Buyer

About us

Chicory Market is a community grocery in Oxford, MS, with a mission to grow our local food system in North Mississippi and improve access to healthy local food for people of all income levels. Operating in a brand new space in the heart of Oxford, we work with more than 75 local farmers and foodmakers to bring local products into a natural foods setting.

Our work environment includes:

• Growth opportunities
• Collaborations with other food businesses
• Wellness programs
• Safe work environment

The Perishables Buyer manages the purchasing, receiving and movement of all pre-packaged inventory in the frozen and refrigerated sections of the market. A buyer should be passionate about learning about natural foods and brands. They must have analytical skills to make data-driven decisions regarding ordering and promotions. While they will organize their work around strict ordering deadlines, they must also be able to practice flexibility with delivery schedules. They must be willing and able to move physical inventory as they monitor movement of food across a week. Buyers, like all staff members, are expected to follow customer service standards and to uphold Chicory Market’s mission to help grow the local food economy and to improve access to nutritious, local food for people of all income levels. The position could be between 28-40 hours per week with some weekend work required.

Essential Duties

• Coordinates orders across multiple distributors for refrigerated and frozen groceries, aiming to minimize out-of-stocks.
• Oversees physical inventory: Works closely with receiving and stocking staff to monitor how groceries are received, stocked, stored and merchandised. Regularly moves cases of food to organize cold storage and monitor dates.
• Accounting and invoicing: Ensures that cost, pricing, and count information on invoice and in database is accurate and routinely updated. Submits and tracks credits with distributors as needed.
• Manages inventory: Plans sales or promotions when adjustments are needed, and closely monitors sales and shrink to achieve margin goals. Is in charge of routinely counting inventory. Helps to organize bi-annual counting nights for whole-store counts.
• Data-driven decision-making: Routinely analyzes data to ensure applied margin meets department goals.
• Category Management: Uses customer feedback, industry data and inventory reports to curate inventory using established protocols across a calendar year.
• Seeks industry-wide best practices: Participates virtually in professional development opportunities across the year with a network of buyers in natural-foods stores. Seeks advice from other buyers in store and across the nation. Takes advantage of national buying opportunities. Able to travel to one conference / buying show per year.
• Upholds core values: Our mission to help grow a local food economy and offer nutritious choices to people of all income levels hinges on buyers successfully curating an assortment of national products and brands that allow us to cultivate a diverse customer base and meet margins. A buyer must uphold our core values: making decisions that are rooted in community, nurturing coworkers and customers, collaborating across staff and being toward solutions.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $37,440.00 - $41,600.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Evening shift
• Monday to Friday
• Weekends as needed

Ability to Relocate:

• Oxford, MS 38655: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person