Produce Buyer

Founded in 2013, Home Chef is the leading meal solutions company with both a retail and online presence. Available online at homechef.com and in retail at more than 2,100 Kroger grocery stores, Home Chef is committed to inspiring and enabling more people to cook simple, delicious meals, no matter how busy they are.

In 2023, Home Chef introduced a new brand, Tempo! Tempo features a rotating selection of ready-to-heat meals delivered directly to your door. These meals are better-for-you versions of familiar favorites, designed to save you time and reduce stress while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Our Tempo menu includes options that are protein-packed, fiber-rich, calorie and carb conscious, keto-friendly, and dietitian-approved.

Similar to our recipes, we recognize that variety is the spice of life, and therefore, our employees also bring their uniqueness and color to our fantastic team. We’re eager to work with humble team players and pragmatic next-level thinkers to innovate on Home Chef’s offerings.

The Produce Buyer is responsible for purchasing all produce items for their site location. They are responsible for managing local supplier relationships, determining order quantities, and ensuring the timely arrival of high-quality products.The Produce Buyer will also focus on continuously improving purchasing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

Detailed Responsibilities

Ingredient Procurement

• Manage ordering process for multiple menu cycles by balancing lead times, forecast variability, and multiple purchase orders
• Place timely, accurate orders with Home Chef vendors and/or source product locally
• Work regularly in Google Sheets to determine purchase quantities
• Utilize Home Chef ERP system to cut purchase orders and track in-house inventory
• Work cross functionally with quality and production teams daily
• Reduce excess over orders by tracking product starting inventory and cutting orders as needed
• Quickly source product and resolve problems in a timely manner related to inventory, product quality, and yields
• Balance production schedule with product perishability to determine best product delivery date
• Balance food costs with product quality by sourcing product from vendors that can meet Home Chef’s delivery dates and quality expectations
• Review product yields and over orders on a weekly basis and make adjustments as needed
• Manage product yields and forecast variability while adjusting product quantities as needed
• Review all produce as it arrives to ensure Home Chef quality standards are met
• Determine average case counts as product arrives and make ordering adjustments as needed

Vendor Management

• Regularly communicate with Home Chef vendors to ensure on-time delivery and quality ingredients
• Onboard new vendors by reviewing Home Chef ordering model and product specifications
• Ensure vendors are meeting product specifications and communicate necessary changes
• Document any vendor concerns and work with supply chain managers to resolve as needed
• Work with vendors to return excess product
• Balance vendor expectations with Home Chef expectations to ensure on-time deliveries
• Knowledgeable on pricing differences week over week and work with vendors to resolve issues as needed

Improve Purchasing Function Accuracy

• Attend and prepare for weekly purchasing KPI meetings
• Work with production manager and senior procurement manager to determine root cause for shortages/overages and put action plans in place as needed
• Conduct daily inspections of produce for quality and vendor accuracy

This position requires 5% travel.

Qualifications

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability needed for this role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities.

• General high school degree, or equivalent, (e.g. GED).
• 3+ years previous experience as a buyer, preferably in the food or produce industry
• Strong understanding of supply chain and inventory management principles
• Proficiency in Google Sheets and experience with ERP systems
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
• Keen attention to detail and commitment to quality
• Ability to work cross-functionally with various teams
• Knowledge of produce seasonality, quality standards, and market trends is a plus

More About Us

To view the California Applicant Notice click here