Buyer

Coffee & Bagel Brands; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 65,000 - 108,000; Full time

Job summary

Caribou Coffee Operating Company, Inc. is seeking a Buyer to join the Sourcing and Inventory Management Team in Minnesota. The role focuses on developing a diverse supplier network, demand planning, and driving cost-competitive sourcing strategies that support growth across channels.

Key responsibilities include negotiating contracts, managing supplier performance, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to optimize inventory, inbound planning, and outbound replenishment.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years of experience in strategic sourcing or purchasing, preferably in food or beverage product categories.
• Experience in business and financial planning, supplier relationship management, and contract management.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain a diverse supplier network and demand planning strategy.
• Lead cost negotiations to ensure best quality goods at the best cost.
• Manage supplier relationships and performance metrics across categories.
• Collaborate with internal teams to align sourcing with product lifecycle processes.
• Oversee ERP and item data maintenance and supplier master data.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Contract management

Supplier relationship management

Data analytics

Negotiation

Education

4-year degree in relevant field

Tools

Great Plains

FoodLogiQ

Job description

At Caribou Coffee we create day-making experiences that spark a chain reaction of GOOD! This is our purpose. Our team brings this to life by focusing on what's really important around here - TEAM, GUEST, BUSINESS! It's that simple. If you're ready to work somewhere you can be yourself while making an impact on your community, creating life-long relationships, and serving the best coffee around, join our herd!

Position Overview:

The Buyer works within the Sourcing and Inventory Management Team to develop and maintain a reliable, diverse supplier network and demand planning strategy that drives global retail sales growth, achieves cost and expense objectives, and supports unit growth through optimized and efficient inventory asset utilization. The Buyer partners externally with suppliers and distributors and internally with Inventory Analysts, Product Innovation, Store Operations, Coffee Operations, Supply Chain, Quality Assurance, Legal, License, Franchise, and Finance teams to implement sourcing and demand planning strategies and tactics in support of delivering Caribou's Company goals and objectives. The Buyer is responsible for Identifying, developing, and maintaining strategic vendor partnerships, managing contracts, and leading product cost negotiations to ensure the best quality goods and services at the best cost. The Buyer will also collect, validate, and aggregate multi-channel inventory demand forecasts to support inbound supply planning, efficient inventory flow, and reliable outbound replenishment.

Core Responsibilities:

Strategic Sourcing & Supplier Management Execute Caribou's strategic sourcing vision and roadmap to support growth objectives and sourcing-related ESG commitments and to inform the company's annual operating and long-range planning processes

Manage a supplier matrix to ensure strong partnerships and reliable, cost-effective access to all inventory required to deliver sales, profit, and quality objectives across all business channels.

Partner with Culinary R&D, Category Management, Store Operations, Manufacturing, and Supply Chain Teams to develop and enable sourcing solutions that fully integrate into Product Lifecycle processes

Manage supplier relationships, including forecast and demand analytics, to inform negotiations and achieve best cost of goods

Obtain services and source materials from suppliers at the lowest total cost consistent with considerations of quality, reliability of source, risk to the business and urgency of need

Conduct regular business reviews with suppliers and internal business partners, executing sourcing strategies based on quality, delivery, cost, and market conditions

Recommend sources of supply to Category Managers; maintain an accurate knowledge of supplier capabilities, industry trends, market pricing, and consumer insights

Facilitate the contract management process and negotiate new/expiring contracts for assigned categories to ensure new supplier onboarding and business continuity with existing suppliers

Work cross-functionally to lead new supplier certification and onboarding, including compliance with Caribou quality assurance, contract, and warehouse/logistics requirements

Perform analytics, identify gaps, and develop projects to drive cost out of the business while protecting the quality and service objectives of the business

Maintain an item cost management model for assigned categories that provides visibility to all item cost components and supports ongoing cost monitoring with suppliers and distribution partners

Lead RFP process for new and existing assortment items to make informed assortment selection recommendations considering product cost breakdowns and associated logistics and transportation costs

Manage ERP (Great Plains) & FoodLogiQ item systems maintenance, including SKU and supplier master data, cost detail, and specification requirements

In collaboration with the Inventory Management Team, monitor and manage KPIs including in stocks, forecast variance, turnover, fill rate, and unproductive inventory, and address supplier challenges to reconcile quantity and on time shipment variances and manage corrective action needs

