Michael Sacks

About Michael Sacks

Category Management | Brand Strategy | Commercial GrowthI drive profitable growth at the intersection of brand building and retail execution.Over the past 4+ years in Category Management, I\'ve delivered $24M+ in incremental revenue by combining consumer insights, strategic innovation, and data-driven retail strategies. Before that, I spent 7+ years in Supply Chain/Demand Planning, which gave me the commercial foundation to understand how businesses actually operate—from forecast to P&L.What I do:Build category and brand strategies that win at retail (I have experience working with Target, Walmart, Costco, Amazon, Home Depot, Best Buy, Ace Hardware, Kroger, and more)Worked on projects that take innovation from concept to commercialization (recently launched a $5M product family at retail)Manage marketing budgets and retail media campaigns (delivered 200% ROAS)Translate Nielsen, Circana, and Numerator insights into actionable growth strategiesPartner with cross-functional teams (R&D, Finance, Operations, Sales, Agencies) to executeRecent wins:→ Expanded Target with 93-SKU assortment optimization→ Developed brand positioning strategies and led consumer research initiatives→ Manage A&P budget for Mass Channel marketing campaignsWhat differentiates me: I bring both strategic thinking and commercial execution. I can develop brand positioning and innovation pipelines, but I also understand planograms, demand planning, and retail P&L. That combination is rare—and it\'s how I consistently deliver results.I\'m passionate about using data to tell stories, solve problems, and drive decisions. Whether it\'s syndicated data, POS analytics, or consumer panels, I love finding the insight that unlocks growth.Background: MBA in Supply Chain/Finance from Rutgers (3.88 GPA), BS in Marketing. APICS CPIM certified. Currently leading Category Management and Channel Marketing for the US Consumer Mass Channel.Always happy to connect with people in CPG, retail, or anyone passionate about growth strategy. Let\'s talk shop.#CategoryManagement #BrandStrategy #CPG #RetailStrategy #Innovation #DataAnalytics

Experience

1. Director Category Management

   Utz Brands, Inc.

   Feb 2026 — Present · NJ, US

   Leading category strategy and insights in a high-growth CPG environment. Focused on driving profitable growth, strengthening retailer partnerships, and developing teams through data-driven decision making.

Education

• Rutgers University

  Bachelor of Science (BS), Marketing

  2007 — 2011

• Rutgers Business School

  Master of Business Administration (MBA), Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management and Finance

  2013 — 2016

Skills

• Product Development
• Customer Service
• Windows
• Product Management
• Research
• Microsoft Word
• Access
• Teamwork
• Html
• Inventory Management
• Outlook
• English
• Microsoft Office
• Photoshop
• Powerpoint
• Microsoft Excel
• Negotiation