Not sure where to start with category strategy? 🙋♀️
You've just been asked to build a category strategy.
Maybe it's your first one, maybe you've done it before but never quite known where to begin. Either way, it can feel like a lot.
I've been guiding a few clients through this recently, and the first question is always the same.
“Where do I start?”
Here's what I tell them.
1. Get the right people in the room
Before you open a single spreadsheet, think about who needs to come on this journey with you. Bring your key stakeholders in from day one. If they help shape the strategy, they'll champion it. Trust me on this one!
Keep your core team tight though, no more than five people to manage the day-to-day build. Your wider stakeholder group inputs and influences. Too many cooks really will spoil the broth here.
2. Define your category properly
Sounds obvious, but this is where a lot of strategies quietly fall apart.
Get crystal clear on what's in and what's out. Think about all the peripheral products sitting on the edges and remove the grey areas.
For example, does your soft drinks category include energy drinks? Does it include water or squash? These decisions shape everything that follows, so take your time with them.
3. Really get under the skin of the data
Now the fun part! Dig into how the category is performing today, what's driving it and what's holding it back.
Look at the macro forces at play.
Pay close attention to your shoppers. Who's buying regularly, who dips in and out, and who's not buying at all? That last group could be where the biggest opportunities are hiding.
4. Talk to the people who know what you don't
Data tells you what's happening, people tell you why.
Speak to shoppers, speak to buyers and don't overlook the colleagues you don't usually work with. R&D, supply chain and innovation teams often hold brilliant insights that never make it into a report. These conversations can surface opportunities you wouldn’t have found on your own.
5. Plan to co-create, and don't rush it
You're not going to lock yourself in a room and emerge with the finished strategy. The best ones are built together, over time.
Set a clear process for how you'll bring everything together, workshop it, challenge it and stress-test it.
This strategy needs to work for the next five years. Give it the time it deserves.
That's it, five steps to get you off to a flying start. The process doesn't have to be complicated, it just has to be right for your business.
If you're working on your category strategy and want some support, we'd love to help.
Just get in touch and let's chat about how we can work together.
Want to go deeper? Check out our other articles on building a successful category strategy.
June 2026