Location Fresh Buyer

Kennicott Brothers Co; Warren (MI); On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Kennicott Brothers Co is seeking a Buyer to join our purchasing team in Warren, MI. This role focuses on sourcing and purchasing fresh floral products while balancing availability, quality, inventory, cost, margin, and shrink.

The ideal candidate blends strong product knowledge, analytical skills, vendor negotiation, and collaboration with Sales and Operations to ensure timely delivery of the right product, in the right quantity, at the right cost.

Qualifications

• Experience as a Buyer, Purchaser, or in a purchasing role preferred.
• Floral industry or fresh-flower product knowledge strongly preferred.
• Strong negotiation, analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Purchase assigned fresh floral products and manage inventory levels based on sales history, current demand, seasonality, standing orders, and upcoming events.
• Create and manage purchase orders, confirmations, pricing changes, substitutions, and delivery adjustments.
• Develop strong relationships with domestic and international growers, importers, and suppliers.
• Negotiate pricing, programs, product specifications, and terms while maintaining Kennicott’s quality standards.
• Monitor inventory and react quickly to shortages, overstocks, aging product, and changing market conditions.
• Partner closely with Sales to understand customer needs, communicate product availability, and identify purchasing opportunities.
• Support large events, holidays, standing orders, and special customer programs.
• Monitor market pricing, crop conditions, availability, transportation issues, and industry trends.
• Evaluate supplier performance based on quality, price, fill rate, reliability, and responsiveness.
• Work with Operations to resolve quality issues, claims, and supplier performance concerns.
• Participate in holiday and seasonal forecasting, purchasing, and post-season reviews.
• Identify opportunities to improve purchasing costs, inventory turns, gross margin, and product availability.

Skills

Negotiation

Analytical skills

Excel

Vendor relationships

Tools

Purchasing systems

Inventory management systems

Job description

BuyerKennicott Brothers CompanyPosition Summary:Kennicott Brothers Company is seeking a Buyer to join our purchasing team. This position is responsible for sourcing and purchasing fresh floral products while balancing product availability, quality, inventory levels, cost, margin, and shrink.The ideal candidate combines strong product knowledge, analytical skills, vendor negotiation, and close collaboration with Sales and Operations to ensure we have the right product, in the right quantity, at the right cost, at the right time.Key Responsibilities:Purchase assigned fresh floral products and manage inventory levels based on sales history, current demand, seasonality, standing orders, and upcoming events.Create and manage purchase orders, confirmations, pricing changes, substitutions, and delivery adjustments.Develop strong relationships with domestic and international growers, importers, and suppliers.Negotiate pricing, programs, product specifications, and terms while maintaining Kennicott’s quality standards.Monitor inventory and react quickly to shortages, overstocks, aging product, and changing market conditions.Partner closely with Sales to understand customer needs, communicate product availability, and identify purchasing opportunities.Support large events, holidays, standing orders, and special customer programs.Monitor market pricing, crop conditions, availability, transportation issues, and industry trends.Evaluate supplier performance based on quality, price, fill rate, reliability, and responsiveness.Work with Operations to resolve quality issues, claims, and supplier performance concerns.Participate in holiday and seasonal forecasting, purchasing, and post-season reviews.Identify opportunities to improve purchasing costs, inventory turns, gross margin, and product availability.Qualifications:Previous Buyer, Purchasing, Procurement, or related experience preferred.Floral industry and fresh-flower product knowledge strongly preferred.Experience in wholesale distribution, perishables, produce, food, or a similar inventory-sensitive industry is beneficial.Strong negotiation, analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.Ability to analyze sales, inventory, margin, and purchasing information.Proficiency with Excel and purchasing/inventory management systems.Strong communication skills and ability to work effectively with Sales, Operations, vendors, and branch leadership.Ability to make timely decisions and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.