Buyer

Mike Hudson Dist; California (MO); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid vacations

Paid holidays

Health benefits

Dental benefits

Medical benefits

Weekly pay

Life insurance

Staff discount

401k

ESPP

Job summary

The Chefs' Warehouse is seeking a seasoned Purchasing professional to coordinate inventory replenishment across suppliers, sales, logistics and operations. You will place and manage POs, optimize the Purchase-to-Pay cycle, and maintain vendor documentation to ensure timely deliveries and compliance.

Ideal candidates bring 5+ years in specialty food procurement, strong Excel and ERP experience, and a proactive, cross-functional collaboration style to reduce costs and stock risks while supporting

Qualifications

• 5+ years buying experience with a focus on Specialty Food Produce for a multi-unit Distribution Organization.
• Bachelor’s degree from accredited four-year college or university preferred.
• Previous food service distribution and/or food importing experience strongly preferred.
• Commodity product awareness including blanket commitments, contractual processes, and appropriate market tracking.
• Advanced Excel Skill and additional Computer skills (JDE, Microsoft Suite – Word and PowerPoint, etc.)
• Must have a sense of urgency and be able to work under pressure in a fast-paced, metrics-driven environment.
• Flexible with the ability to work well with all departments and levels of staff both internally & externally.
• Professional demeanor during all interactions with vendors, customers and fellow employees via phone or in-person.
• Have a drive to advance within the organization.
• Must be a team player with a positive attitude.
• Excellent verbal/written communication skills and a high level of analytical capabilities within Excel
• Self-starter, professional, goal oriented and able to handle multiple tasks.

Responsibilities

• Place purchase orders with vendors using seasonal fluctuations and market factors to avoid spoilage, overstock, and shortages.
• Manage and maintain the entire Purchase-to-Pay process (PO Creation; collaboration with Accounts Payable for payment).
• Maintain Purchasing system data to generate suggested POs.
• Maintain vendor documents (W-9s, indemnities, etc.).
• Work with vendors to ensure timely PO fulfillment and FDA compliance.
• Coordinate with Logistics to minimize freight costs.
• Collaborate with Sales Managers to manage stock risks.
• Coordinate with Customer Service to enable sales growth.
• Work with Buyers to improve best practices and build vendor relationships for discounts.
• Manage Fusion system issues impacting Purchasing and Receiving.
• Maintain BFC dating system to minimize close-dated issues and expired product impact.

Skills

Buying experience

Advanced Excel

Vendor relations

Communication skills

Multitasking

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

JDE

Microsoft Office

Job description

Posted Thursday, August 6, 2026 at 7:00 AM

About Greenleaf

GreenLeaf is proud to have been part of the sustainability food chain since our inception in 1975 when our founder, Jameson Patton delivered local and organic produce to San Francisco communes and restaurants out of a 1966 Dodge Windo van named Juliette.

As GreenLeaf's reputation blossomed, Jameson and his partner, Steve Walton, became instrumental in the forming and advancement of CCOF, California Certified Organic Farmers.

Today, with over 2,000 discerning customers, GreenLeaf is in the unique position to be able to select and support hundreds of farms and suppliers committed to organic and regenerative farming, ethical ingredient sourcing, worker well-being, and growing local communities.

Position Summary:

Coordinates inventory replenishment activities with suppliers, sales, logistics and operations for assigned categories.

What you’ll do:

• Place purchase orders with vendors utilizing an awareness of seasonal fluctuations, market effects and other information that require a high attention to detail to avoid spoilage, overstocks, and shortages.
• Manage and maintain the entire Purchase-to-Pay process, covering:
• PO Creation
• Collaboration with Accounts Payable to ensure payment.
• Maintain Purchasing system data to effectively generate suggested POs.
• Maintain necessary required vendor documents (electronic and physical), such as W-9’s, Indemnities, etc.
• Work closely with:
• Vendors to ensure POs are filled and delivered in a timely fashion.
• Vendors to manage FDA issues.
• Logistics to minimize freight expenses.
• Sales Managers to manage out-of-stock or over-stock risks.
• Customer Service teams to enable sales order growth.
• Buyers to build upon best-practices.
• Build and maintain vendor relationships to not only support PO fulfillment, but also negotiate volume discounts and price breaks wherever possible.
• Manage Fusion system issues that impact Purchasing and Receiving.
• Maintain BFC dating system to minimize close dated issues and Expired product impact.

About you:

• 5+ years buying experience with a focus on Specialty Food Produce for a multi-unit Distribution Organization.
• Bachelor’s degree from accredited four-year college or university preferred.
• Previous food service distribution and/or food importing experience strongly preferred.
• Commodity product awareness including blanket commitments, contractual processes, and appropriate market tracking.
• Advanced Excel Skill and additional Computer skills (JDE, Microsoft Suite – Word and PowerPoint, etc.)
• Must have a sense of urgency and be able to work under pressure,be comfortable in a fast-paced, metrics-driven environment.
• Flexible with the ability to work well with all departments and levels of staff both internally & externally.
• Professional demeanor during all interactions with vendors, customers and fellow employeesvia phone or in-person.
• Have a drive to advance within the organization.
• Must be a team player with a positive attitude.
• Excellent verbal/written communication skills and a high level of analytical capabilities within Excel
• Self-starter, professional, goal oriented and able to handle multiple tasks.

#LI-LD1 #LI-ONSITE

The above job description is not an all-inclusive list of duties and standards of the position. Incumbents will follow any other instructions, and perform any other related duties as assigned by their supervisor.

• Paid Vacations, Paid Holidays
• Health, Dental and Medical Benefits
• Weekly pay
• Life Insurance
• 5% above cost for our high-quality food products
• Employee discounts for travel and events
• 401k
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan

The Chefs' Warehouse is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate based on actual or perceived race, creed, color, religion, alienage or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law.Our management team is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities and general treatment during employment.We are dedicated to building an inclusive and diverse workforce.