Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Certification
Languages
LINKS
Timeline
Generic
Vikash Rajak

Vikash Rajak

Kolkata

Summary

Dynamic VP of Tea Purchase and Quality at Apurva Organics Ltd., adept in tea sourcing and blending, successfully launched innovative product segments. Proven track record in cost management and vendor negotiation, enhancing client relationships and driving growth. Expert in strategic planning and quality assurance, with a focus on delivering exceptional results in the tea industry.

Overview

16
16
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

VP Tea Purchase and Quality

APURVA ORGANICS LTD.
Kolkata
08.2022 - Current
  • Expertise in Tea Tasting, Sourcing & Blending, catering to both Pan-Indian and international markets.
  • Proficient in New Product Development and Private Label Marketing for tea bags and loose tea varieties.
  • Skilled in Sourcing and Production Planning for packaging materials.
  • Spearheaded the launch and promotion of new product segments, and specialized in tea gifting solutions.
  • understanding of Tea packaging machinery, especially teabag lines.
  • B2B marketing for private label tea bag handling independently. Most of the key clients are top Indian and international brands.
  • Helping the company to secure some private finance and credit line facility with a personal network.
  • Cost management for products.
  • Packing material and raw material sourcing, including flavor evaluation and sourcing.

Senior Manager Supply Chain

SUNSHINE TEA HOUSE PVT. LTD.
New Delhi
09.2021 - 09.2022
  • Heading Tea Sourcing & blending for Pan Indian and global supply, looking after Pan India sourcing of grocery, staple, Looking after pan India Sourcing for packaging material and consumable product.
  • For QSR division and chaayos cafe, managing end to end supply chain and logistic planning.
  • Working directly with clients to understand their supply chain, manufacturing, and related processes, capabilities, and systems; forecasting operational requirements; preparing the annual budget; identifying trends; scheduling logistics expenditures; analyzing variances; initiating corrective actions; material requirement planning; fresh milk sourcing; analyzing category spend (primary and secondary logistics, warehousing); identifying key areas of improvement; leading commercial negotiations; and setting up the co-packing operations for new product launch.

General Manager Operation

SUPPLE TEK INDUSTRY PVT. LTD.
Amritsar
06.2021 - 09.2021
  • Tea Vertical Business.
  • Identified key areas of improvement, led commercial negotiations, and set up the co-packing operations for new product commercialization. Created and purchased tea packaging for the international market and domestic market. Led operations and projects, organized and led vendor development and negotiations to best suit organizational needs, and established a vendor rating system. Implemented quality check systems for the tea business and set up a tea blending manufacturing facility, process norms, and checks for the same.

Manager Tea Purchase and Quality

SAPAT INTERNATIONAL PVT. LTD.
Mumbai
04.2017 - 05.2021
  • Led teams as Department Manager of Tea purchase and Quality assurance Team in Mumbai, Nasik and Indoor, Led volume, quality & budget operations for the assigned plants.
  • Managed vendor purchase order process including dispatch, delivery and invoicing to set contractual guidelines and maintain budgetary regulations, Negotiate with local and international suppliers, Identify cost reduction opportunities to achieve financial goals, Conduct business review meetings with key stakeholders to assess risk, review future strategies, and identify potential cost down and improvement opportunities, Review supply chain practices in accordance with new or changing environmental policies, standards, regulations, Purchasing Spice and coffee, Purchasing Raw material, Flavor, Herbs, and Cocoa etc., Tasting approx. 2,000 cups of tea every day to maintain the quality and cost of the blend. Reviewed product development operations, including budgets, expenditures, and research. Developed and launched Cardamom Tea and Herbal Tea under the brand name of SAPAT, resulting in an increased sale of 1,00 crore per annum in the Maharashtra region. Blend development includes Kashmiri Khawa, Hibiscus Tea, Masala Tea, Mint Tea, English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Irish Breakfast, etc., along with Iced Tea.

Senior Tea Taster, Buyer, Blender

COFFEE DAY GLOBAL LTD.
Bengaluru
01.2017 - 04.2017
  • Purchasing packing material for tea, such as tea bag filter paper, pouches, carton canisters, and wooden boxes, involves developing an in-house manufacturing and packing blending unit with the sourcing of various machinery, such as tea bag machines, packing machines, and BOPP machines. Tea tasting evaluation, blending, purchasing raw materials like tea, flavors, herbs, spices, and coffee, demand planning, supplier management, and reviewing supply chain practices in accordance with new or changing environmental policies, standards, and regulations are also important. Additionally, diagramming supply chain models can help facilitate discussions with customers, while scheduling buying and procurement, as well as procurement and production follow-up, ensures timely delivery.

