Buyer

Blake Farms; Michigan; On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with match

Full health/dental/vision benefits

PTO

Perks of working at a beloved farm

Job summary

Blake Farms is seeking a Buyer to drive strategic sourcing and manage supplier relationships. This role requires a strong background in procurement and negotiation, aiming to achieve measurable cost savings and enhance supplier performance.

Successful candidates will have experience in food and beverage manufacturing, ideally with a focus on cider or similar industries. A Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain or Business is preferred. Attractive compensation and benefits include a competitive salary and robust health coverage.

Qualifications

• 2–5 years in procurement, sourcing, or supply chain.
• Demonstrated success in supplier negotiations with measurable outcomes.
• Strong commercial instincts — focus on total cost of ownership.

Responsibilities

• Lead supplier negotiations with expectations around cost and service levels.
• Establish and manage supplier contracts for competitive pricing.
• Identify, qualify, and onboard new suppliers to improve cost and quality.

Skills

Supplier negotiations

Category strategy

Procurement

ERP system management

Education

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

Tools

NetSuite

Job description

Who We Are & About This Role

Since 1946, Blake’s Orchard & Cider Mill has been a cornerstone of Michigan agriculture and agritourism — an 80-year family operation with deep roots in Armada and a genuine growth ambition. We make world‑class hard and sweet cider, operate tasting rooms and retail across four locations, and host thousands of guests a year.

The Buyer owns how we source — the suppliers we partner with, the costs we control, and the materials that keep production running and shelves stocked. This is a strategic role for someone who negotiates hard, thinks in systems, and builds supplier relationships that last.

If you’ve turned a vendor conversation into a long‑term win, built a sourcing pipeline from scratch, and kept operations moving when supply got tight — we want to hear from you.

Your Role With Blake’s - Key Responsibilities

Strategic Sourcing & Negotiation

• Lead supplier negotiations with clear expectations around cost, payment terms, and service levels
• Establish and manage supplier contracts that deliver competitive pricing and favorable terms
• Benchmark pricing and total cost against market conditions to keep Blake’s ahead
• Deliver measurable cost savings across assigned categories — and be able to show your work

Supplier Development & Risk Management

• Identify, qualify, and onboard new suppliers to improve cost, quality, and supply continuity
• Run RFI/RFQ processes and evaluate vendors on cost, capability, and reliability — not just price
• Build and maintain a backup supplier pipeline for critical materials so we’re never caught flat‑footed
• Conduct supplier performance reviews and get ahead of quality or service issues before they hit the floor

Category & Inventory Management

• Develop and manage category‑level purchasing strategies across raw materials, packaging, retail, and bakery supplies
• Balance cost, service level, and inventory investment to optimize total business performance
• Monitor demand patterns and align purchasing plans with sales forecasts and seasonal needs
• Manage inventory levels to improve turns and minimize stockouts or dead stock

Procurement Execution & ERP

• Create, track, and manage purchase orders within NetSuite
• Maintain accurate purchasing, inventory, and vendor data in the ERP — clean data is non‑negotiable
• Ensure timely ordering and delivery of materials to keep production and retail running on schedule

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Partner with production, retail, bakery, and sales teams to align purchasing with what the business actually needs
• Support new product launches and seasonal planning through proactive, forward‑leaning sourcing
• Be the consistent link between suppliers and internal stakeholders — proactive, not reactive

Process Improvement & Performance

• Identify and implement improvements in purchasing processes, inventory accuracy, and cost control
• Establish and track KPIs that measure outcomes — cost savings, fill rates, turns, supplier performance
• Drive accountability for results, not just activity

Requirements

What Great Looks Like – Qualifications

Backgrounds that succeed here look different: supply chain, food and beverage, agriculture, retail operations, or general manufacturing. What matters is that you’ve delivered results and can prove it.

Required

• 2–5 years in procurement, sourcing, or supply chain — we care about what you’ve built, not just where you’ve worked
• Demonstrated success in supplier negotiations with real, measurable outcomes
• Strong commercial instincts — you think in total cost of ownership, not just unit price
• Experience managing category strategy and supplier pipelines
• Comfortable working in an ERP system to manage POs, inventory, and vendor data
• Organized and self‑directed; you manage competing priorities without dropping the ball

Preferred

• Food or beverage manufacturing experience — cider, beer, wine, juice, or similar
• Hands‑on NetSuite experience
• Experience with seasonal operations and variable demand planning
• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, or a related field — or equivalent real‑world experience

How You’re Rewarded – Compensation & Benefits

Competitive base salary, performance‑based incentive, 401(k) with match, full health/dental/vision benefits, PTO, and all the perks of working at one of Michigan’s most beloved farms. Full details shared during the interview process.

What’s Next – How to Apply

Don’t just send a resume into a void. Reach out on LinkedIn, visit a location, try the cider — show us you want in. We can’t wait to meet the right person.

Blake’s Orchard & Cider Mill is an equal opportunity employer.