Buyer

Job Description

Job Description

Greenberg Fruit Company has been distributing fresh fruits and vegetables throughout Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa since 1936. Greenberg Fruit Company was the vision of Elmer Greenberg who started the business in a warehouse on the corner of 11th and Howard in Omaha’s historic Old Market. Elmer handed control of the business to his son Don in the 1950s. Greenberg Fruit was a fixture in the Old Market until moving to the current location of 9705 I Street in 1973. Although 9705 I Street was considered a West Omaha location in the early seventies, the business is now centrally located to conveniently serve all of Omaha and Lincoln and is within one mile of Interstate 80 providing easy access to all points East, West, North and South.

Essential Functions:

• Own the daily purchasing of all fresh produce for Greenberg Fruit
• Review customer orders, inventory, production requirements, and upcoming demand to determine purchasing needs
• Monitor daily produce markets, availability, seasonality, weather, and supply conditions
• Purchase from growers, shippers, wholesalers, brokers, and other suppliers while maintaining competitive costs and reliable supply
• Make informed decisions on daily, forward, and opportunistic purchases while managing the risk of overbuying
• Maintain appropriate inventory levels based on product movement, shelf life, customer requirements, and market conditions
• Take ownership of the profitability of the purchasing function
• Evaluate purchases based on total delivered economics, not simply case cost
• Understand the relationship between purchase cost, selling price, yield, freight, processing, repacking, labor, shrink, and finished-product margin
• Negotiate competitive pricing, freight, terms, pack sizes, quality, and service with suppliers
• Identify opportunities to improve gross profit through sourcing, market timing, supplier selection, pack configuration, and purchasing discipline
• Identify and address margin erosion caused by poor quality, low yield, excess inventory, freight, shrink, or unnecessary handling
• Monitor purchasing performance against market conditions, historical costs, budget, and expected margins
• Communicate significant cost or market changes and their financial impact to the General Manager
• Continuously look for ways to improve gross profit dollars, margin, inventory turns and return on working capital
• Manage purchasing requirements for Greenberg Fruit's significant school business, including menus, delivery schedules, specifications, pack sizes, and seasonal demand
• Coordinate purchasing with fresh-cut production requirements and understand raw-product yield, trim, waste, and finished-product economics
• Purchase bulk product based on expected finished-product requirements and usable yield rather than simply case volume
• Support repack operations by purchasing appropriate master-case quantities, pack sizes, and product specifications
• Work closely with production and operations to ensure product availability while minimizing excess inventory, handling, and processing costs
• Understand how customer-specific requirements affect product cost and profitability
• Build and maintain strong relationships with growers, shippers, wholesalers, brokers, and other suppliers
• Maintain multiple sourcing options for key commodities when appropriate
• Evaluate suppliers based on cost, quality, availability, fill rate, service, communication, and reliability
• Maintain high standards for freshness, condition, grade, maturity, size, and pack quality
• Address rejected, damaged, shorted, or poor-quality products with suppliers
• Balance purchase price with actual usable yield and product quality
• Monitor inventory levels and product age daily
• Identify slow-moving, excess, and aging inventory before it becomes a significant loss
• Balance product availability with inventory investment and shelf life
• Work with sales and production to move aging or excess product when necessary
• Minimize shrink through disciplined purchasing, accurate forecasting, and proactive inventory management

Competencies:

• Intellectual horsepower
• Highly resourceful
• Strong relationship management and interpersonal skills
• Innovative and creative thinking
• Listening and influencing skills
• Complex problem-solving
• Organized and attention-to-detail approach
• Excellent business and budget-planning skills
• Adaptable to changing environments
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Education & Experience:

• Preferred Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, or a related field
• 3+ years of experience in purchasing, buying, or procurement in a distribution, wholesalers, produce suppliers, growers, shippers or food service environment
• Experience with inventory replenishment, demand planning, or supply chain operations
• Experience with fresh-cut produce operations, produce repacking, analyzing purchasing profitability
• Working knowledge of vendor management processes including vendor setup, documentation, and rebate administration
• Familiarity with ERP systems and purchasing workflows
• Solid understanding of margins, cost structures, and inventory productivity metrics
• Experience in a multi-site, decentralized, or hub-and-spoke distribution environment is preferred
• Strong knowledge of fresh produce commodities, grades, packs, seasonality, and quality
• Existing relationships with commodity traders and wholesalers that typically offer spot buy opportunities is preferred
• Proficient PC skills in CRM and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems- Produce Pro, Microsoft Office (particularly Excel), and common E Mail systems

Physical Demands:

• Stand or sit for long periods of time
• Work in cold or wet cooler conditions for extended periods of time
• Travel as needed and required

Benefits:

• Health & Welfare Benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, and Voluntary Life)
• Paid Time Off
• Holidays
• 401(k) with Company Match
• Weekly Paid
• Career Advancement Opportunities

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth and pregnancy-related conditions), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service and veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws and ordinances.