Produce Buyer

AWG’s mission is to ensure the success of our member retailers and provide opportunities to our employees by satisfying customers’ and member retailers’ needs for quality supermarket merchandise and superior support services. This role supports that mission by procuring quality fruits and vegetables for resale to member retailers, promoting sales, and purchasing from approved vendors.

Responsibilities

• Communicate with a network of local suppliers, F.O.B. growers, and shippers to source quality produce at competitive prices.
• Collaborate with quality control to ensure only quality product is received and shipped by AWG.
• Verify weekly suggested ad items and pricing.
• Identify special purchasing opportunities to increase sales for AWG members.
• Establish weekly SRPs (Suggested Retail Prices) to keep members competitive and maintain product movement.
• Adjust internal markup to cover budgeted expenses.
• Assist in developing the weekly produce bulletin, providing members with market information, merchandising ideas, and other helpful details.
• Develop programs to meet turnover needs while ensuring sufficient supply to fill orders.
• Inform members about new and discontinued items, as well as special buy opportunities.
• Communicate market conditions and changes regularly and on a timely basis with the Director of Produce Merchandising.
• Work as a team member to ensure all job responsibilities are met, emphasizing cooperation, integrity, tact, and consideration with members, associates, and management.
• Maintain strong communication and computer skills, with the ability to learn and use new technology.
• Keep management informed on planning, analysis, work performed, and results.
• Ensure all records required by management are complete, accurate, and submitted on time.

Requirements

• Retail grocery store or grocery wholesale experience preferred.
• Minimum of 2 years of related experience in produce retail or wholesale, or an equivalent combination of education and experience, with at least 2 years in a management role.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to read and interpret documents (e.g., safety rules, operating instructions, procedure manuals), write routine reports and correspondence, and speak effectively before groups.
• Proficiency in mathematical calculations, including discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, and basic algebra/geometry.
• Ability to solve practical problems and interpret instructions in various formats (written, oral, diagrams, schedules).

Physical Demands

• Regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear.
• Frequently required to stand, walk, and taste or smell.
• Occasionally required to climb or balance and lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

• Adequate heating, cooling, lighting, and ventilation.
• Moderate to occasionally loud noise levels.
• Occasional exposure to extreme cold in coolers.