In collaboration with Quality Assurance, address supplier challenges and manage corrective action needs including voluntary withdrawal and product recall processes to ensure financial accountability in accordance with contract terms

In collaboration with Finance, Accounts Payable, and Inventory Analyst resolving invoicing discrepancies with suppliers

Demand Planning

In collaboration with Category Management, Store Operations, Finance, and Inventory Analyst teams develop annual operating plans, COGS spend, and margin forecasts

Forecast and validate short and long-term demand aggregated across all channels and segmentation strategies to support Product Lifecycle processes, inbound supply planning, efficient inventory flow, reliable outbound replenishment, and optimized store inventory levels

Collaborate with Category Management, Store Operations, Inventory Analysts, Supply Chain, and suppliers to ensure appropriate inventory controls across KPIs to protect daily in stock position and prevent end of program write-offs

Perform post-set chase/cancel analysis for all new and promotional items to ensure effective inventory controls, supply, and mitigate unproductive inventory and disposition liability

Support category in stocks, optimized inventory turns, and reduced unproductive inventory by collaborating with the Inventory Management Team to ensure accurate weekly forecasts, effective purchase order management, and distribution planning practices

Skills and Requirements:

Bring Caribou's Core Values to life in all that you do: Support One Another, Make Fun Happen, Be Yourself, Take Ownership, Serve with Love Ensure focus of work aligns with Caribou’s strategic sourcing vision and roadmap Build and maintain productive, trusted relationships with peers, leaders, cross functional partners, and suppliers Consider diverse perspectives and collaborate cross-functionally to influence business decisions grounded in data-based analytics Articulate business decisions based on data analytics in a clear, concise, and timely manner Demonstrate a results-oriented, entrepreneurial mindset, proven sense of urgency, and demonstrate strong initiative towards business needs, problem solving, data analytics, process management, critical thinking, and making timely decisions Work both independently and collaboratively, manage and follow through multi-step project steps/procedures consistently Demonstrate a willingness to learn, work with others, consider diverse perspectives, innovate, hold yourself accountable, and recognize others’ contributions Prioritize guest and team when establishing plans and decision frameworks Maintain focus on long-term goals while managing day-to-day responsibilities

Qualifications:

4-year degree in relevant field Minimum 3 years of experience in strategic sourcing or purchasing, preferably in food or beverage product categories Proven experience in business and financial planning, supplier relationship management, and contract management (sourcing / purchasing focus)

Physical Requirements:

The physical requirements for this position include sitting, standing, bending, lifting, and moving intermittently during working hours. These physical requirements must be accomplished with or without reasonable accommodation. The duties of this position may change from time to time. Caribou reserves the right to add or delete duties and responsibilities at the discretion of Caribou or its managers. This job description is intended to describe the general level of work being performed. It is not intended to be all-inclusive.

Caribou Coffee Operating Company, Inc. and its affiliates are proud to be Equal Opportunity Employers to all applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type based on any characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.

Address:

3900 Lakebreeze Ave N , Brooklyn Center, Minnesota 55429

Compensation Range:

$64,946.00 - $108,243.00 per year *Starting pay is subject to Local and State Minimum Wage regulations. **Ranges reflect what employer reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for such position.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands for this position are reaching, lifting up to 50 pounds, sitting, standing, for 4 to 8 hours, bending, and moving intermittently during working hours. These physical demands may be accomplished with or without reasonable accommodations. The duties of this position may change from time to time. Caribou Coffee reserves the right to add or delete duties and responsibilities at the discretion of the company or its managers. This job description is intended to describe the general level of work being performed. It is not intended to be all-inclusive. Caribou Coffee Operating Company, Inc. and its affiliates are proud to be Equal Opportunity Employers to all applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type based on any characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.

Brand:

Caribou Coffee serves high-quality handcrafted beverages and crave-worthy food in more than 800 coffeehouses worldwide. Committed to building personal connections and supporting the communities it serves, Caribou uses premium ingredients like specialty-grade coffee and real chocolate chips in our handcrafted beverages to help create day-making experiences for every guest. Caribou Coffee is part of Panera Brands with Panera Bread® and Einstein Bros.® Bagels. To learn more, visit cariboucoffee.com.