Protein Buyer

Kinsa; Kansas City (KS); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus opportunity

Health, dental, and vision

Paid time off

401(k) with company participation

Job summary

A Midwest food distribution company is seeking a Protein Buyer in Kansas City, MO onsite. The role focuses on owning protein procurement across beef, pork, poultry, seafood, and related products, driving availability and margins.

You will negotiate with suppliers and brokers, build strong relationships, monitor market trends, and collaborate with sales, operations, and warehouse teams to ensure inventory coverage and service excellence.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in protein procurement or meat purchasing.
• Experience negotiating with protein suppliers, brokers, and processors.
• Strong knowledge of protein markets and pricing strategies.
• Experience managing high-volume purchasing and inventory.
• Data-driven pricing decisions.

Responsibilities

• Manage purchasing across beef, pork, poultry, seafood.
• Negotiate pricing, terms, and supply agreements.
• Monitor market trends to maximize margins.
• Partner with sales to set pricing strategies.
• Own inventory performance from purchase to sale.
• Collaborate with sales, operations, and warehouse teams.

Skills

Protein procurement

Supplier relations

Negotiation

Inventory management

Data-driven pricing

Category management

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Protein Buyer-Kansas City, MO (Onsite)

About Our Client:

Join a well-established Midwest food distribution organization known for delivering high-quality protein products and exceptional service to foodservice, retail, and wholesale customers. This company has built a strong reputation within its market and is continuing to invest in growth, operational excellence, and customer partnerships. The Protein Buyer will play a highly visible role in driving product availability, profitability, and supply chain performance across the business.

What Our Client Offers You:

• Competitive base salary + bonus opportunity
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage
• Paid time off and company holidays
• 401(k) with company participation

What You’ll do:

This is an excellent opportunity for a hands-on protein procurement professional to take ownership of a critical product portfolio, influence business performance, and contribute to the continued growth of a respected food distribution organization.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Manage purchasing activities across beef, pork, poultry, seafood, and related product categories.
• Develop and maintain strong supplier and broker relationships while negotiating pricing, terms, and supply agreements.
• Monitor market trends and evaluate strategic buying opportunities to maximize margins and inventory performance.
• Partner with sales leadership to establish and adjust pricing strategies based on market movement, demand, and inventory levels.
• Own inventory performance from purchase through sale, ensuring appropriate stocking levels, rotation, and product movement.
• Collaborate with sales, operations, and warehouse teams to support customer needs, product availability, and service excellence.

Qualification You have:

5+ years of relevant experience in protein procurement, category management, or meat purchasing required; experience negotiating directly with protein suppliers, brokers, and processors strongly preferred.

• Strong knowledge of protein markets, commodity pricing, and purchasing strategies.
• Proven negotiation skills with vendors, suppliers, and brokers.
• Experience managing high-volume purchasing and inventory responsibilities.
• Ability to analyze margin performance and make data-driven pricing decisions.
• Proficiency with ERP, purchasing, or inventory management systems.Collaborative, decisive professional with strong communication and relationship-building skills.