---
title: 'Junior Buyer at Kevin''s Natural Foods'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/junior-buyer-kevin-s-natural-foods-imperial-manufacturing-facility-hq-t7wyeg4xj80j'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-15'
---

# Junior Buyer at Kevin's Natural Foods

- **Company:** Kevin's Natural Foods
- **Location:** Imperial Manufacturing Facility & HQ
- **Compensation:** $75k–$78k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** hybrid
- **Posted:** 2026-08-24
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-15
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/kevins-natural-foods/6b6a8d6c-43c8-46d7-9ec3-6347c10b5aaa

## Job description

The Junior Buyer is responsible for ensuring the continuous supply of raw materials and packaging required to support manufacturing operations. This role manages day to day procurement activities, maintains optimal inventory levels, develops supplier relationships, and supports cost reduction initiatives while ensuring uninterrupted production. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast paced manufacturing environment and demonstrates strong organizational, analytical, and negotiation skills. This individual is dependable, organized, collaborative, and committed to continuous improvement and long term professional growth.

Essential Responsibilities

- Execute procurement strategies that support company goals and operational requirements.
- Source raw materials, ingredients, packaging, and related supplies to ensure uninterrupted production.
- Negotiate pricing, terms, and service agreements with suppliers to achieve cost savings and favorable commercial terms.
- Support Request for Proposal (RFP) activities for new and existing suppliers.
- Build and maintain productive relationships with suppliers while monitoring supplier performance.
- Maintain appropriate inventory levels to support production while minimizing excess inventory and working capital.
- Track procurement metrics, including inventory performance, purchase price variance (PPV), and cost savings.
- Prepare procurement reports, analyses, and recommendations to support informed business decisions.
- Develop and maintain supplier scorecards and performance metrics.
- Identify supply chain challenges and implement timely solutions.
- Support production schedules by expediting materials when necessary.
- Coordinate material readiness for new product launches, including initial inventory planning and replenishment strategies.
- Monitor commodity markets and supplier trends to anticipate potential risks and opportunities.
- Collaborate with Operations, Planning, Quality, Research and Development (R&D), Finance, and Logistics to support business objectives.
- Maintain supplier contracts and purchasing documentation.
- Ensure customer orders are fulfilled by securing required ingredients and packaging materials.
- Perform other duties as assigned.

## Qualifications

- One to three years of progressive procurement or strategic sourcing experience, preferably in food manufacturing.
- Experience procurement of food commodities including proteins, produce, specialty ingredients, packaging, and related supplies.
- Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, or a related field preferred.
- Strong negotiation and supplier relationship management skills.
- Proficient in Microsoft Excel with strong analytical capabilities.
- SAP experience preferred.
- Strong problem solving and critical thinking skills.
- Strong mathematical and analytical skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast paced environment.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Proven ability to collaborate across functional teams and deliver results with urgency.
- Demonstrated initiative, accountability, and commitment to continuous improvement.

Healthy, Diverse Teams Breed Innovation: Kevin’s Natural Foods is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We deeply believe that diverse backgrounds and experiences make better teams, and we seek to attract talent from all walks of life. The team at Kevin’s is smart, humble, and passionate and we value a work environment that fosters personal development and opportunities to move within our small, but quickly growing organization.

More About Kevin’s Natural Foods: Kevin’s Natural Foods is a line of healthy entrées, sides, and sauces, on a mission to make clean eating delicious and accessible. Kevin’s guilt-free, sous-vide entrées and sides, and signature certified paleo, keto, and gluten-free sauces allow health-conscious home cooks to whip up delicious meals in five minutes or less. With restaurant-quality ingredients and recipes, Kevin’s products are readily available on the shelves at leading grocery retailers nationwide including Costco, Whole Foods, Albertsons, HEB and Publix. All Kevin’s products contain no refined sugar, artificial ingredients, grains, or soy, and are made with antibiotic- and hormone-free meat. A true market disruptor, Kevin’s Natural Foods is the first clean refrigerated entrée brand.

Base Salary Range: $72,000.00- $78,000.00 annually + benefits + bonus Compensation within this salary range is dependent upon the candidate's experience, education, and relevant qualifications.

Kevin's Natural Foods uses E-verify to confirm employment eligibility. For more information, please see the links below: https://www.everify.gov/sites/default/files/everify/posters/IER_RightToWorkPoster%20Eng_Es.pdf https://www.everify.gov/sites/default/files/everify/posters/EVerifyParticipationPoster.pdf

## About Kevin's Natural Foods

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Kevin's Natural Foods produces refrigerated and frozen meals, sides, soups, and sauces made with clean ingredients, designed to make healthy eating convenient for busy people.
- **Entity Type**: Private (acquired by Mars, Incorporated in 2023)
- **Headquarters**: Stockton, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2014
- **Founders**: Kevin McCray

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Food and Beverage Manufacturing (Consumer Packaged Goods)
- **Target customers**: B2C – health-conscious consumers seeking convenient, clean-label meals; also sold through major retailers (in-store and online)
- **Mission or purpose**: “Empower even the busiest people to eat clean without sacrificing flavor.” [kevinsnaturalfoods.com](https://www.kevinsnaturalfoods.com/)

## Products & Services
- **Refrigerated Entrées**: Ready-in-minutes, chef-inspired meals that are gluten-free, soy-free, and free from refined sugar.
- **Frozen Meals**: Same clean ingredient philosophy in a frozen format for longer shelf life.
- **Sides, Pastas, Soups & Sauces**: Complementary products that extend the brand’s clean-eating promise across multiple meal occasions.

