Food Buyer - Agata & Valentina

New York Ag Connection; New York (NY); On-site; USD 79,000 - 96,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive health, dental, and vis​

401(k)

Paid time off

Employee discounts

Ongoing training and professional dev.

Job summary

J.A.V. Food Corp d/b/a Agata & Valentina in New York, NY seeks an experienced Food Buyer to lead store and office supply purchases under Head Buyer guidance. Strong negotiation and sourcing skills are essential to secure best terms and keep products aligned with trends.

The role requires at least 5 years in food buying, a business/SC degree, and advanced Excel. This in-person position offers comprehensive benefits and opportunities to influence assortment and supplier relationships.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience in food buying with a focus on grocery, dairy and perishables.
• Strong negotiation, sourcing and vendor management skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and business applications.

Responsibilities

• Purchase for the store and office supplies under Head Buyer guidance.
• Negotiate for lowest cost and best terms with vendors.
• Analyze unit prices for best value and cost-cutting ideas.
• Stay organized managing multiple priorities and market trends.
• Identify market trends to maintain competitive edge.
• Communicate effectively with vendors and teams.
• Collaborate with Head Buyer to align purchasing strategies with goals.
• Source specialty food items and maintain product variety and quality.
• Support vendor evaluation and purchasing needs with delivery and service quality awareness.
• Build partnerships with suppliers to optimize purchasing outcomes.

Skills

Negotiation

Sourcing

Vendor management

Market trend analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business or Supply Chain

Tools

Microsoft Excel (Advanced)

POS systems

Purchase Order Systems

Job description

Position Summary
Specialty Food Retailer is seeking an experienced Food Buyer to join the team! The ideal candidate will have previous experience as a Food Buyer, strong negotiating skills, sourcing abilities, creative problem solving, sound business judgement and vendor management. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who is career focused and committed with drive, desire and energy to tackle major challenges to succeed. The ideal candidate will also have the passion to continuously source new and exciting products and stay ahead of the trends. This position works directly with the Head Buyer and will learn from their many years of experience in the industry.

If you are driven, business-savvy and excited about curating an exceptional selection, we want to hear from you!

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Responsible for purchases for the store and general office supplies under the direction of Head Buyer
• Responsible for negotiating for lowest cost, comparative shopping, ensuring quality service and seeking best terms, conditions, and quality of products
• Devise innovative cost-cutting ideas and analysis of unit prices for best value
• Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively
• Quick to identify market trends, ensuring a competitive edge
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with a proactive and solution oriented mindset
• Provide direct liaison with current vendors and continually evaluate potential vendors, purchasing needs, delivery, quality of service, as well as keeping abreast of product trends under direction of Head Buyer.
• Strong negotiating skills to secure competitive pricing and favorable vendor relationships
• Sourcing specialty food items and maintaining product variety and quality
• Collaborate with Head Buyer to align purchasing strategies with business goals

Knowledge Skills and Competencies

• Extensive knowledge in the Food Retail field
• Thrives in fast-paced, high-demand settings while maintaining accuracy and efficiency
• Advanced skillset in Microsoft Office, especially Excel is required
• Excellent communication plus relation management skills
• Ability to manage projects on own, with supervision of Head Buyer

Qualifications and Experience

• Minimum 5 years of experience in food buying with a strong focus on grocery, dairy and perishables
• Proven track record of building and maintaining productive partnerships with suppliers and vendors
• A degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, or a related discipline
• Strong financial acumen with the ability to analyze sales trends and adjust purchasing strategies accordingly
• Tech-savvy with a strong command of Microsoft Office Suite, with advanced Excel (VLOOKUP) skills
• Ability to learn and navigate business applications such as POS and purchase order Systems

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, talk or hear. Travel as needed by the company including trade shows may be necessary

Job Description

Company: J.A.V. Food Corp d/b/a Agata & Valentina

Location: New York, NY 10075

Job Type: Full-Time, In-Person

Compensation: From $87,500 a year

Reports To: Executive Management

Benefits

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k)
• Paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Employee discounts
• Ongoing training, mentorship, and professional development opportunities