Smarter Category Strategy at Sainsbury’s

How Garry helped cut costs and boost margins in the tea aisle

Before joining our team, our co-founder Garry led the Hot Beverages category at Sainsbury’s. During his time there, he helped reshape the way the supermarket managed the tea category — cutting costs, simplifying the range, and driving new profit through smarter, insight-led decisions..

Shelf display of various flavored tea boxes with blue price tags in a grocery store.

Lead: Garry Winstanley

The Challenge.

The tea aisle was under pressure. Discounters were gaining ground, and customers wanted better value. The category had too many similar products, rising costs, and falling margins. It needed a rethink from top to bottom.

What Garry Did

Garry led a full review of the value chain — from sourcing to shelf. He used data and proven tools to guide every step of the change.

Key steps included:

Cost analysis:

Garry led a full cost breakdown to find where money was being lost across sourcing, packaging, logistics, and stores.
Supplier reset:

He worked with suppliers to renegotiate deals, co-create promotions, and plan better for mutual success.
SKU reduction:

The range was simplified to reduce duplication and support small store formats, making choices easier for shoppers.

Smarter forecasting:

Working with logistics and supply chain teams, Garry improved demand planning and reduced waste.
Data-led decisions:

He used real shopper data to shape pricing, promotions, and in-store layout.
Sustainability:

He aligned with Sainsbury’s ethical sourcing goals, helping the category become fully Fairtrade accredited.