Commercial / Trading manager - Fresh Produce

Zest Food Jobs; West Midlands; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Zest Food Jobs is partnering with a well established fresh produce business to recruit a driven Fresh Produce specialist for a high-impact commercial/trading role. You will own buying, selling, pricing and margin across wholesale, foodservice, export and independent channels, with direct reporting to the CEO and real ownership of trading decisions.

You will build strong supplier relationships, manage stock risk, monitor margins and contribute to category growth in a fast-moving, market-led

Qualifications

• 2-3+ years' experience buying, selling or trading fresh produce (or short shelf-life FMCG).
• Strong commercial judgement and natural trading instinct.
• Experience supplying wholesale and/or foodservice customers.
• Confident working with pricing, costings and financial data.
• Established network within non-retail fresh produce markets.
• Experience across fruit, vegetables or specialist categories.
• Strong analytical capability.
• Willingness to travel when required.

Responsibilities

• Own daily buying and selling activity and set pricing in line with live market conditions.
• Deliver and protect gross margin performance and manage stock risk.
• Align supply with customer demand to optimise returns across multiple channels (wholesale, foodservice, export, independents).
• Drive growth across wholesale, foodservice and independent accounts and expand product listings.
• Identify new non-retail opportunities and support export market development where appropriate.
• Maintain trading governance: reporting on margin and participate in weekly performance reviews.

Skills

Analytical skills

Commercial acumen

Trading instinct

Job description

A super opportunity to join this well established fresh produce business that is looking to recruit a driven, commercially minded Fresh Produce specialist to step into this high-impact, newly created commercial / trading role.

If you have experience buying, selling or trading fresh produce — and you thrive in the fast-moving, world of fresh — this could be your ideal next role.

Working directly with the CEO, you will sit at the heart of the non-retail function with real ownership, real accountability and a clear pathway to accelerate your career.

You will take responsibility for buying, selling, pricing and margin delivery across wholesale, foodservice, export and independent channels — shaping commercial direction while operating in a dynamic, market-led environment.

Key Responsibilities

Commercial Trading

• Take ownership of daily buying and selling activity
• Set and adjust pricing in line with live market conditions
• Deliver and protect gross margin performance
• Manage stock risk and short shelf-life exposure
• Align supply with customer demand to optimise returns

Business Development

• Drive growth across wholesale, foodservice and independent accounts
• Identify and secure new non-retail opportunities
• Expand product listings and introduce commercially viable new formats
• Support export market development where appropriate
• Build strong, performance-driven supplier relationships
• Coordinate supply programmes aligned to trading strategy
• Monitor quality, availability and commercial performance
• Contribute to category growth initiatives
• Maintain forward visibility on volumes and margin
• Anticipate volatility, shortages and oversupply risks
• Work cross-functionally to safeguard service and profitability

Commercial Governance

• Maintain accurate reporting on trading activity and margin
• Participate in weekly performance reviews
• Support working capital control and debtor management

What We're Looking For

• 2-3+ years' experience buying, selling or trading fresh produce (or short shelf-life FMCG)
• Strong commercial judgement and natural trading instinct
• Experience supplying wholesale and/or foodservice customers
• Confident working with pricing, costings and financial data
• Established network within non-retail fresh produce markets
• Experience across fruit, vegetables or specialist categories
• Strong analytical capability
• Willingness to travel when required

You will have the autonomy to make trading decisions, develop new revenue streams and directly impact business performance — while working with the CEO in a growing, ambitious business.