Loblaw Produce International (LPI), formerly So Fresh Produce, offers Loblaw Companies Limited (LCL), one of the largest retailers in Canada, an extensive array of services to advise and optimize Loblaw’s fresh produce sales. LPI has been in business for over 50 years and our unique business model offers a great value to Loblaw. Ultimately, we are looking to assist Loblaw to win in quality, variety, innovation, and speed.
LPI has a highly skilled team of Vendor Development Managers (VDM’s) and Quality Assurance Specialists (QAS). The team is experienced in fresh produce production, distribution, and produce retail sales. LPI VDM’s are located in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Chile, and Spain. From these countries, we are able to inspect the major growing areas of North America, South America, Southern Europe, with the possibility of traveling to areas outside the above listed regions.
Our services enable Loblaw to meet the customer’s needs by sourcing direct, maintaining specifications, improving service levels, and delivering produce with a longer product life, while providing a great tasting product.
We have a unique opening for you to join our highly skilled team as a Vendor Development Manager - Yuma, AZ/Southern CA.
This role supports Yuma, AZ and Southern CA. The incumbent will need to be stationed out of Yuma and travel will be required throughout California within the summer months. Travel would include working away for 2 - 3 weeks before returning back home. Travel to Southern California throughout the year would be required as well.
The Vendor Development Manager (VDM) is accountable for inspecting and evaluating all outbound produce at the source to ensure it meets LCL quality standards and that the best product is available to the stores. The VDM acts as an extension to their assigned Category Manager to assist in managing vendor expectations as it relates to product quality, quality assurance, innovation, research & development, field conditions, supply volumes, opportunity buys, sound on farm food practice and insight on CSR type KPI’s.
The VDM regularly communicates with various internal stakeholders, such as Category Management, Product Technologist Team, Loblaw Produce International (LPI) team and Food Safety Manager to ensure objectives are being met.
- Inspect and evaluate all outbound product to ensure that it meets our specifications for quality (size, weight, brix, color, taste, decay, etc) and adhering to USDA government inspection standards.
- Reject product that does not meet established specifications.
- Verify Food Safety audit compliance.
- Review Cold Chain policy compliance.
- Communicates daily with various internal stakeholders such as Category Management, Product Technologist Team and the LPI Team to discuss quality issues, product rejections, and vendor relations.
- Support assigned Category Managers by gathering and reporting information regarding vendor pricing, field/product quality, supply volume and weather conditions.
- Collaborate with vendors to develop new plant varieties, unique produce items and innovative product packaging for discussion and evaluate with Category Management and LPI.
- Support Category Managers to source new vendors, opportunities and growing areas.
- Monitor vendors for compliance with company policies and guidelines.
- All other ad-hoc duties as required.
- Post-secondary education in retail management, agriculture or equivalent experience (ideally 4-5 experience).
- Thorough knowledge of fresh produce and product specification as it relates to USDA standards for fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Consistently drive company QA standards and expectations and embrace a continuous improvement philosophy.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills both inter-departmentally and at various levels throughout the organization.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- Ability to be assertive in challenging and/or difficult circumstances.
- Demonstrate strong leadership skills.
- Comfortable with negotiating.
- Self-motivated, detail oriented, analytical and organized.
- Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office.
- Valid driver’s license as extensive travel is required (flight travel may be required ad-hoc).
