Wholesale Buyer Fresh Produce

About us:

Were a team of 14000 who make sure South Islanders have access to the groceries and essentials they need. Proudly 100% Kiwi-owned and operated our co-operative has more than 200 PAKnSAVE New World Four Square and On the Spot stores feeding the South Island.
We value being at the heart of our communities like weve always been to make the South Island a better place for today and for many generations to come. From sunny Golden Bay all the way to Stewart Island theres a Foodstuffs store serving you and your whnau.

Our success is down to our people who bring their skills experience passion and expertise to make Foodies an amazing and rewarding place to work. Our co-op has a wide variety of roles to offer and endless opportunities for development.

Our values:

At Foodies together we drive success to be our best and care for our whnau. We recognise that it takes a collective effort to achieve success and we thrive on fostering a culture of collaboration to drive innovation and embracing challenges as a united team. We are committed to supporting our people and to positively impact the lives of South Islanders every day.

About the role:

Were looking for someone to be part of our highly skilled buying team to procure top-quality fresh produce from our suppliers to our member stores through our distribution network. Reporting to the Merchandise Manager Produce youll work closely with our suppliers internal teams and supermarket produce staff.

Key responsibilities include:

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with vendors to improve service levels and enhance inventory management
• Plan for new season products ensuring they hit the market quickly to give us a competitive advantage
• Oversee a portfolio of fresh produce items optimising our SAP and Freshbiz systems to balance service levels inventory and pricing
• Collaborate with the category and promotions team on the sales ordering and pricing of fresh produce
• Provide support for our stores with opportunity buys for in-store promotions
• Monitor and improve procurement systems ensure food safety compliance and manage markdown processes to minimise loss while maintaining financial goals

About you:

Youll bring experience in Fresh Produce and a passion for the industry any logistics/distribution experience is also an advantage. Were also looking for someone with:

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Strong negotiation skills with experience in price negotiation
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office
• Effective time management skills with a high attention to detail
• The ability to work and thrive in a team environment
• Flexibility to work some weekends as required

Dont Meet Every Requirement We encourage you to apply anyway. We are looking for individuals with diverse experiences and are keen to hear from those who believe they have the drive and potential to succeed in this role.

Why join us

Our Papanui based office has free carparking an in-house caf.
Our approach to flexible working is based on trusting and empowering our people to manage their time and deliver results while balancing the needs of their personal lives.
Were committed to equitable outcomes and we offer additional paid parental leave free period products and financial health checks to name a few.
We support your wellbeing with Southern Cross health insurance for you and your family after a qualifying period discounts at local gyms access to online wellbeing tools and a prayer and privacy room onsite.
You can access Enhanced leave; Lifestyle leave and sick leave from day one of joining the Foodies team.
We offer continuous learning and professional growth as well as access to our extensive online training library and endless opportunities.
Were proud of our supportive team environment and our positive and friendly culture thats made fun by Furry Friend Fridays and monthly social events!

How to apply:

Applications will close 17 August 2025 and will only be accepted via our careers site.

If you have any questions about the role or experience any issues submitting your application please email

Join us in feeding the South Island.