Company description

At Accord Market, we prioritize local, sustainable food and products. We mindfully examine how products are sourced and what impact they have on our communities.

We carry hard-to-find specialty items in addition to a basic grocery of essentials. We offer a range of sustainable products, making environmentally-friendly alternatives an easy answer to everyday needs.

Accord Market is not just a shop. We strive to be an integral part of our community; a meeting place for neighbors, community-driven events, and everyday hellos.

Job description

We are looking for a dedicated Produce Buyer to lead, curate and grow the most vital department in our store. As a small, independent grocer our reputation is built on the freshness of our products and our relationships with the people who grow them.

The ideal candidate knows their way around a farm as well as a spreadsheet. You will be responsible for sourcing high-quality fruits and vegetables, managing local farmer relationships, and ensuring our community has access to the best seasonal bounty our region offers.

We believe a grocery store is more than just a place to shop—it is a community space. We aim to mindfully examine how every product is sourced and consider the impact it has on our land and community. We are looking for the right candidate who shares this "Respect & Responsibility" for our local farms and environment.

Core Responsibilities

• Sourcing & Procurement: Manage daily orders from primary distributors while aggressively seeking out local New York growers for seasonal specialties. Prioritize local, sustainable food from the Rondout Valley and beyond, ensuring our dollars support a strong local economy
• Quality Control: Inspect every delivery for freshness and ripeness. Maintain strict "cull and crisp" standards on the floor. Curate a mix of high-quality essentials and hard-to-find specialty items, maintaining the high standards our neighbors expect
• Inventory Management: Balance stock levels to minimize shrink while ensuring the shelves look abundant and inviting. Manage inventory with a “zero-waste” mindset, coordinating with partners like Community Compost Co and the Rochester Food Pantry to ensure no food scrap goes to waste
• Pricing & Margin: Set competitive retail prices that reflect local market conditions while meeting store margin goals.
  Merchandising: Design creative, seasonal displays that highlight local "hero" products (e.g., Hudson Valley apples, corn, root vegetables)
• Vendor Relations: Act as the primary point of contact for local farmers, coordinating pick-ups and fair-price negotiations.
• Staff Management: Work with our team of store clerks to teach proper produce stocking and maintenance procedures as well as oversee floor staff for certain hours of operation including opening and closing of store

Required Skills

• Product Knowledge: Deep understanding of Hudson Valley seasonality, sustainable farming practices and varieties and storage requirements for Northeast produce
• Negotiation: Ability to balance fair-price negotiations for farmers with price accessibility for our community. Comfortable chatting with both a regional distributor and a local farmer at 6:00 AM
• Physical Stamina: Ability to lift 50lb crates and stand for long shifts in varied temperatures
• Financial Literacy: Basic proficiency in calculating margins, markups, and managing a departmental budget
• Leadership: Ability to teach and train store staff stocking & maintenance procedures as well as general oversight and guidance during working hours

Benefits

• Competitive hourly pay based on experience, beginning at $22.00/hour
• 20% employee discount on all store goods
• A direct hand in supporting local food systems and small-scale agriculture
• The autonomy to run your department like your own small business while working with a dedicated team working to consistently improve the store and build community
• The opportunity to be the "heart of the market" in a historic rural setting

Compensation

this position is: hourly, $20/hr +

Application instructions

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Deadline

no deadline