PRODUCE BUYER

Responsibilities

• Create and manage purchase orders based on system forecasts, seasonal needs, and vendor input.
• Build and negotiate produce box contents with farmers and distributors to balance seasonality, quality, and cost.
• Monitor inventory levels, conduct physical counts, and reconcile shipments in coordination with the Operations team.
• Track, monitor, and report produce loss and waste, and partner with Operations, Finance, and Kitchen teams to reduce shrink through prepared food utilization and cost-saving initiatives.
• Maintain accurate and current SKU data, including price, cost, size, and producer information.
• Partner with Operations and Finance to resolve missing invoices, credits, and discrepancies in a timely manner.
• Uphold quality standards by communicating expectations and addressing issues with suppliers and the Receiving Team.
• Maintain strong relationships with produce vendors, negotiating pricing, terms, and promotional opportunities while ensuring accountability.
• Ensure all products meet Farm to People’s standards for quality, sustainability, and compliance, including certifications and COIs.
• Work with Finance to track produce margins, validate costing, and support accurate forecasting and budgeting.
• Partner with farmers and distributors on seasonal crop planning and long-range forecasting to align supply with customer demand.
• Communicate unexpected order or product availability changes promptly to Customer Service and customers.
• Prepare seasonal and holiday calendars for forecasting, sales projections, and order deadlines.
• Track, analyze, and report on procurement performance, including sales, margin, spoilage, and vendor performance; propose initiatives for efficiency and savings.

Merganizing

• Support planning and execution of promotional activities on the website, including sales, new product launches, and seasonal or holiday offerings.
• Build and manage produce categories, ensuring strategic product placement that drives sales and minimizes spoilage.
• Maintain and update website categories to provide a streamlined and user-friendly shopping experience.
• Build and maintain accurate SKU data, including price, cost, size, and producer information.
• Write engaging product and producer copy for new items featured on the website.
• Collaborate with the Marketing & Communications team on email content and social media posts that highlight seasonal produce, farmers, and sustainability practices.
• Partner with Operations to ensure new SKUs are accurately slotted in the warehouse and reflected online.
• Identify emerging produce trends and bring forward product opportunities that align with customer demand and company ethos.
• Monitor promotional performance and adjust future produce campaigns based on results.