Buyer - Produce

Alex Lee•Hickory, NC

About The Position

Responsible for the procurement strategy and execution of assigned produce categories, ensuring alignment with MDI’s profitability, service level, quality, and customer growth objectives. This role operates with broad decision-making authority across sourcing, pricing, inventory management, supplier relationships, and customer collaboration.

Requirements

5–8 years of progressive experience in produce buying, merchandising, or produce operations, including full-line buying responsibility with broad experience procuring across all primary produce commodities (fruits, vegetables, value-added, and seasonal categories).
Demonstrated experience in FOB procurement and vendor negotiations.
Strong understanding of USDA standards, produce specifications, and quality assurance requirements.
Proven ability to manage complex portfolios in fast-paced, high‑volume environments.
Advanced analytical, negotiation, and decision-making skills.
Strong communication and relationship management skills with both internal and external stakeholders.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and purchasing/inventory systems.
Ability to perform effectively under pressure and manage competing priorities.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Agriculture, or related field preferred.

Responsibilities

Own end‑to‑end buying responsibility for assigned produce categories, including sourcing strategy, vendor selection, pricing, and procurement execution.
Deliver gross profit, inventory investment, and shrink performance in line with annual budgets and service level expectations.
Manage inventory levels, turns, and freshness, balancing customer demand, seasonality, and market volatility.
Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned customer groups, partnering with retail merchandisers to develop and execute ad strategies, promotional calendars, and item launches.
Analyze and respond to market conditions (availability, weather, freight, pricing trends) and proactively adjust buying strategies to mitigate risk and capitalize on opportunity.
Lead supplier relationships, including negotiation of pricing, programs, quality expectations, and corrective action when standards are not met.
Establish and maintain item standards, including PLUs, UPCs, pack specifications, and quality parameters for all assigned items.
Collaborate closely with warehouse operations and quality control to ensure optimal inbound quality, rotation, and distribution execution.
Execute structured sourcing processes, including RFP development, evaluation, and supplier negotiations to optimize cost, quality, and service.
Requires periodic travel to industry events, supplier and grower operations, and retail customer locations to support relationship development, store-level execution, collaborative planning, and validation of merchandising, promotional, and program performance.
Drive sales growth initiatives, including new item introductions, category expansion, and assortment optimization to increase customer competitiveness.
Provide guidance and informal mentoring to Associate Buyers, supporting skill development, problem-solving, and adherence to best practices.
Participate in cross-functional initiatives, food shows, customer meetings, and departmental projects as a subject matter expert.
Build and improve procurement tools, reporting, and analytics, including leveraging AI-enabled solutions to enhance decision-making and efficiency.
Effectively utilize demand planning systems and insights to anticipate customer needs, align procurement strategies with forecasted demand, and proactively manage supply, inventory levels, and in-stock position across assigned categories.