Pilgrim’s Europe is a leading food company within the global Pilgrim’s Pride and JBS group, operating across the UK and Europe with a strong presence in fresh and prepared foods. In the UK, Pilgrim’s works with major retailers and foodservice partners, delivering high-quality protein and value-added products across multiple categories.
With a focus on category growth, customer collaboration, and operational excellence, Pilgrim’s combines scale with a fast-paced, commercially driven culture—making it an attractive environment for FMCG commercial professionals looking to make tangible impact.
The Brief
Pilgrim’s were looking to appoint a Category Manager to strengthen their commercial capability across key retail accounts. This was a pivotal role within the commercial team, responsible for delivering actionable category insights, supporting customer strategy, and driving growth through data-led recommendations.
The position required a candidate with strong analytical capability, experience working with major UK retailers, and the ability to translate data into compelling, customer-facing narratives. Key responsibilities included category performance analysis, range and promotional recommendations, and supporting Joint Business Planning with insight-led strategies.
Beyond technical capability, the role required a strong communicator—someone able to influence both internal stakeholders and external retail partners, bridging the gap between sales, marketing, and category.
Having built a strong relationship with Pilgrim’s and supported previous hires across their commercial function, Allexo were engaged to manage the search through our Engage solution.
The Process & Results
Following an in-depth briefing with the hiring team, Allexo mapped the market for high-potential category and insight talent across FMCG, with a focus on candidates experienced in fresh food, protein, and adjacent categories.
We combined targeted outreach with a tailored advertising campaign to engage both active and passive candidates, prioritising individuals with strong retailer exposure (Top 4 grocery), advanced data skills (Nielsen/IRI/Kantar), and a track record of influencing commercial decisions through insight.
A curated shortlist was delivered, featuring candidates with the right balance of analytical rigour and commercial storytelling. The interview process was streamlined and collaborative, allowing Pilgrim’s to assess both technical capability and stakeholder influence.
The successful candidate was offered and accepted, joining from a well-known FMCG business with strong category credentials and immediate credibility with retail partners. They are now positioned to play a key role in strengthening Pilgrim’s category capability and supporting continued growth across key accounts.
