away ingredients. It’s also about lost production time, inefficient processes and even underused talent. Every bit of waste impacts the bottom line, from energy costs and packaging to labour hours. With consumer and retailer expectations higher than ever, reducing waste isn’t just good for the planet, it’s vital for profitability. We are hearing from clients who are putting an emphasis on turning waste into value and projects that are designed to aid food and drink businesses harness the untapped potential of food waste to create new revenue streams and reduce the sector’s environmental footprint. Where the Biggest Gains Are Found Manufacturers leading the way are focusing on: * Smarter processes: lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives that cut out bottlenecks. * Technology and automation: using data, AI and sensors to spot inefficiencies before they become costly. * People-first thinking: empowering teams to spot issues early and drive improvements on the line. The Role of Talent Operational excellence doesn’t happen without the right people. Businesses need leaders who can embed continuous improvement into culture, engineers who understand modern automation and managers who balance efficiency with quality. Finding and developing that blend of skills is what turns good factories into great ones. How True North Talent Can Help At True North Talent, we understand that reducing waste and boosting profitability is as much about people as it is about process. We connect food and drink manufacturers with the operations, engineering and leadership talent who make these changes stick. Whether it’s interim specialists to deliver a lean transformation project, or permanent hires to lead ongoing improvements, we’ve got you covered. 👉 Cutting waste. 👉 Building stronger teams. 👉 Driving profitability. That’s what operational excellence looks like when you have the right talent in place.
There has been much in the press recently about original brand owners fighting the supermarket giants for what it considers a "trademark infringement". The recent court ruling of the Thatcher's (cider) vs. Aldi case, in favour of the original brand, is likely to have a significant impact on future food and drink lookalikes. This isn't a new phenomenon. The consumer group Which? in 2013 found some 150 products in similar packaging and revealed that, of the 2000+ people surveyed, 20% reported buying a copy by mistake instead of the brand. An article in the Sun, back in 2017, quoted that the "lookalike product is mistaken for the brand in 20% of cases when both are present on shelves". This apparently increased to 64% when only the copycat version was present. We are curious what this means for existing lookalikes that we have been used to seeing on our shelves for many years. We suspect it would be too late for those who have already had another business take unfair advantage of their established trademark to make a claim. For future marketing and creative departments, it's now time to be original and find alternative ways to appeal to the consumer as to why we should change brands. What are your thoughts?
If you are a Commercial/Sales or Marketing professional looking for a new role, or you are looking to strengthen your Commercial or Marketing teams, please get in touch with us to find out how we can best support you.
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