Produce Assistant Buyer

Balls Food Stores; Kansas City (MO); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Health, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid time off and holidays

Teammate discounts on products

Job summary

Balls Foods Stores is seeking an Assistant Produce Buyer at the Central Warehouse to assist with daily purchasing of fresh fruits and vegetables. You will analyze markets, pricing, and product trends, and help ensure stores receive quality produce at the right price.

Join a fast-paced grocery operation, build relationships with growers and distributors, and support inventory management across multiple store locations. Strong Excel skills and produce industry knowledge are preferred for this role.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• At least 2 years in produce retail/wholesale experience.
• Knowledge of fresh produce quality, grading, shelf life, and seasonal availability.
• Strong organizational and communication abilities.

Responsibilities

• Assist with daily purchasing of fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Monitor markets, seasonal availability, pricing and product trends.
• Build relationships with growers, suppliers, and distributors.
• Evaluate product quality, freshness, grading, and shelf life.
• Track inventory and help prevent shortages, overstock, and product loss.
• Coordinate product orders, deliveries, and logistics with suppliers and the Central Warehouse.
• Support store operations with product availability.
• Analyze purchasing data to inform decisions.
• Assist with supplier pricing negotiations with the Produce Buyer and Director.
• Resolve issues related to quality, availability, pricing, and delivery.
• Communicate with Sales, Warehouse, Store Ops to keep products moving.
• Maintain accurate purchasing data in company systems.
• Prepare reports and analyses to support decisions.

Skills

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Pricing analysis

Inventory analysis

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Produce Pro

Job description

Balls Foods Stores is looking for a motivated and detail-oriented Assistant Produce Buyer to join our team at the Central Warehouse. In this role, you'll work closely with our Produce Buyer and leadership team to help ensure our stores have the right fresh fruits and vegetables at the right quality, quantity, and price.

This is a great opportunity for someone with produce industry experience who enjoys working with suppliers, analyzing markets and pricing, and being part of a fast-paced grocery operation.

What You'll Do

• Assist with the daily purchasing of fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Monitor produce markets, seasonal availability, pricing, and product trends.
• Build and maintain relationships with growers, suppliers, and distributors.
• Help evaluate product quality, freshness, grading, and shelf life.
• Monitor inventory levels and help prevent shortages, overstock, and product loss.
• Coordinate product orders, deliveries, and logistics with suppliers and the Central Warehouse.
• Work with store operations to understand product needs and support availability across our stores.
• Track and analyze purchasing, pricing, inventory, and product performance.
• Assist with supplier pricing and purchasing negotiations alongside the Produce Buyer and Director.
• Help resolve product quality, availability, pricing, and delivery issues.
• Communicate with Sales, Warehouse, Store Operations, and other internal teams to keep product moving efficiently.
• Maintain accurate purchasing and product information in company systems.
• Assist with reports and analysis that support purchasing decisions and Produce department performance.

What We're Looking For

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• At least 2 years of experience in the produce retail and/or wholesale industry.
• Knowledge of fresh produce, including product quality, grading, shelf life, and seasonal availability.
• Strong organizational and communication skills.
• Ability to analyze pricing, inventory, and purchasing information.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, especially Excel.
• Experience with Produce Pro is a plus, but not required.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work early mornings, weekends, or other non-traditional hours as needed.

Why Join Balls Foods?

• Competitive salary
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off and holidays
• Teammate discounts on products