Sourcing & Procurement Specialist (Direct Farm – Fresh Vegetables)

• Manage end-to-end procurement of fresh produce, particularly fresh vegetables, sourced locally and internationally, including markets such as Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, China and other relevant sourcing countries.
• Possess strong and established fresh produce sourcing networks, with the ability to procure through direct farms/growers, importers, wholesalers, distributors and other supplier channels.
• Proactively develop and maintain multiple sourcing channels for key SKUs to ensure supply continuity and reduce dependency on a single supplier or country of origin.
• Respond quickly to out-of-stock (OOS), supply shortages or sudden increases in demand by activating alternative suppliers, substitute products or different countries of origin to ensure timely replenishment.
• Independently identify, evaluate, negotiate and onboard new suppliers based on price, quality, availability, lead time, reliability and supply capacity.
• Build and manage a diversified supplier portfolio and maintain backup/contingency suppliers for critical and high-volume products.
• Manage procurement costs and negotiate competitive pricing while balancing product quality, freshness, availability and supply stability.
• Monitor fresh produce market conditions, including seasonality, supply availability, price fluctuations and country-of-origin changes, and adjust sourcing strategies accordingly.
• Work closely with Warehouse, Sales and Operations teams on inventory levels, demand forecasts and replenishment planning to minimise stock-outs, overstocking, spoilage and wastage.
• Develop appropriate warehousing and distribution solutions based on product characteristics to maintain freshness and minimise product loss.
• Monitor purchase and selling prices and support category-level sales, margin and profitability targets.

Job Requirement

• Minimum 5 years of hands-on procurement/sourcing experience in fresh produce, preferably with strong experience in fresh vegetables.
• Strong existing supplier and sourcing network is highly preferred, particularly candidates with access to farms/growers, importers, wholesalers, distributors and fresh produce suppliers across Singapore and regional/international markets.
• Proven ability to source urgently and replenish products when existing suppliers are unable to fulfil orders or when products are out of stock.
• Experience in multi-source procurement, including developing alternative suppliers and sourcing the same or substitute products from different countries of origin.
• Candidates with experience in direct farm procurement, wholesale market sourcing, importer/distributor sourcing or supplier/channel development will be highly preferred.
• Strong understanding of fresh produce procurement, including product specifications, quality, seasonality, pricing, availability, lead time and supply risks.
• Familiar with end-to-end procurement processes including supplier sourcing and development, price negotiation, purchase/order management, account handling and supplier performance management.
• Strong commercial and data analytical capabilities, with the ability to balance cost, quality, availability, freshness and margin.
• Strong communication, negotiation and stakeholder-management skills, with the ability to work closely with Sales, Warehouse and Operations.
• Able to work in a fast-paced and time-sensitive fresh food environment and respond quickly to urgent replenishment and supply disruptions.