Produce Purchasing Manager

Leoforce; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Leoforce is seeking an experienced Produce Purchasing Manager in Philadelphia, PA, to oversee sourcing, pricing, and supplier relationships for the produce category. The role focuses on driving inventory control, margin management, and category performance in a fast-paced produce environment.

You will manage supplier negotiations, collaborate with sales and operations, and ensure compliance with food safety and labeling requirements.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of fresh produce buying experience.
• Strong experience with FOB and delivered produce purchasing.
• Experience within produce distribution, wholesale, retail, or a similar fresh food environment.
• Category management, senior buying, merchandising, or commodity management experience preferred.
• Strong knowledge of produce commodities, growing regions, seasonality, and market pricing.
• Experience managing sales, margin, inventory, and shrink.
• Established grower, shipper, importer, or vendor relationships preferred.
• Strong negotiation and supplier management skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage assigned produce categories, including sales, gross margin, inventory, and shrink.
• Source and purchase fresh produce on both an FOB and delivered basis.
• Develop strong relationships with growers, shippers, importers, and produce vendors.
• Negotiate pricing, contracts, seasonal programs, and promotional opportunities.
• Monitor crop conditions, weather, growing regions, seasonality, supply, and market pricing.
• Forecast demand and maintain appropriate inventory levels.
• Balance product availability, freshness, fill rates, and shrink.
• Analyze SKU and category performance to identify growth opportunities.
• Manage assortment and introduce new produce items based on customer and market demand.
• Partner with sales, operations, warehouse, and quality teams.
• Communicate market conditions, pricing changes, availability, and quality updates.
• Help ensure incoming product meets established quality specifications.
• Support USDA inspections, product rejections, and PACA claims when needed.
• Maintain compliance with food safety, traceability, and labeling requirements.

Skills

Negotiation

Supplier management

Forecasting

Excel skills

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

Tools

ERP system

Job description

Produce Purchasing Manager

Philadelphia, PA, US

Job Description

Experience: Manager

Salary: $100,000 - $130,000 per year

Job Details

We are looking for an experienced Produce Category Manager to oversee sourcing, pricing, supplier relationships, inventory, and overall category performance.

Responsibilities

• Manage assigned produce categories, including sales, gross margin, inventory, and shrink
• Source and purchase fresh produce on both an FOB and delivered basis
• Develop strong relationships with growers, shippers, importers, and produce vendors
• Negotiate pricing, contracts, seasonal programs, and promotional opportunities
• Monitor crop conditions, weather, growing regions, seasonality, supply, and market pricing
• Forecast demand and maintain appropriate inventory levels
• Balance product availability, freshness, fill rates, and shrink
• Analyze SKU and category performance to identify growth opportunities
• Manage assortment and introduce new produce items based on customer and market demand
• Partner with sales, operations, warehouse, and quality teams
• Communicate market conditions, pricing changes, availability, and quality updates
• Help ensure incoming product meets established quality specifications
• Support USDA inspections, product rejections, and PACA claims when needed
• Maintain compliance with food safety, traceability, and labeling requirements

Qualifications

• 5+ years of fresh produce buying experience
• Strong experience with FOB and delivered produce purchasing
• Experience within produce distribution, wholesale, retail, or a similar fresh food environment
• Category management, senior buying, merchandising, or commodity management experience preferred
• Strong knowledge of produce commodities, growing regions, seasonality, and market pricing
• Experience managing sales, margin, inventory, and shrink
• Established grower, shipper, importer, or vendor relationships preferred
• Strong negotiation and supplier management skills
• Knowledge of PACA, USDA, FDA, FSMA, GAP/GMP, and traceability requirements
• Strong analytical and decision-making skills
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills
• ERP or produce inventory management system experience is a plus
• Bilingual English/Spanish is a plus
• Bachelor's degree preferred or equivalent relevant industry experience

A bit about us:

This is a great opportunity for someone who knows the produce market, has strong grower and shipper relationships, and has experience with FOB and delivered produce buying.

Why join us?

• Competitive base salary of $100-130K
• Established and growing organization
• High-impact role with ownership over assigned produce categories
• Opportunity to work directly with growers, shippers, suppliers, and internal leadership
• Strong opportunity for professional growth
• Fast-paced environment where your market knowledge and relationships can make an immediate impact