Protein Buyer

About Hardies

Hardie’s Fresh Foods has been delivering the freshest produce and finest specialty ingredients to Texas kitchens for over 80 years. Family-owned and Texas-proud, Hardie’s started with a single truck and a passion for quality. Today, we’re a trusted partner to chefs, restaurants, and foodservice professionals across the Lone Star State—supplying everything from peak-season fruits and vegetables to artisan cheeses, premium olive oils, chocolates, and center-of-the-plate proteins like meats and seafood. With deep relationships across local farms and global producers, we stay ahead of culinary trends while staying true to what matters: dependable service, outstanding quality, and helping chefs create memorable menus. Rooted in tradition, driven by innovation—Hardie’s is here to fuel kitchens with the ingredients that make food shine.

Position Summary: Coordinates protein inventory replenishment activities with suppliers, sales, logistics and operations for assigned categories, with a strong emphasis on fresh and frozen protein purchasing and category management.

What you’ll do:

• Place purchase orders with vendors utilizing an awareness of seasonal fluctuations, market effects and other information that require a high attention to detail to avoid spoilage, overstocks, and shortages.
• Manage fresh and frozen protein categories, including beef, pork, poultry, seafood and other protein lines, ensuring proper inventory levels, product quality, pricing and supplier performance.
• Leverage strong protein buying experience and market knowledge to effectively forecast demand, manage costs and navigate market fluctuations within protein commodities
• Manage and maintain the entire Purchase-to-Pay process, covering:
• PO Creation
• Vendor Confirmation
• Accurate expected delivery date updates
• Collaboration with Accounts Payable to ensure payment.
• Maintain Purchasing system data to effectively generate suggested POs.
• Maintain necessary required vendor documents (electronic and physical), such as W-9’s, Indemnities, etc.

Work closely with:

• Vendors to ensure POs are filled and delivered in a timely fashion.
• Vendors to manage FDA issues.
• Logistics to minimize freight expenses.
• Sales Managers to manage out-of-stock or over-stock risks.
• Customer Service teams to enable sales order growth.
• Buyers to build upon best-practices.
• Build and maintain vendor relationships to not only support PO fulfillment, but also negotiate volume discounts and price breaks wherever possible.
• Manage Fusion system issues that impact Purchasing and Receiving.
• Maintain BFC dating system to minimize close dated issues and expired product impact.

About you:

• 5+ years buying experience with a focus on Specialty Food Products, for a multi-unit Distribution Organization including a strong background in fresh and frozen protein purchasing.
• Bachelor’s degree from accredited four-year college or university preferred.
• Previous food service distribution and/or food importing experience strongly preferred.
• Commodity product awareness including blanket commitments, contractual processes, and appropriate market tracking.
• A broad understanding of the protein category, including fresh and cured proteins, poultry, seafood products and NAMP codes.
• Advanced Excel Skill and additional Computer skills (JDE, Microsoft Suite – Word and PowerPoint, Relax, etc.)
• Must have a sense of urgency and be able to work under pressure, be comfortable in a fast-paced, metrics-driven environment.
• Flexible with the ability to work well with all departments and levels of staff both internally & externally.
• Professional demeanor during all interactions with vendors, customers and fellow employees via phone or in-person.
• Have a drive to advance within the organization.
• Must be a team player with a positive attitude.
• Excellent verbal/written communication skills and a high level of analytical capabilities within Excel
• Self-starter, professional, goal oriented and able to handle multiple tasks.

The above job description is not an all-inclusive list of duties and standards of the position. Incumbents will follow any other instructions, and perform any other related duties as assigned by their supervisor.

Perks & Benefits:

• Paid Vacations, Paid Holidays
• Health, Dental and Medical Benefits
• Weekly pay
• Life Insurance
• 5% above cost for our high-quality food products
• Employee discounts for travel and events
• 401k
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan

The Chefs' Warehouse is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate based on actual or perceived race, creed, color, religion, alienage or national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, disability or handicap, sex, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, gender identity or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Our management team is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities and general treatment during employment. We are dedicated to building an inclusive and diverse workforce.