My name is Jerald N. Louden and I currently serve 7-Eleven’s Senior Category Manager for Coffee. In 2012, I joined team 7-Eleven as an Acquisitions Leader, assisting with the development and training of store operators and franchisee in newly acquired territories. I then transitioned to the training department as a Field Training Specialties and later joined our operations team as a Field Consultant serving our store operators and franchisees in our Virginia markets. This led me to joining the merchandising department as Center of Store Merchandiser for Patriot Zone, later joining our Proprietary Beverage Team as a Platform Business Specialties and now Senior Category Manager for Coffee.
My background includes building effective relationships with vendor partners, creating and executing impactful sales plan initiatives, and implementing strategic merchandising plans all with the goal of growing sales and profits. Throughout my career, I have been recognized for my servant leadership, which includes being honored as the Field Consultant Rookie of the Year, and other special achievement awards with our organization.
- Review solicitations from potential suppliers and introducing all regional items with the goal of expanding our current assortment to meet a wide range of functional and convenient needs.
- Refine our current assortment to include best in class selling products determined by both internal and external data in partnership with both local and national vendors.
- Negotiate cost, billbacks, allowance, evaluate distribution methods and establish retails based on product value and competitive price point within the marketplace with the goal of improving overall gross profit.
- Analyzing business trends within the market place and evaluating sales and profit performance specific to coffee.