Store Manager

Food Whisperer; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Food Whisperer in Bengaluru is seeking an experienced Store Manager to oversee end-to-end Central Kitchen store operations, ensuring receipt, storage, inventory control, issuance, and dispatch of raw materials, packaging, consumables, and other supplies.

You will maintain accurate inventory, minimise wastage, enforce FIFO/FEFO, coordinate with Production and Procurement, conduct stock reconciliations, and ensure food safety and SOP compliance across storage areas.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in a related field such as Commerce, SCM, Logistics, or Hospitality.
• Experience in Central Kitchen/food manufacturing or high-volume store environments is preferred.
• Knowledge of FIFO/FEFO, inventory controls, and ERP systems is essential.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day operations of Central Kitchen stores and supervise receiving, storage, issue, and dispatch activities.
• Maintain accurate inventory records; monitor stock levels, reordering, and variance reporting.
• Ensure FIFO/FEFO compliance and proper storage of dry, chilled, and frozen materials; monitor temperatures.

Skills

Inventory management

Store operations

FIFO/FEFO

GRN and issuance

ERP systems

MS Excel/Sheets

Team management

Documentation/MIS

Cost-conscious

Planning & organization

Education

Bachelor's degree in Commerce, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Hospitality, Operations

Tools

ERP / Inventory Management System

Job description

The Store Manager will be responsible for the end-to-end management of the Central Kitchen store operations, ensuring proper receipt, storage, inventory control, issuance, and dispatch of food raw materials, packaging materials, consumables, and other operational supplies.

The role will ensure accurate inventory, minimum wastage, proper FIFO/FEFO practices, timely material availability, stock reconciliation, and compliance with food safety and company SOPs.

Key Responsibilities

1. Store Operations

• Manage day-to-day operations of the Central Kitchen stores.
• Supervise receiving, storage, material issuance, and dispatch activities.
• Ensure materials are received as per approved Purchase Orders and specifications.
• Verify quantity, quality, packaging, and expiry dates at the time of receipt.
• Ensure proper documentation of all inward and outward material movements.
• Ensure timely issuance of raw materials to the Production/Kitchen team.

2. Inventory Management

• Maintain accurate inventory records for all food and non-food materials.
• Monitor stock levels and maintain appropriate minimum, maximum, and reorder levels.
• Conduct regular physical stock verification and reconciliation.
• Investigate and report stock variances, shortages, excesses, and damages.
• Monitor slow-moving, non-moving, damaged, and expired inventory.
• Minimize inventory holding costs and material wastage.

3. FIFO / FEFO & Food Safety

• Ensure strict implementation of FIFO (First In, First Out) and FEFO (First Expiry, First Out) practices.
• Ensure proper segregation and identification of food materials.
• Monitor temperature-sensitive and perishable products.
• Ensure proper storage conditions for dry, chilled, frozen, and other food products.
• Maintain cleanliness, hygiene, pest-control standards, and proper housekeeping within the store.
• Coordinate with Quality/HSEQ teams for food safety and hygiene compliance.

4. Material Receiving & Quality Checks

• Coordinate with Procurement and vendors for scheduled deliveries.
• Verify incoming materials against Purchase Orders, invoices, and delivery challans.
• Check quantity, weight, quality, packaging condition, batch details, manufacturing dates, and expiry dates.
• Coordinate rejection/return of materials that do not meet specifications.
• Maintain proper records of rejected and returned materials.

5. Material Issuance & Production Coordination

• Ensure timely issuance of materials as per approved requisitions.
• Coordinate with Kitchen and Production teams regarding daily material requirements.
• Monitor daily consumption against planned requirements.
• Identify unusual consumption patterns and report discrepancies.
• Ensure proper documentation for all material issues.

6. Inventory Control & Cost Management

• Monitor food and non-food inventory to reduce wastage and pilferage.
• Track material consumption and inventory variance.
• Support management in controlling food cost through effective inventory management.
• Conduct periodic stock audits and cycle counts.
• Ensure proper controls over high-value and high-consumption items.

7. Documentation & MIS

• Maintain accurate records of:
• Goods Receipt Notes (GRN)
• Material Issue Notes
• Stock Registers
• Purchase Orders
• Delivery Challans
• Expiry/Wastage Reports
• Prepare daily, weekly, and monthly inventory reports.
• Maintain accurate ERP/system entries for all inventory transactions.
• Provide inventory data to Procurement, Finance, Operations, and Management.

8. Team Management

• Lead and supervise the storekeeping team.
• Allocate daily duties and monitor team performance.
• Train employees on store SOPs, inventory controls, hygiene, FIFO/FEFO, and safety procedures.
• Ensure discipline, attendance, and productivity of the stores team.
• Conduct regular team briefings and performance reviews.

9. Cross-Functional Coordination

Coordinate closely with:

• Procurement Team
• Chefs
• Finance & Accounts
• Operations
• Quality / HSEQ
• Planning Team

Ensure uninterrupted availability of materials required for Central Kitchen operations.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Inventory accuracy
• Stock variance percentage
• Inventory wastage and expiry
• FIFO/FEFO compliance
• Timely material issuance
• Stock-out frequency
• GRN and system entry accuracy
• Inventory holding levels
• Physical stock reconciliation
• Store hygiene and audit scores
• Team productivity

Educational Qualification

• Bachelor's degree in Commerce, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Hotel Management, Operations, or a related field.
• Diploma/Certification in Stores, Inventory, or Supply Chain Management will be an added advantage.

Experience

• 4–7 years of experience in Stores / Inventory Management.
• Experience in Central Kitchen, QSR, Restaurant, Catering, Hospitality, Food Production, FMCG, or Food Manufacturing will be preferred.
• Experience in handling perishable and non-perishable food materials will be an advantage.
• Experience managing a store team in a high-volume operation is preferred.

Required Skills

• Inventory management
• Store operations
• Food/raw-material handling
• FIFO & FEFO
• GRN and material issuance
• ERP / Inventory Management Systems
• MS Excel / Google Sheets
• Documentation and MIS
• Team management
• Problem-solving
• Communication and coordination skills
• Strong inventory control
• Ownership and accountability
• Planning and organization
• Analytical ability
• Team leadership
• Discipline and process orientation
• Cost-conscious approach
• Problem-solving ability
• Ability to work in a fast-paced Central Kitchen environment

Working Conditions

The position will be based at the Food Whisperer Central Kitchen, Hoodi, Bangalore and will require regular coordination with the Procurement, Kitchen, Production, Finance, Operations, and Quality teams. The role may require working in temperature-controlled/chilled and food-storage environments.