Buyer

Our client is seeking an experienced Buyer specializing in seafood and meat to manage purchasing activities, supplier relationships, inventory, and product sourcing. The ideal candidate has strong knowledge of fresh and frozen seafood and meat products, understands market pricing and seasonality, and can negotiate effectively while maintaining quality, availability, and cost objectives. In Office in Ft. Lauderdale Mon-Sat.

Key Responsibilities

• Source and purchase fresh, frozen, and specialty seafood and meat products based on business requirements.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with suppliers, fishermen, processors, distributors, and other vendors.
• Negotiate pricing, terms, minimum orders, freight, and delivery schedules to achieve competitive costs.
• Monitor daily and weekly market pricing, commodity trends, seasonality, availability, and product quality.
• Evaluate suppliers based on pricing, quality, reliability, service, food-safety standards, and delivery performance.
• Coordinate purchasing requirements with sales, operations, warehouse, and inventory teams.
• Maintain appropriate inventory levels while minimizing excess, spoilage, and product shortages.
• Inspect or review product specifications, grades, cuts, sizes, pack configurations, country of origin, and quality standards.
• Track purchase orders, confirmations, deliveries, shortages, substitutions, credits, and discrepancies.
• Identify new products, suppliers, and sourcing opportunities that can improve margins and expand product offerings.
• Stay informed on seafood and meat regulations, sustainability requirements, certifications, and industry trends.
• Work closely with management to establish purchasing strategies and meet margin and profitability goals.
• Resolve supplier issues quickly and professionally while maintaining strong vendor partnerships.

Qualifications

• 5 years of purchasing or buying experience in the seafood, meat, protein, foodservice, wholesale, or distribution industry.
• Strong knowledge of seafood and meat products, including cuts, grades, specifications, seasonality, and market conditions.
• Proven experience negotiating pricing and purchasing terms with suppliers.
• Strong understanding of inventory management, margins, and cost control.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and make timely purchasing decisions.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and purchasing/inventory management systems.
• Ability to manage multiple suppliers, products, and priorities simultaneously.
• Knowledge of HACCP, USDA/FDA requirements, and seafood traceability is a plus.

Preferred Experience

Experience purchasing products such as fresh and frozen fish, shellfish, shrimp, lobster, crab, beef, pork, poultry, and specialty proteins is highly desirable. Experience working with importers, processors, distributors, wholesalers, restaurants, hotels, or large-scale foodservice operations is also preferred.

Key Performance Indicators

• Purchasing cost and gross margin performance
• Supplier pricing and negotiation results
• Product availability and fill rates
• Inventory turnover and shrink/spoilage
• Supplier quality and delivery performance
• Accuracy of purchase orders and inventory records
• Development of new suppliers and sourcing opportunities

QUALIFIED CANDIDATES NEED ONLY APPLY