Produce Buyer

Job Title

Coordinate and identify suppliers of product, negotiate price and quantity terms and establish long-term contracts to ensure adequate supply of high quality products for Foodservice Distribution at competitive prices. Maintain established service levels for product in-stock. Assist with special order requests. Functions as a team member within the department and organization, as required, and performs any duty assigned to best serve the company.

Job Responsibilities

• Procure products to ensure established service levels, inventory turns and par levels for product in-stock. Set up and procure special order product requests.
• Functions as a team member within the department and organization, as required, and other related duties as assigned.
• Maintain relationships with associates, vendors and brokers by resolving problems with pricing, products, or delivery to ensure quality service and longevity relationships.
• Procure quantities of product based upon present and future demand, utilizing economic order point (volume discount vs. efficient utilization of warehousing space), promotion of product, and overall conditions.
• Provides product and pricing information to sales force and make recommendations to your category manager regarding pricing structure for product lines based upon volume and margin considerations.
• Provides beneficial solutions to slow moving and aged inventory, minimizes spoiled and obsolete inventory thru proper buying decisions and effective communication to sales associates, inventory control associates, suppliers, brokers and at times, customers.
• Ensure proper pricing through confirmation of all orders, questions uncommunicated price changes and variances to expected pricing.
• Ability to use independent judgement following already established guidelines and procedures.