How to hire a produce buyer

How to hire a produce buyer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step produce buyer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a produce buyer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new produce buyer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the produce buyer you need to hire. Certain produce buyer roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect produce buyer also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of produce buyer salaries for various roles:

   Type of Produce Buyer	Description	Hourly rate
   Produce Buyer	Buyers and purchasing agents buy products and services for organizations to use or resell. They evaluate suppliers, negotiate contracts, and review the quality of products.	$19-37
   Purchasing Agent	A purchasing agent's general task is keeping purchase records and making sure that there won't be any discrepancies with the handling of orders. The purchasing agent should be responsible for the order processing and payment collection... Show more	$17-34
   Purchasing Supervisor	A purchasing supervisor orders supplies, equipment, and materials from vendors by buyers. The purchasing supervisors assess, select, and build relationships with the vendors... Show more	$21-50

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Purchase Orders
   • Logistics
   • Inventory Control
   • Quality Standards
   • Manage Inventory
   • Product Knowledge
   • Food Safety
   • Market Trends
   • Commodities
   • Distribution Centers
   • Sales Floor
   • Gross Profit
   • USDA
   • Quality Products

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Analyze and manage goals for increasing sales, profit margins, turns, fill rate and manage logistics.
   • Manage open-to-buy to ensure continual flow of merchandise to stores and warehouses with careful attention to advertise events and promotions.
   • Coordinate with transportation department to ensure efficiency in logistics of transporting employees and products using company vehicles.
   • Manage open-to-buy to ensure continual flow of merchandise to stores and warehouses with careful attention to advertise events and promotions.
   • Track all incoming requests for quote (RFQ) from customers, sales managers, and outside sales representatives.
   • Review purchase requisitions and engineering specifications to determine which suppliers to RFQ.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your produce buyer job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A produce buyer can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, produce buyers' average salary in hawaii is 40% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level produce buyers 48% less than senior-level produce buyers.
   • Certifications. A produce buyer with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a produce buyer's salary.

   Average produce buyer salary

   $55,778yearly

   $26.82 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level produce buyer salary

   $40,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

4. Writing a produce buyer job description

   A job description for a produce buyer role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a produce buyer job description:

   Produce buyer job description example

   Plum Market - 6565 Orchard Lake Rd., West Bloomfield Mi 48322

   Plum Market is an emerging leader in the Produce Retail industry. We are committed to stocking the very best selections of All Natural, Organic, Local, and Specialty Grocery Produce items.

   Our Team Members are passionate about delivering the highest quality food, beverage, and grocery essentials to our Customers, helping them achieve a better lifestyle. We make our Team Members and our Customers our top priority by delivering the best possible Customer retail experience.

   Our Plum Market Grocery Stores are a reflection of the very communities we serve. From our Team Members to our Customers, local vendors and product selection, we are proud of the inclusive culture in which we thrive, and strive to promote at Plum Market. If you share our enthusiasm, please apply to see how you may fit in.

   Benefits of working at Plum Market:

   Full time position.

   We can offer a variety of retail shifts to help with work/life balance.

   You can learn about great food and grow your passion at the same time.

   We provide exceptional training to help you grow your knowledge.

   Paid time and a half for working any of these five federally recognized holidays: New Year's Day, Labor Day, Fourth of July, Memorial Day and Thanksgiving.

   Promotional opportunities. We are a growing company and you can grow with us!

   Variety of medical, dental, and vision benefits to cover you and/or your family.

   401k with company match after a 6 month waiting period.

   20% off Team Member Discount.

   50% off Team Member Lunch Discount.

   Plum Market offers a desirable and rewarding place to work.

   Employment is contingent on a successful background check.

   The Produce Buyer is responsible for meeting or exceeding the margin targets for the produce department. They will achieve this by managing the purchasing, maintaining the purchase logs and journals, and tracking sales to purchase percentages. They will model and provide exceptional Guest Service, and act as a leader on the Produce Team They report to the Produce Team Leader and will assist in the department performing all tasks as needed. This is a challenging positions to master, and an integral step to becoming a Team Leader.

   Who you are:

   You have two years produce experience and versed in rotation, set construction and seasonality of the fresh produce department.

   You model and provide exceptional Customer Service.

   You value inclusion and work to create an environment where everyone feels welcomed and every voice is heard.

   You have a knowledge of margin and simple accounting practices.

   You are prompt and punctual and have the ability to hit deadlines.

   You love a challenge and the satisfaction that comes from meeting it.

   You inspire people to want to be their best selves.

   You have a love for all natural, organic and specialty products.

   What you will bring:

   A passion for produce and desire to meet and exceed all profitability targets.

   Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, detail-oriented, multi-tasker that can delegate tasks when needed.

   You will purchase all of the produce for Plum Market's produce department so that the team creates a presentation to satisfy and delight our Customers.

   Able to work a variety of shifts including nights, weekends and holidays.

   Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

   Proficient in Microsoft Suite.

   Able to stand and walk for up to 4 hours without a break - we work on the floor, and alongside our Team.

   Ability to bend and stoop to grasp objects, climb ladders, lift loads, up to 50 lbs. unassisted, push and pull carts weighing up to 100 lbs. unassisted.

   What you will do:

   Give exceptional Service to our Customers.

   Hit all order and accounting deadlines.

   Meet and exceed all margin and profitability targets.

   Review all invoices for accuracy, request and follow up to make sure we receive all credits.

   Impart your passion for fresh produce to the produce team.

   Help other Team Members in the department.

   Communicate effectively with Customers, Team Members, Store Leadership and Director Group.

   Adhere to all Plum Market policies and standard operating procedures.

   
   
   

   PI194571335

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5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right produce buyer for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your produce buyer job on Zippia to find and recruit produce buyer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting produce buyers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new produce buyer

   Once you've found the produce buyer candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new produce buyer. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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