Produce Buyer Jobs
Produce Buyer jobs are open across grocery retail, food distribution, wholesale, and food service, from entry-level assistant buyer to senior buyer and procurement director, with specializations in fresh produce, organic sourcing, and commodity trading. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Produce Associate & Buyer — AJ’s Market
Pay: $20.00–$25.00 per hour, depending on experience
AJ’s Market is a local, family-owned natural foods market serving the Soquel and Aptos community for nearly 40 years. We’re looking for a hardworking, dependable, and motivated individual to join our produce department.
This is a great opportunity for someone with grocery or produce ordering experience who wants to take on more responsibility and eventually grow into a department management role. We're happy to provide training and gradually expand responsibilities as you develop.
What You’ll Do
- Stock, rotate, and maintain fresh, high-quality produce
- Keep displays full, attractive, and well-organized
- Monitor inventory, product quality, and freshness
- Assist with ordering and gradually take on independent purchasing responsibilities
- Help manage inventory levels, reduce waste, and maintain strong in-stock conditions
- Maintain a clean, organized department and provide excellent customer service
What We’re Looking For
- Some ordering or purchasing experience in grocery, produce, or a related field
- Strong work ethic, dependability, and attention to detail
- Good organizational skills and an eye for quality and presentation
- Willingness to learn, take initiative, and accept responsibility
- Interest in growing into a department leadership role
- Ability to lift 40–50 lbs and perform active, hands-on work
Position Details
- Pay: $20.00–$25.00 per hour, depending on experience
- Growth Opportunity: Potential to advance into produce department management
- Benefits: Paid vacation, paid sick time, employee discount, and more
- Work Location: In person — Soquel, CA
If you enjoy working with fresh food, take pride in your work, and want an opportunity to grow within a respected local business, we'd love to hear from you!
Apply
officemanager@ajsmarket.com
(831) 479-0399 ext. 3
5955 Soquel Dr, Soquel, CA 95073
www.ajsmarket.com
Pay: From $20.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Employee discount
- Paid time off
Work Location: In person
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Who's Hiring
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in produce buyer jobs.
- Two or more years of produce buying, procurement, or category management experience
- Knowledge of fresh produce commodities, seasonality, and supply chain logistics
- Experience negotiating pricing and contracts directly with growers or distributors
- Proficiency with inventory management and ordering systems or ERP software
- Understanding of food safety standards, USDA grades, and quality inspection practices
- Bachelor's degree in business, agriculture, supply chain, or a related field
Tips for Your Produce Buyer Job Search
Quantify your sourcing decisions on your resume
Hiring managers for produce buyer roles want to see the scale of your purchasing decisions, the number of supplier relationships you managed, and any cost savings you delivered. Replace vague duties with specific outcomes tied to volume, variety, or shrink reduction.
Highlight commodity knowledge by category
Employers distinguish buyers by their depth in specific categories like tropicals, berries, or leafy greens. List the commodities you've bought directly on your resume rather than a generic 'fresh produce' umbrella, so your specialty is immediately visible to category-focused hiring teams.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists produce buyer openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Target job titles beyond just 'produce buyer'
Many produce buyer openings are posted under titles like 'fresh produce category manager,' 'produce procurement specialist,' or 'commodity buyer.' Search multiple titles when looking for openings to avoid missing roles that match your experience and pay level.
Prepare supplier negotiation examples before interviews
Interviewers for produce buyer roles consistently ask about how you've handled price volatility, supplier shortages, or quality disputes. Have two or three specific examples ready that walk through the situation, your decision, and the outcome for the business.
Ask about tech stack and supplier systems during interviews
Many produce teams rely on specific inventory, demand forecasting, or ordering platforms. Asking which systems the team uses shows operational fluency and helps you assess fit before accepting an offer, especially if your background is with a different set of tools.
Produce Buyer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most produce buyers?
The companies hiring the most produce buyers right now include Kroger, AJ's Market, and Balls Foods, with the largest share of openings in Ohio, California, and Vermont, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Grocery retailers, wholesale distributors, and large food service operators tend to maintain the most consistent demand for the role.
How many produce buyer jobs are remote?
About 0% of produce buyer openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the hands-on, supplier-relationship nature of most produce roles. Commodity buying and procurement planning positions tied to national accounts are more likely to allow remote or hybrid arrangements than roles that involve direct warehouse or distribution center oversight.
How do you become a produce buyer?
Most produce buyers start in related roles such as produce clerk, inventory coordinator, or assistant category manager and build direct commodity knowledge over several seasons. Developing supplier relationships, learning quality inspection and grading standards, and gaining experience with purchasing systems are the practical steps that move candidates into buyer roles. Some employers also value coursework or credentials in supply chain, agriculture, or business.
Can you get a produce buyer job with little or no experience?
Entry-level produce buyer roles do exist, usually titled assistant buyer or produce procurement coordinator, and they typically require familiarity with fresh produce categories rather than formal buying experience. Retail produce floor experience, vendor-facing roles in food distribution, or coursework in supply chain or agriculture can substitute for direct buying history when you're applying to these positions.
What does the produce buyer interview process look like?
Most produce buyer interviews start with a phone or video screen focused on your commodity experience and supplier relationships, followed by one or two rounds with the category or merchandising team. Candidates are often asked to walk through a past buying decision, describe how they handle quality disputes or supply shortfalls, and demonstrate familiarity with the company's key categories. Some employers include a brief written or analytical exercise covering pricing or inventory scenarios.
Where can I find and apply to produce buyer jobs?
You can find and apply to produce buyer jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search the listings to find roles that match your experience and category background, then apply directly to each one that fits.
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