Produce Associate

Mustard Seed Market & Cafe; Akron (OH); On-site; USD 18,000 - 23,000; Full time

Job summary

Mustard Seed Market & Cafe is seeking a Produce Clerk to provide excellent customer service and ensure high-quality produce. You will maintain stock, rotate items using FIFO, and keep displays tidy and accurately signed.

You will unload shipments, assist with pricing, and learn details about produce items to answer customer questions. The role requires attention to detail, ability to work in a fast-paced retail environment, and willingness to handle physical duties such as lifting up to 60 lbs.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent is required.
• ServSafe Food Handler Level 1 Certificate is required (can be obtained during employment).
• Previous experience in a front-facing retail environment is preferred.
• Previous experience with food handling or service is preferred.
• Experience with food prep is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Provides customers with prompt and courteous service and assistance.
• Greets customers as they enter the store through the department.
• Inspects products for quality ensuring any signs of spoilage, damage, or unwanted additions are resolved.
• Ensure produce environment is clean, sanitized, and presentable at all times; ensuring debris, trash, and other foreign materials are removed timely.
• Condition department according to produce leadership policy and direction including but not limited to: rearranging equipment, deep cleaning surfaces, reorienting displays, re-signing products.
• Maintain appropriate stock levels according to business needs at the direction of produce leadership.
• Rotate products according to First In First Out methodology.
• Arranges and rearranges displays in line with company presentation and display standards for produce department.
• Addresses pricing and signage issues timely, ensuring produce leadership is notified of any issues and discrepancies.
• Wash products according to produce department washing categories at instruction of leadership.
• Trim and prepare products according to produce policy and daily needs.
• Unload shipments according to inventory and dispersing as instructed according department needs.
• Ensure that backstock is properly rotated according to FIFO methodology.
• Learn and understand the taste, preparation, differences, uses, ripeness, and other aspects of products within the produce department.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Problem solving

Initiative

Stacking skills

Spatial reasoning

Verbal communication

Independent work

Knife skills

Attention to detail

Teamwork

Merchandising

Education

High School diploma

ServSafe Food Handler Level 1

Job description

Description

Job Summary

Provides excellent customer service to all guests. Maintain consistent quality of products, stock levels, rotation (FIFO), merchandising, and pricing signage of products of merchandise and products in produce area. Unloads, washes, trims, and stores produce from shipments. Learn and understand the various aspects of produce department products.

Responsibilities

• Provides customers with prompt and courteous service and assistance
• Greets customers as they enter the store through the department
• Inspect products for quality ensuring any signs of spoilage, damage, or unwanted additions are resolved
• Ensure produce environment is clean, sanitized, and presentable at all times; ensuring debris, trash, and other foreign materials are removed timely
• Condition department according to produce leadership policy and direction including but not limited to: rearranging equipment, deep cleaning surfaces, reorienting displays, re-signing products
• Maintain appropriate stock levels according to business needs at the direction of produce leadership
• Rotate products according to First In First Out methodology
• Arranges and rearranges displays in line with company presentation and display standards for produce department
• Addresses pricing and signage issues timely, ensuring produce leadership is notified of any issues and discrepancies
• Wash products according to produce department washing categories at instruction of leadership
• Trim and prepare products according to produce policy and daily needs
• Unload shipments according to inventory and dispersing as instructed according department needs
• Ensure that backstock is properly rotated according to FIFO methodology
• Learn and understand the taste, preparation, differences, uses, ripeness, and other aspects of products within the produce department
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Working Conditions

Works in a non-smoking store environment that has daily exposure to wet, cold and freezing conditions. Additional environmental factors include odors, noise, and textures. This position works with raw produce materials that may include ice, dirt, insects, rot, and mold. This position uses chemicals, sharp equipment, and hot equipment. The workspace requires constant self-awareness and comfortability navigating tight spaces.

Equipment Operated

• Knives
• General/Misc. Kitchen Equipment
• Push Carts
• U-Boats
• Scanning Gun
• Wet-Wall Components
• Box Cutter
• Scale
• Compactor
• Pressure Washer
• Pricing Gun
• Printing Scale
• Manual Pallet
• Floral Cutter
• Bailer
• Garden Hose
• Food Processor
• Wrapping Machine

Requirements

Education And Experience

• High School Diploma or equivalent is required
• ServSafe Food Handler Level 1 Certificate is required (can be obtained during employment)
• Previous experience in a front-facing retail environment is preferred
• Previous experience with food handling or service is preferred
• Experience with food prep is plus

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Interpersonal Skills
• Ability to Problem Solve
• How and when to take initiative
• Stacking skills
• Spatial Reasoning
• Verbal Communication Skills
• Ability to work independently
• Knife skills
• Strong Attention to Detail
• Ability to work with a team
• Merchandising Ability

Physical Requirements

• Hearing (Auditory)
• Reading
• Reaching
• Lifting and Carrying 60 lbs.
• Climbing (Stepladder)
• Bending
• Grasping
• Standing
• Sight or Peripheral Vision
• Operating Equipment
• Pushing/Pulling Cart
• Walking
• Crouching
• Communicating (Verbal)
• Writing
• Phone handling
• Knife Handling