Company description

We are Farm To People: a fast-growing farmer’s market delivery service that offers New Yorkers a wide curation of products by local farmers and makers! Our mission is to reimagine the food system by supporting small farmers and producers, all while providing customers an unmatched grocery experience.

Job description

The Produce Buyer ensures Farm to People has the right seasonal produce, suppliers, and inventory to deliver fresh, high-quality food to customers. This role manages purchasing, vendor relationships, pricing, and inventory levels while supporting merchandising on the website through accurate product data, category organization, and promotional activities. It is a hands-on position that works directly with farmers, distributors, systems, and internal teams while also shaping the customer-facing produce assortment. Partnering with operations, creative, and marketing, the Produce Buyer keeps procurement and merchandising activities accurate, organized, and moving on schedule.

Responsibilities

Procurement

• Create and manage purchase orders based on system forecasts, seasonal needs, and vendor input.
• Build and negotiate produce box contents with farmers and distributors to balance seasonality, quality, and cost.
• Monitor inventory levels, conduct physical counts, and reconcile shipments in coordination with the Operations team.
• Track, monitor, and report produce loss and waste, and partner with Operations, Finance, and Kitchen teams to reduce shrink through prepared food utilization and cost-saving initiatives.
• Maintain accurate and current SKU data, including price, cost, size, and producer information.
• Partner with Operations and Finance to resolve missing invoices, credits, and discrepancies in a timely manner.
• Uphold quality standards by communicating expectations and addressing issues with suppliers and the Receiving Team.
• Maintain strong relationships with produce vendors, negotiating pricing, terms, and promotional opportunities while ensuring accountability.
• Ensure all products meet Farm to People’s standards for quality, sustainability, and compliance, including certifications and COIs.
• Work with Finance to track produce margins, validate costing, and support accurate forecasting and budgeting.
• Partner with farmers and distributors on seasonal crop planning and long-range forecasting to align supply with customer demand.
• Communicate unexpected order or product availability changes promptly to Customer Service and customers.
• Prepare seasonal and holiday calendars for forecasting, sales projections, and order deadlines.
• Track, analyze, and report on procurement performance, including sales, margin, spoilage, and vendor performance; propose initiatives for efficiency and savings.

Merchandising

• Support planning and execution of promotional activities on the website, including sales, new product launches, and seasonal or holiday offerings.
• Build and manage produce categories, ensuring strategic product placement that drives sales and minimizes spoilage.
• Maintain and update website categories to provide a streamlined and user-friendly shopping experience.
• Build and maintain accurate SKU data, including price, cost, size, and producer information.
• Write engaging product and producer copy for new items featured on the website.
• Collaborate with the Marketing & Communications team on email content and social media posts that highlight seasonal produce, farmers, and sustainability practices.
• Partner with Operations to ensure new SKUs are accurately slotted in the warehouse and reflected online.
• Identify emerging produce trends and bring forward product opportunities that align with customer demand and company ethos.
• Monitor promotional performance and adjust future produce campaigns based on results.

Ideal Candidate

• 3–5 years of experience in produce buying, procurement, or category management, ideally within grocery, food distribution, or e-commerce.
• Deep understanding of seasonal produce, quality standards, and sourcing from local and regional farms.
• Proven ability to manage vendor relationships, negotiate pricing and terms, and maintain accountability across multiple suppliers.
• Experience in merchandising and product presentation, with an eye for seasonality, assortment balance, and customer appeal.
• Strong analytical skills with proficiency in Google Sheets and Excel; comfortable working with data to forecast demand, track margins, and identify cost-saving opportunities.
• Highly organized, adaptable, and able to stay calm and effective in a fast-paced, constantly changing environment.
• Strong communicator who can collaborate effectively with farmers, distributors, operations, finance, and marketing teams.
• A problem solver with good judgment, persistence, and a proactive approach to improving processes and driving results.
• Energized by the pace of perishable food buying; you thrive under pressure, stay focused when things move quickly, and know how to prioritize.
• Passionate about local food systems, sustainability, and supporting small producers.

Schedule

• Sunday to Thursday

Compensation & Benefits

• This an exempt salaried position, paid $70,000 - $80,000 / year depending on experience.

Benefits include:

• Take home food at the end of the day.
• 30% discount on Farm to people.
• Up to 80% coverage of health insurance.
• Working for a mission driven company that makes a difference!

Compensation

this position is: salaried, varies DOE, $70,000.00 - $80,000.00

Application instructions

Deadline

no deadline