Produce Buyer

A sweetgreen Produce Buyer analyzes market trends, develops strategies to maximize product category sales and profitability, collaborates with cross-functional teams, manages supplier relationships, and ensures product availability to meet consumer demand. They utilize data analysis, negotiation skills, and market knowledge to optimize product assortment, pricing, and promotions within their assigned category.

Supplier Relationship Management

• Cultivate strong relationships with local, regional, and national produce suppliers across the West Coast and Mountain regions.
• Negotiate pricing, contracts, and monitor supplier performance.
• Address any food safety concerns related to growers/producers.

Sourcing and New Product Development

• Source and secure new ingredients for menu innovation, ensuring competitive pricing and adherence to budget targets.
• Oversee supplier onboarding from initial contact to first purchase order.

Supply Chain Optimization

• Collaborate with growers on annual crop planning.
• Evaluate and implement logistics solutions to improve the flow of products from suppliers to distribution centers.

Quality Assurance

• Proactively address and resolve produce quality issues with growers, monitoring progress for lasting improvement.

Minimum Requirements

• Previous experience managing produce and perishable categories for a growing business operation.
• Minimum of 4+ years of experience working with North American growing regions, foodsheds, farmers and producers.
• Familiarity with agriculture and food safety certifications and the requirements for a grower to achieve various certifications.
• Experience moving perishable products through distribution channels.
• General knowledge of manufacturing and agricultural practices.
• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Health, Food Science, Agriculture, or Supply Chain related course study.

Preferred Requirement

• Visionary Leadership: Passionate about building a sustainable food supply chain that benefits farmers, sweetgreen, and our customers equally.
• Strategic Collaboration: Skilled at creating mutually beneficial partnerships across the supply chain, ensuring success for all stakeholders.
• Exceptional Project Management: Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, delivering results on time and within budget.
• Clear & Effective Communication: Communicates seamlessly across various channels and with diverse supply chain partners.
• Organized & Efficient: Excels at prioritizing tasks, managing time effectively, and ensuring projects stay on track.
• Team-Oriented: Prioritizes the success of the team above individual recognition, fostering a collaborative work environment.

What you'll get:

• Highly competitive pay + bonus plan
• Three different medical plans to suit your and your family's needs
• Dental and Vision insurance
• Flexible PTO plan
• 401k program
• Employee HSA and FSA
• Complimentary greens
• An opportunity to make a real impact on the people around you, both by growing them and by connecting them to real food
• To live the sweetlife and celebrate your passion + purpose
• A collaborative team of people who live our core values and have your back
• A clear career path with opportunities for development, both personally and professionally
• Free sweetgreen swag

Come join the sweetlife!

About sweetgreen

sweetgreen is on a mission to build healthier communities by connecting people to real food. We passionately believe that real food should be convenient and accessible to everyone. Every day in each sweetgreen, our 3,500 team members make food from scratch, using fresh ingredients and produce delivered that morning. And in our local communities, we’re committed to leaving people better than we found them. We’re in the business of feeding people, and we’re out to change what that means.

sweetgreen provides equal opportunities for everyone that works for us and everyone that applies to join our team, without regard to sex or gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, any service, past, present, or future, in the uniformed services of the United States (military or veteran status), or any other consideration protected by federal, state, or local law.

sweetgreen participates in the federal government's E-Verify program to determine employment eligibility. To learn more about the E-Verify program, please click here.