Full-Time

Associate Category Management

Updated on 9/10/2026

Home Chef

Home Chef

1,001-5,000 employees

Subscription-based meal kit delivery service

Compensation Overview

$67k - $74.5k/yr

+ 401(k) match

Chicago, IL, USA

In Person

Bachelor's

Category
Operations & Logistics (1)
Required Skills
Supply Chain Management
Forecasting
Quality Assurance (QA)
Data Analysis
Excel/Numbers/Sheets

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Requirements
  • At least 1 year of experience in strategic sourcing, ideally within perishable goods.
  • Strong analytical skills with competency in Excel.
  • Experience in relationship management.
  • Completion of a four-year degree in business or a related field.
Responsibilities
  • Research the supply chain, industry structure, and potential supplier partners using online tools, industry resources, and discussions with suppliers.
  • Research supplier capabilities and product portfolios.
  • Create and present recommendations for sourcing strategies based on data-driven research.
  • Formulate and execute strategic sourcing plans with distribution and fulfillment centers.
  • Support plants by improving efficiencies, managing category costs, and reducing fulfillment and cost risk within the supply chain.
  • Work with Operations, Culinary, Food Safety, Supplier Quality, and Procurement teams to compare supplier samples, align on product specifications, and troubleshoot quality concerns.
  • Assist in managing emergency supply shortages and use category expertise to expedite replacement products or substitutes for plant teams.
  • Conduct supplier discovery, exploratory conversations, and research.
  • Ensure nondisclosure agreements are signed and draft request-for-proposal documentation.
  • Analyze received bids and provide pricing feedback to suppliers.
  • Make sourcing recommendations to category managers.
  • Communicate and work with supplier partners to ensure category goals are met.
  • Share short-term and long-term forecasts with vendors.
  • Address quality and fulfillment-related issues with vendors and ensure corrective actions are taken.
  • Collect required vendor documentation to meet food safety and quality assurance guidelines.
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience in strategic sourcing within perishable goods.

Home Chef delivers meal kits with pre-portioned ingredients and step-by-step recipes to subscribers’ homes, saving time for busy households. Subscribers sign up for a plan, choose how many meals per week, and receive a box with ingredients and instructions; one-time purchases and gift cards offer flexible options, and grocery retailer partnerships broaden reach. The service differentiates itself through time-saving convenience, a broad, diverse menu that covers different dietary needs, and flexible purchasing plus retail partnerships. The goal is to help modern households enjoy home-cooked meals with fresh ingredients without the planning and shopping burden.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

Acquired

Total Funding

$57M

Headquarters

Chicago, Illinois

Founded

2013

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Home Chef's February-April 2026 Giada menu drove promotional traffic and new-customer discounts.
  • Wishbone Kitchen launched January 2026, proving celebrity collaborations remain active acquisition channels.
  • Kroger still lists Home Chef products online in September 2026, preserving national shelf and digital access.

What critics are saying

  • Kroger cut roughly 1,000 corporate jobs in August 2025, signaling relentless cost pressure.
  • NLRB election at Bedford Park covered 457 workers, exposing labor organizing risk.
  • Grubhub defeated Home Chef's trademark injunction in 2023, weakening brand-protection leverage.

What makes Home Chef unique

  • Home Chef pairs Kroger retail reach with e-commerce, expanding distribution beyond pure-play meal kits.
  • Giada De Laurentiis partnership launched February 23, 2026, reinforcing chef-led premium meal storytelling.
  • Home Chef's recyclable packaging and food-rescue program reduce waste across four facilities.

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Benefits

Vision insurance

Dental insurance

Health insurance

401(k) match

Casual wear

Weekly credit toward lunch provided

Produce and snacks

Employee discount

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Fun workspace

FSA

Flexible hours

Flexible PTO

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

23%

1 year growth

23%

2 year growth

23%
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Mar 5th, 2025
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Home Chef is partnering with SpongeBob SquarePants to create Bikini Bottom-inspired meals, including a Krusty Krab Pizza and more.

Blavity
Mar 3rd, 2025
Ayesha Curry On Infusing Her Jamaican Heritage Into Everything She Does: 'It's Just Such A Pillar For Me'

On the heels of opening her newest Sweet July Cafe location in Santa Monica, Curry has teamed up with Home Chef for a four-week partnership designed for those learning their way around the kitchen, seeking health-conscious meal options, or short on time to cook.

Phoenix Media Network, Inc.
Feb 25th, 2025
Home Chef Partners with SpongeBob SquarePants to Bring Bikini Bottom's Iconic Flavors to Kitchens on Land Nationwide

Home Chef partners with SpongeBob SquarePants to bring Bikini Bottom's iconic flavors to kitchens on land nationwide.

The Tidewater News
Feb 18th, 2025
Home Chef is Spicing Up the Kitchen Through A New Partnership With Ayesha Curry

Home Chef is spicing up the kitchen through A new partnership with Ayesha Curry.

Guilty Eats
Jan 15th, 2025
Home Chef has partnered with Feel Good Foodie to give us Mediterranean inspired meals

Home Chef has partnered with Feel Good Foodie to give us Mediterranean inspired meals.