Tomasz Karolczak

Head of Category at Nickal | Senior FMCG Leader | ex-Eurocash | ex-Lidl | ex-Biedronka (Jerónimo Martins) | Buying, Sales & Team Leadership

Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland

About

Senior FMCG leader with 15 years of experience across leading retailers (Biedronka/Jerónimo Martins, Lidl, Eurocash), currently Head of Category at Nickal. I lead commercial teams across purchasing, product development and sales, with full ownership of category strategy and commercial results. Strong track record in supplier negotiations, pricing and margin optimization, portfolio management and new product launches. Analytical, hands-on leader focused on measurable results and building high-performing teams.

Experience

  • Head of Category at Nickal sp. z o.o.
    Jul 2025 - Present · 1 yr

    - End-to-end ownership of category strategy, purchasing, product development and sales execution - Building and scaling a commercial team to support business growth - Leading supplier sourcing and negotiations, including international partners and import projects - Driving new product development and market entry, including exclusive and licensed brands - Managing end-to-end product launches - from pricing and compliance to commercialization and rollout - Supporting key retail partnerships and sales growth, ensuring margin control and pricing discipline

  • Grupa Eurocash (Warszawa, Woj. Mazowieckie, Polska)
    • Senior Category Manager
      Jul 2024 - Jun 2025 · 1 yr

      - Managing a team of Category Managers responsible for key FMCG categories including soft drinks, beer, canned food and groceries - Developing and implementing category strategy for the Delikatesy Centrum retail chain - Leading supplier negotiations and annual agreements to optimize pricing, margins and trade terms - Analyzing market data, consumer trends and sales performance to define assortment and promotional strategies - Coordinating commercial planning and product launches in cooperation with suppliers and retail teams - Driving category growth, profitability and process efficiency through data-driven decision making - Coaching and supporting team members, fostering ownership and a strong business mindset

    • Senior Strategic Buyer
      Jun 2021 - Jul 2024 · 3 yrs 2 mos

      - Responsible for strategic purchasing in the beer category, one of the key and high-volume categories within Eurocash Group - Leading annual negotiations with major suppliers, securing competitive pricing, terms and promotional support - Developing and executing long-term sourcing and commercial strategies for the beer category across business units - Conducting market, sales and margin analysis to optimize assortment and supplier performance - Cooperating with retail and wholesale divisions to ensure consistency in pricing and product availability - Managing supplier relationships and driving joint business plans focused on growth and profitability - Providing strategic insights and recommendations to internal stakeholders to support category expansion

  • Head of Purchasing at Lidl Polska
    Nov 2016 - May 2021 · 4 yrs 7 mos

    - Managing a team of 7 buyers and specialists responsible for non-alcoholic beverages, ice cream, frozen fruits & vegetables, and pouch products - Defining and implementing purchasing and category strategies to strengthen market position and profitability - Leading supplier negotiations and long-term agreements focused on quality, innovation and cost efficiency - Coordinating new product launches, packaging design, and cross-functional alignment with marketing and logistics - Developing assortment and innovation plans based on consumer insights and category trends - Monitoring category performance, sales data and margins to identify growth opportunities - Building and maintaining strategic supplier relationships to support sustainable business growth - Coaching and mentoring team members to enhance performance and category expertise

  • Jerónimo Martins (6 yrs 5 mos)
    • Category Manager
      Oct 2015 - Oct 2016 · 1 yr 1 mo

      Non-alcoholic beverages

    • Area Manager
      May 2011 - Oct 2015 · 4 yrs 6 mos

      - Management of the stores (ca. 100 people of the subordinate team) - Supervision of the stores within existing procedures and company's standards - Supply schedule management - Recruitment and management of the subordinate team - New openings

    • Management Trainee
      Jun 2010 - May 2011 · 1 yr

      Comprehensive development programme for the future managers

  • Trainee in the Purchasing Department at BSH
    Oct 2009 - Jun 2010 · 9 mos

    - Responsible for collaboration with suppliers, market analysis - Preparation of sales inquiries, offer analysis and assessment - Work with SAP and PDM systems