Packaging Consultant Private Label

Packaging plays the lead in buying decision processes. Especially in the supermarket. That’s why retailer Albert Heijn is investing in the development of their private label. By centralizing knowledge and experience and sharing insights with private label producers, improved packaging can be developed, which will positively affect sales. In a next phase, costs can be reduced by centralizing the purchasing of raw materials.

The role of the private label

Albert Heijn continues to stay on top of their game as market leader. Through improved assortment, better pricing, improved service and of course, better products. Their own brand is their showpiece. Albert Heijn’s most loyal customers are attracted by strong private label products. There is huge potential to differentiate. That their private label covers all of their products makes it even more important to stand out on a product level. Packaging is its most tactile aspect. When a can of beans is opened, it should ‘plop’. The packaging of the cheese should fold back neatly. People want to be able to take off the foil of a butter tub in one fell swoop. These are characteristics of products which determine the perception of the quality of a product on a subconscious level. So that deserves a lot of attention – attention it didn’t get until recently. Albert Heijn is the first food retailer to change that.

Strategic Sourcing is currently being reinvented. That means there is a lot of room for doing things differently – and better. Packaging finally gets the attention it deserves.” – Pieter Paul van der Lugt, Director Strategic Sourcing Private Label

Uniting Packaging expertise ensures synergy

There is a lot to be gained from centralizing expertise on packaging. Its main wins are:

1. Harmonizing One wrapping trumps the other. When it comes to packaging honey, peanut butter and marmalade. So take the winners in each category and apply them as widely as possible. That harmony ensures better products and advantages when purchasing raw materials at a later stage, when that process is also centralized.
2. Building on knowledge and sharing it Every supplier now makes up their own mind about optimizing packaging and hires a packaging specialist to make that happen. They all share their insights and learnings with Albert Heijn. Because Albert Heijn can combine all insights and keep the overall perspective, this improves quality on all levels.

The position: Packaging Consultant Private Label

The Packaging Consultant Private Label is a position that entails being both a technical expert and a commercial advisor. The technical expert ensures the collection of best practices, which are shared with the right people, in order to come to improved packages. They distil knowledge from the market, trends and changes in legislation and regulations; but they mainly take success stories from the shop floor and share that knowledge with all of the existing suppliers. Which will make them a very welcome guest when visiting suppliers, because their attention represents real value. Imparting knowledge will lead to win-win situations. The commercial advisor has no problem maneuvering the commercial playing field between the retailer and producer, the customer and supplier. Strategic sourcing isn’t focused on negotiations or conditions, but on strengthening synergy in a commercial relationship. Simply giving advice doesn’t suffice. The Packaging Consultant is a change manager who is able to convince the right parties to take action at the right time.

Personality

• Technical expert
• Commercial advisor
• Practical innovator

Experience

• Minimum of 8 years of relevant experience in consulting, sourcing or packaging
• Technical acedemic degree is a plus
• Quantitative analytical skills are crucial

Interesting, because:

• Extremely high level of visibility and relevance – your work is on display
  Albert Heijn is frontrunner in new developments in retail, once again as always