Trading Manager

ABOUT THE COMPANY: OKO Wholefoods is the flagship brand of Adobha Agro Pvt Ltd , an ISO-certified, FSSAI-registered manufacturer based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu — the heart of India's coconut country. We make a complete range of 16 certified organic and natural coconut products, including cold-pressed coconut oils, coconut milk, cream, milk powder, desiccated coconut, coconut sugar, and coconut flour — crafted for health-conscious consumers in India and globally. Our products are available across 1,000+ premium retail outlets in Bangalore, Chennai, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, and Vizag, and listed on quick-commerce platforms including Zepto, Blinkit, and Amazon.

We hold Organic, Agmark, ISO, and Coconut Development Board certifications and are actively scaling pan-India and internationally. OKO Wholefoods sits at a pivotal growth stage — and we're looking for a seasoned Trading Manager to help us own that next chapter. THE ROLE: We are looking for a battle-tested Trading Manager who has been there and done that — ideally someone who has built, scaled, or transformed a trading operation in the cooking oil or edible oil industry .

This is not an entry-level or middle-management role. We want someone who understands the full chain: procurement, pricing, distribution, key account management, margins, and market dynamics. You will own the end-to-end trading function for OKO Wholefoods, working directly with the leadership team to drive revenue, expand distribution, and position the brand as a dominant player in the premium coconut oil and organic food category.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: Own and drive the full trading P&L — volume, revenue, and margin targets across all channels (modern trade, general trade, HoReCa, e-commerce, export). Develop and execute a robust distribution strategy to expand OKO's footprint pan-India, particularly in North, West, and East India where we are actively seeking partners. Identify, onboard, and manage a network of distributors, super-stockists, and channel partners with strong accountability frameworks.

Lead key account relationships with modern trade chains, quick-commerce platforms (Zepto, Blinkit, Amazon), and institutional buyers. Work closely with procurement and manufacturing teams on demand forecasting, pricing strategy, and inventory optimization. Monitor market trends, competitor activity, and consumer behaviour in the cooking oil and organic food space to identify new opportunities.

Drive export trading — manage international distributor relationships across the Middle East, Southeast Asia, UK, and North America. Collaborate with marketing to align trade promotions, in-store activations, and digital campaigns with on-ground sales execution. Build, mentor, and lead the field sales and trade team as the business scales.

Report trading performance, channel analytics, and expansion progress to senior leadership on a regular cadence. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR: 8–15 years in trading / sales / channel management in FMCG Prior experience in the cooking oil, edible oil, or food oils industry (strongly preferred) Proven track record of building or scaling distribution networks Handled both general trade and modern trade channels P&L ownership and commercial negotiations experience Experience with organic, health food, or premium FMCG brands Exposure to quick-commerce platforms (Zepto, Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart) International / export trading experience Existing relationships with major retail chains in India Tamil Nadu or South India market knowledge SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES: Strong commercial acumen — understands pricing, margins, and trade economics deeply. Entrepreneurial mindset — comfortable building systems and processes in a fast-growing, lean organization.

Excellent negotiation and relationship-building skills with distributors, retailers, and institutional buyers. Data-driven — able to use sales data and market intelligence to make decisions and course-correct quickly. Leadership — able to inspire and hold accountable a field sales team.

Strong communication in English; proficiency in Hindi and Tamil is a plus. WHAT WE OFFER: Compensation: Competitive fixed salary commensurate with experience + performance-linked incentives tied to trading targets. Details discussed during onboarding.

Growth opportunity: Join at a pivotal moment in OKO's scale-up. Build the trading function from the ground up and grow into a senior leadership role as the company expands nationally and internationally. Impact: Work directly with the founding team.

Your decisions will shape the brand's market presence across India and global markets. Work environment: Dynamic, fast-moving startup culture with strong values around quality, integrity, and sustainability. Chennai-based with travel across India.

LOCATION & WORK TYPE: Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India · On-site (with pan-India travel expected) · Full-time