Category Buyer

Fruit and Veg Category Buyer

Location: London/Chertsey/Hybrid

Salary: Competitive + excellent benefits

Business Area: Core Food

About Foodbuy Group
Foodbuy Group is a leading food procurement organisation in the UK, managing over £2.5bn of spend across foodservice and hospitality. As part of Compass Group UK & Ireland, we work directly with growers, manufacturers and suppliers — from major brands to regional specialists — to deliver value, quality and sustainability for our clients.

The Role

This is an exciting opportunity for a developing buyer to take the next step in their procurement career. You’ll support the end‑to‑end category process — from supplier engagement and pricing to insight, sustainability and tender activity — while gaining exposure to strategic category management in a fast‑paced, commercial environment.

You’ll work closely with suppliers, internal stakeholders, culinary teams and supply chain partners, playing a key role in delivering value, quality, service and innovation for Foodbuy clients.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the Category Manager in delivering short, medium and long‑term category strategy
• Build strong relationships with growers and suppliers, including supplier meetings and farm visits
• Support sourcing, tender preparation, benchmarking and contract renewals
• Track industry trends and provide regular category insight
• Upload and manage monthly price files for external clients
• Liaise with supply chain teams on service levels, risks and contingency planning
• Support CSR compliance, sourcing standards and regulatory requirements
• Review supplier performance and support continuous improvement
• Provide category input for sales, bids and wider stakeholder queries
• Present insights on price movements, category plans and tender outcomes

About You

• Currently operating as a Buyer’s Assistant or Category Buyer, ready to progress
• Commercially minded and comfortable working to targets
• Strong analytical skills with confidence using Excel and procurement systems
• Some experience of supplier negotiation and relationship management
• Passionate about sustainability and responsible sourcing
• Organised, detail‑focused and resilient in a fast‑paced environment
• Confident working with cross‑functional teams and adapting to change

What’s in it for you

• Competitive salary
• Contributory pension scheme
• Career Pathways and MyLearning development programmes
• Digital GP and wider healthcare benefits
• Discounts across travel, retail, groceries and entertainment
• Reward and recognition schemes, including Wow Points