Mapping the Gaps:
The Organizational Foundation of Category Management

The CatMan Foundation Map identifies five foundational gaps that shape whether a category management practice reaches its potential: mentality, collaboration, community, data strategy, and investment. For each gap, it maps where most organizations stand today, the bridge that moves the practice forward, and the benefit that unlocks when progress is made. Built from years of consulting experience with retailers and CPGs across the region, the framework gives practitioners, commercial leaders, and industry partners a shared language to assess where they are and a clear foundation to build on. Address the foundation first, and the practice has room to grow into everything it should be.