Calling all Early Birds— Come and buy your fruits and vegetables….?
No worms here! Based in Los Alamitos, California, Frieda’s, Inc. is the nation’s leading marketer and distributor of specialty produce, supplying grocery retailers and foodservice distributors with more than 600 varieties of fruits, vegetables and gourmet items. Our company is known for quality and customer satisfaction and prides itself on maintaining a collaborative work environment across all levels of the organization.
We’re looking for an experienced Produce Buyer who is passionate for the produce industry and wants to help Frieda’s with our mission to change the way America eats fruits and vegetables!
You will be an integral part of our Supply Team, working collaboratively with all team members to purchase and coordinate distribution of our specialty product.
Who has perishable inventory? We do, we do! You’ll be managing a portion of our perishable inventory with a daily review of item usage, sales and inventory adjustments. Purchase Orders, you ask? You’ll manage those, too! We have to replenish that inventory, right?! (Right!)
Help us continue to grow our business— Your knowledge is power! You get to brainstorm with the Category Managers on new products and sales opportunities, and provide recommendations on new products we have to have, or maybe current products that we can do without.
You’ll gain more knowledge of quality standards, working directly with our quality team daily (no worms allowed!).
You’ll be in the action with our Operations Team too, walking the coolers and assisting with delivery issues, back orders and product returns. Don’t worry, they’re very nice—but fast so you have to keep up!
Education & Experience:
- We ask that you have an Associated Arts (A.A.) degree with 1-2 years’ work experience in the produce/perishable industry; or equivalent combination of education and experience. A four-year degree from an accredited college or university is a plus.
- You said you were an early bird, right?! The start time for this position is 4:00 am. There is currently a 3:00 am shift that rotates among all members of the Supply Team that will also be part of your schedule. Although not a regular occurrence, Saturday shifts are possibility as well. Please do not apply if you are not available to work this schedule.
- You should have a good working knowledge of produce and/or perishable foods, product quality and the marketplace environment.
- FOB buying experience is preferred; specialty produce purchasing experience is a plus.
- Must have working knowledge of Microsoft applications including Office, Outlook, Word and Excel.
- Do you know FoodDistribute software? Even better!
Other Skills & Requirements:
- Excellent communication skills, both written and oral.
- Bilingual in Spanish is preferred, but not required.
- Attention to D E T A I L, strong analytical aptitude and familiarity with administrative abilities is a must.
- You should be able to properly prioritize your workload under high-volume conditions, and have the ability to take direction from multiple sources. Collaborate efficiently and quickly!
- You must have a valid driver’s license and proof of automobile insurance.
Compensation & Benefits:
In addition to competitive pay, company benefits include medical, dental, vision, life insurance, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), company Paid Time Off (PTO), holiday benefits and participation in a bonus program and 401(k) plan.
