VISHAL KUMAR

Experience

• 

  Radhakrishna Foodland Pvt. Ltd.

  May 2004 - Apr 2005

  Management Trainee

  • Spearheaded the development of a robust and efficient supply chain for the Onion, Potato, and Garlic categories, optimizing sourcing and logistics from origin locations.• Established strong relationships with farmers and suppliers, fostering collaboration and ensuring a consistent supply of fresh produce at competitive rates.

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  National Collateral Management Services Limited

  Apr 2005 - Nov 2010

  Vice President Procurement

  • Leadership in Public-Private Partnerships (PPP): Spearheaded one of the pioneering PPP initiatives for Minimum Support Price (MSP) procurement, ensuring streamlined and efficient processes for paddy and wheat.• High-Volume Procurement: Achieved the procurement of over a million tons of paddy and wheat across key states including Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh, contributing to food security and agricultural stability.• Innovative Supply Chain Development: Designed and implemented scalable, tailored supply chain solutions for feed companies, state governments, and large institutions, optimizing logistics and ensuring cost-effectiveness.• Stakeholder Collaboration: Fostered seamless collaboration between government bodies, private entities, and local institutions to drive the success of large-scale agricultural procurement projects. Show less

• 

  Walmart

  Nov 2010 - Jan 2019

  • Strategic Assortment Optimization: Conducted comprehensive assortment gap analyses to identify and place high-performing, relevant SKUs, ensuring category coverage aligns with customer demand trends.• Private Label Expansion: Spearheaded private brand development initiatives, driving higher % contribution to total category sales through innovative product launches and strategic branding.• Supplier Excellence Management: Implemented supplier performance evaluations to foster strong partnerships, ensure compliance with legal and ethical standards, and enhance overall supply chain efficiency• Inventory Optimization: Achieved optimal Days on Hand (DOH) through proactive inventory control measures, minimizing overstock and ensuring availability of high- demand products.• Origin Sourcing Expertise: Built robust sourcing capabilities for Key Value Items (KVIs), enhancing cost-effectiveness and ensuring consistent quality for staples.• Compliance-Driven Partnerships: Established partnerships exclusively with food-safe suppliers, guaranteeing adherence to food safety regulations and reinforcing brand trust.• Supplier TOT and JBP Optimization: Conducted Terms of Trade (TOT) evaluations for the top-performing 20% of suppliers, driving improvements through structured Joint Business Planning (JBP) strategies.• Team Leadership & Collaboration: Managed cross-functional teams to ensure seamless category operations, fostering collaboration and empowering team members to achieve shared goals. Show less • Strategic Development & Execution: Spearheaded the strategy for fresh business operations across stores, driving growth through innovative planning and execution.• Profit & Loss Ownership: Successfully managed end-to-end financial performance, optimizing margins while maintaining competitive pricing.• Supply Chain Optimization: Established and enhanced the supply chain for major Indian fruits, ensuring efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and timely deliver• Training & Development: Designed the comprehensive "What’s In It for the Business & Individual (WIBI)" product training manual to empower teams with actionable knowledge on fresh produce.• Farm-to-Store Initiative: Pioneered a Direct Farm Initiative, fostering strong collaborations with Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) to enhance supply reliability and quality.• Waste Control & Quality Assurance: Implemented robust measures to minimize damages and expiries, ensuring optimal inventory management and product quality.• Visual Merchandising Standards: Defined and enforced high-impact display standards for fruits, enhancing customer appeal and sale Show less • Strategic Procurement & Cost Optimization: Spearheaded bulk sugar procurement initiatives, ensuring cost-effective sourcing through comprehensive rate and arbitrage analysis, leveraging market trends to identify optimal buying opportunities.• Supplier Relationship & Direct Sourcing: Established and nurtured relationships with sugar mills and suppliers, enabling origin sourcing to eliminate intermediaries, secure competitive rates, and ensure consistent quality.• Private Brand Development & Co-Packaging: Successfully conceptualized and set up a private brand, managing end-to-end co-packaging operations, including vendor selection, design coordination, and packaging compliance. Show less

  • DGM – STAPLES (Sugar, Pulses, Regional Rice)

    Apr 2017 - Jan 2019

  • Senior Manager – Fresh Business

    Jul 2014 - Apr 2017

  • Manager (Buyer– Sugar | Sugar Specialties & Ingredients)

    Nov 2010 - Jul 2014
• 

  ElasticRun

  Jan 2019 - now

  Director - Procurement

  • Strategic Category Management: Curated and optimized assortments in the Staples category to meet the unique needs of Kirana outlets across multiple regions, enhancing relevance and retailer loyalty.• Supplier Network Development: Established a dynamic and competitive supplier network to ensure consistent availability of inventory with cost-efficient pricing.• Retailer Engagement: Increased share-of-wallet (SOW) buying by tailoring solutions to retailer requirements, strengthening long-term partnerships.• Trade Network Optimization: Spearheaded trade models to efficiently service resellers within the trade network, driving sustainable growth.• Sustainable Procurement: Designed scalable procurement models focused on improved stock turns and revenue growth margins (RGM).• Pricing Strategy: Developed robust pricing guardrails for Staples SKUs to ensure competitive positioning and profitability.• Direct Sourcing Excellence: Built direct sourcing capabilities for high-priority Key Value Items (KVIs) across states, reducing dependency on intermediaries.• Innovative Supply Chain Solutions: Designed and implemented efficient supply chain models, including part-load and hub-and-spoke frameworks, to optimize logistics.• High-Performance Team Building: Recruited and developed a lean, high-performing team across categories, fostering a culture of excellence and agility.• Category Growth Leadership: Positioned Staples as a "foot-in-the-door" category, driving customer acquisition while maintaining healthy margins. Show less