Store Concept

Set to open in summer 2019, the Public Market is a non-profit deli and market that brings local and natural foods into the heart of downtown Wheeling (currently spanned by three USDA-classified Food Desert census tracts). At the center of the initiative, the Public Market will launch a robust food service line that will feature locally-sourced and health-oriented options for breakfast, lunch, and grab&go; foods using the freshest seasonal ingredients. 

The market will facilitate investment in local farmers by selling local foods on consignment when possible, returning 70-80% of sales dollars to farmers versus just 15% in traditional grocery stores. Using this model, the market anticipates channeling millions of dollars to local farmers. The market will emphasize local sourcing, high quality natural, and ethically sourced foods. It will be housed in one of the best downtown retail spaces in Wheeling, secured through a partnership with the City. The market is clearly differentiated from other regional markets through its unique local and natural-oriented product mix, its prime location, and strong support from regional farmers and funders.

About Grow Ohio Valley 
Start-up food-hub Grow Ohio Valley is a fast growing non-profit with a vision to achieve regional food security. The company has built production, sales and distribution infrastructure to grow local agriculture into a force for social and economic change throughout the Appalachian rust-belt. Founded in 2014 by an urban farmer and a Harvard Business School graduate, the initiative is widely recognized as a positive change agent throughout the Ohio Valley. In four years it has developed six productive farming sites, a small hub, and a loyal customer base; aggregates fresh, healthy food from over 20 local farms; and delivers food-access and food literacy programs that reach over 5,000 students a year. Through these efforts, we hope to fashion a new economic landscape: one offering increased prosperity, improved health, and a better environment!

In addition to its food production, equitable access and related educational programs, Grow Ohio Valley hosts an AmeriCorps program, in which 15 service workers are trained in various aspects of local food systems each year. We also supply a FARMacy program, where participants receive medical prescriptions for healthy food to treat diet-related illness. Successfully launching the Public Market is our top priority for 2019.

Apply your culinary expertise to design the menu for a local and natural foods deli, and play a central role in the leadership of a local and natural foods market. You will create recipes for a healthy grab & go and prepared foods breakfast and lunch menu – featuring the freshest seasonal ingredients. This role places you at the center of the fast evolving local food landscape, playing an instrumental role in launching an initiative that will provide customers with local food from the Ohio Valley farmshed. The market will also be a central venue for community cooking classes, nutrition and food literacy awareness, and other educational and cultural events, and will initiate significant outreach to draw in local communities. Choose from the freshest local ingredients to design a health-oriented food service for a new downtown market and deli.

Position Responsibilities

This position will be responsible for the successful launch and management of a locally sourced and health-oriented food service, including a deli serving made to order breakfast and lunch meals alongside fresh grab & go offerings.

• Develop a successful menu for breakfast and lunch options (made to order and grab & go) highlighting local, seasonal, and healthy ingredients. Create high-quality, customer-responsive menu items. Source locally as much as possible, while maintaining quality and price standards.
• Constantly seek creative solutions, adjust menu to be responsive to customers, pursue strategies to achieve the market mission.
• Create and maintain customer experience
• Develop and maintain significant relationships with the local farmers, ranchers, and artisans that will supply Public Market with a variety of fresh, local food in all major categories (produce, dairy, meat, shelf stable grocery and general merchandise).
• Assist in developing and executing an annual budget for the cafe, with significant input from the Store Manager and Grow OV leadership.
• Ensure margin, sales, and labor targets are met in all culinary categories.
• Ensure the POS system is operational and updated daily to accurately reflect daily specials, grab and go packaged food items and active sales.
• Work directly with the Store Manager to ensure proper leadership presence in the store at all times.
• Order, select and maintain all culinary categories for the cafe and prepared foods sets.
• Manage regular cafe inventories, audits and financial obligations
• Interview, hire, train and mentor all cafe related employees
• Ensure payroll requirements are met for all cafe related employees.
• Provide regular and steady communications to all staff in regard to upcoming sales, events and new products coming to the cafe.
• Ensure the Public Market cafe is continually and successfully compliant to all local, state and federal food and work safety practices.
• Complete other duties as required.

Qualification Requirements

Qualified individuals will demonstrate evidence of the following skills, attributes and experiences:

• Food service experience (minimum 2 years), preferably developing recipes and planning menus.
• Self-starter, hard worker and confident leader
• Passionate local and/or natural food enthusiast. Interested in making healthy and local food accessible and convenient.
• Management experience: ability to manage additional staff, operations, P&L, etc.
• Commitment to customer experience: maintain high standards of customer service, be responsive to customer feedback.
• Reliable, organized, clear communicator.
• Constant drive to improve.