Credentials for Red Jersey Consulting - Category and Shopper Marketing - Janet Kirkbride - FMCG Category Management Consultant Expert

Credentials

JANET KIRKBRIDE

Janet has extensive Category, Shopper, and Customer Marketing experience in the FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) industry since the early 1990’s.

Since graduating with a BSc degree, majoring in Pure Mathematics and Economics, from the University of Natal (Durban) in the early eighties, She has been privileged to work for many prestigious companies such as Unilever, The Spar Group, Ceres Fruit Juices, and Glendinning Management Consultants. This enables her to apply a diverse mix of manufacturing and retail experience in strategic marketing and sales management to all of the work she undertakes.

For the past 10 years, Janet has actively consulted locally and internationally to blue chip firms in many areas of FMCG marketing and customer management including Category Growth Strategies, Targeted Shopper Marketing, and Strategic Customer Joint Working, and is recognised as a leading Category, Shopper, and Customer Marketing Consultant, and Insight Analyst.

Janet has also worked extensively in the areas of Strategic Channel Marketing, Customer Business Planning, and Analysis & Insight.

She has a proud reputation and is committed to playing a meaningful role in the development of the FMCG industry.

ABBREVIATED CREDENTIALS
“25 years Marketing, Sales, and Consulting experience in the FMCG industry”

After completing a BSc degree through the University of Natal in 1984, Janet spent 9 years with Unilever working first in their Food Service business, Hudson Knight, in both marketing and sales operations, before moving on to Lever Brothers as their first female Key Account Manager, where she was responsible for a broad mix of national customers. In 1991 she was selected to lead the company's Category Management development initiative and spent her last years with Unilever driving a dedicated customer joint working programme with OK Bazaars.

Janet then joined the Spar Group tasked to establish a Category Management capability within the organisation working both internally with the Buying Teams and Franchisees, as well as externally with supply partners.

From Spar, Janet moved to Ceres Fruit Juices as their Commercial Director responsible for step changing and aligning their marketing and sales strategies, structures, and activities.

Janet then joined Glendinning Management Consultants as a Director of Consulting leading their work in Integrated Growth Strategies, Strategic Category Marketing, and Shopper Marketing, as well as working extensively in the areas of Strategic Channel Marketing, Customer Business Planning, Strategic Joint Working, and Analysis & Insight.

In 2007 Janet began operating as an independent consultant, and has spent the past 3 years contracted to Pick ‘n Pay running and supporting a wide variety of projects for their Foods Director. Initially tasked to develop and formailse Shelf Optimisation practices and strengthen buyer competencies in this area, Janet ultimately supported a variety of strategic initiatives across the business: Format Strategy and the launch of their Convenience Offering, Joint Business Development Processes with key suppliers, Category Role Mapping, Mission Based Floor Planning solutions, Integrated Marketing Calendar, Store Clustering Framework, Performance Benchmarking, and Risk Management wrt the Consumer Protection Act.

Janet brings a diverse mix of marketing, sales, manufacturing, and retail experience and expertise to her projects, and has established a strong reputation as one of the industry’s leading proponents of Strategic Category and Shopper Marketing.