Assistant Manager Tea

SAPAT INTERNATIONAL PVT. LTD.
08.2014 - 12.2016
  • Tea Tasting Darjeeling Orthodox, CTC, Green Tea, white Tea, specialty Tea, China Tea Nepal Tea Nilgiri Tea, Assam Tea, Sensory evaluation of Cough syrup and water for pharmacy division of the company, Tasting more than 1000 cup of Tea every day, Making different Blend for our Different Brand and Quality controlling, Project Head R&D, New product development in flavored teas category and herbal Tea, Sensory analyze of raw materials and finished products, Blend development like Kashmiri Khawa, Habiscus Tea, Masala Tea, Mint Tea, English breakfast, earl gray, Irish breakfast etc., and along with Iced Tea Pricing and negotiation, Buying Budgeting and planning, market research Scheduling Buying and procurement

Tea Tasting Executive

SOONGACHI TEA INDUSTRIES PVT. LTD.
07.2012 - 07.2014
  • Tea Purchase and Quality Assurance, Coordination between Tea Gardens and the corporate office, Providing support from the head office to the Managers in Field and Factory management Meetings & consultations with top management for setting quality standards and achieving targets, Making Indent for chemical and material requirements for Tea garden Tea Board subsidy related work, Tea Board Form E Submission Dealer management, Clint handling, maintaining distributor network, Tea Trading Auction buying/bank related work, Accounting, Letter drafting, Supply chain, and maintaining stock, Production and sales, Coordination with Plant Regarding In transit Material, Physical Stock Position and Arrival Materials, Sales Order Processing & Invoicing Purchase Order Processing (Requisition to Invoicing), Stores & Inventory Management Sales & Purchase Analysis

Production Trainee Supervisor Factory

MATIGARA TEA ESTATE
03.2012 - 04.2012
  • Factory handling, manufacturing, Monitoring Plant Etc., Visiting plantation area for managing of Tea plucking and chemical spraying in the garden, Making documentation regarding manufacturing of tea and plantation, Making list of chemical consumption in different area of garden

Hardware Engineer

DIVYAJYOTI DISTRIBUTOR PVT. LTD.
03.2009 - 06.2011
  • Traveled to customer sites to provide prompt resolutions to issues, Met regularly with clients to discuss project specifications and milestones and provide updates on progress, Computer assembling and network solution, Hardware purchase and Installation

Education

Post Graduate Diploma - Tea Management

NORTH BENGAL UNIVERSITY - SILIGURI (WEST BENGAL)
Siliguri
01.2012

Bachelor of Commerce - Management Honours

SILIGURI COLLEGE OF COMMERCE - SILIGURI
Siliguri
01.2011

Skills

  • Tea sourcing
  • Performance monitoring and evaluation
  • Operations management
  • Financial management
  • Strategic planning
  • Negotiation and persuasion
  • Client relationship building
  • Cross-functional team leadership
  • Supply chain management
  • Tea blending
  • Product development
  • Private label marketing
  • Logistics planning
  • Vendor negotiation
  • Market analysis
  • Quality assurance
  • Cost management
  • Client relationship management
  • Process improvement
  • Team leadership
  • Financial analysis
  • Industry best practices
  • Critical thinking
  • Risk assessment
  • Targeted marketing

Certification

  • Tetley Tea Master Certified (UK) Jul 2018
  • Advanced Diploma in International Business and Export-Import Management, Mar 2016

Languages

ENGLISH

LINKS

LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/vikash-rajak-b2357149

Timeline

VP Tea Purchase and Quality

APURVA ORGANICS LTD.
08.2022 - Current

Senior Manager Supply Chain

SUNSHINE TEA HOUSE PVT. LTD.
09.2021 - 09.2022

General Manager Operation

SUPPLE TEK INDUSTRY PVT. LTD.
06.2021 - 09.2021

Manager Tea Purchase and Quality

SAPAT INTERNATIONAL PVT. LTD.
04.2017 - 05.2021

Senior Tea Taster, Buyer, Blender

COFFEE DAY GLOBAL LTD.
01.2017 - 04.2017

Assistant Manager Tea

SAPAT INTERNATIONAL PVT. LTD.
08.2014 - 12.2016

Tea Tasting Executive

SOONGACHI TEA INDUSTRIES PVT. LTD.
07.2012 - 07.2014

Production Trainee Supervisor Factory

MATIGARA TEA ESTATE
03.2012 - 04.2012

Hardware Engineer

DIVYAJYOTI DISTRIBUTOR PVT. LTD.
03.2009 - 06.2011

Post Graduate Diploma - Tea Management

NORTH BENGAL UNIVERSITY - SILIGURI (WEST BENGAL)

Bachelor of Commerce - Management Honours

SILIGURI COLLEGE OF COMMERCE - SILIGURI

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