All products are keto and paleo certified. [kevinsnaturalfoods.com](https://www.kevinsnaturalfoods.com/)

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed as a private company. Acquired by Mars in July 2023 for **$800 million** (reported). [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/kevinsnaturalfoods)
- **Key Metric**: Annual revenue estimated at **$140 million** (LinkedIn data). [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/kevinsnaturalfoods)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Mars, Incorporated (parent company since 2023); prior private equity round in 2021 with 2 undisclosed investors.
- **Growth Signals**: Headcount grew **53.4% year-over-year** (to 72 employees). LinkedIn followers increased **62.4% annually** (26,567 followers). Products available nationally in major retailers. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/kevinsnaturalfoods)

## Competitive Advantages
- **First-mover in clean refrigerated entrées**: Kevin’s was the first brand to offer a full line of refrigerated meals that are free from gluten, soy, dairy, and refined sugar while being certified keto and paleo.
- **Mars backing**: Access to Mars’ global supply chain, R&D, and distribution network accelerates innovation and shelf placement.
- **Founder story-driven brand**: Kevin McCray’s personal health journey creates authentic consumer trust and a strong brand narrative.

## Strategic Focus
- **Expansion under Mars**: Leveraging Mars Food & Nutrition resources to scale production, enter new retail channels, and accelerate product innovation while maintaining clean-label integrity.
- **Category leadership**: Continuing to disrupt the refrigerated/frozen meal aisle with better-for-you options that don’t compromise on taste.
- **Talent growth**: Actively hiring across operations, supply chain, finance, sales, and quality assurance to support rapid growth. [jobs.ashbyhq.com](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/kevins-natural-foods)

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Described as “humble, hungry” with a focus on personal development and internal mobility. The team is “smart, humble, and passionate.” [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/kevin-s-natural-foods)
- **Work model**: Hybrid and remote options available for many roles; some positions (e.g., manufacturing) are on-site. Offices in Stockton, CA, with a hybrid workspace policy. [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/kevin-s-natural-foods)
- **Diversity & inclusion**: Proud equal opportunity employer that believes diverse backgrounds make better teams. [kevinsnaturalfoods.com](https://www.kevinsnaturalfoods.com/pages/careers)
- **Growth trajectory**: High headcount growth (+53% YoY) and acquisition by Mars signal stability and opportunity for career advancement.
- **Perks**: Competitive pay (e.g., Sales Operations Intern $20–$25/hr, Senior Finance Analyst $28–$32/hr), benefits, and a mission-driven work environment.

## Sources
1. [kevinsnaturalfoods.com](https://www.kevinsnaturalfoods.com/)
2. [jobs.ashbyhq.com](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/kevins-natural-foods)
3. [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/kevin-s-natural-foods)
4. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/kevinsnaturalfoods)

## Other roles at Kevin's Natural Foods

- [Executive Assistant to the CEO](https://feeny.ai/job/executive-assistant-to-the-ceo-kevin-s-natural-foods-imperial-manufacturing-m54vmxwp7qpz) — Imperial Manufacturing Facility & HQ
- [Refrigeration Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/refrigeration-technician-kevin-s-natural-foods-imperial-manufacturing-facility-w6z1x7dpyj0w) — Imperial Manufacturing Facility & HQ
- [Warehouse Supervisor](https://feeny.ai/job/warehouse-supervisor-kevin-s-natural-foods-petersen-manufacturing-facility-hemt7s1231yx) — Petersen Manufacturing Facility & Office
- [Senior Packaging Engineer & Sustainability Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-packaging-engineer-sustainability-lead-kevin-s-natural-foods-imperial-gzhd707fj4kz) — Imperial Manufacturing Facility & HQ
- [PMO Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/pmo-manager-kevin-s-natural-foods-imperial-manufacturing-facility-hq-h3jt3a9w046g) — Imperial Manufacturing Facility & HQ
- [R&D Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/r-d-manager-kevin-s-natural-foods-imperial-manufacturing-facility-hq-3cjxmgvrvnbt) — Imperial Manufacturing Facility & HQ
- [Plant Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/plant-manager-kevin-s-natural-foods-imperial-manufacturing-facility-hq-az68mzwf0q6g) — Imperial Manufacturing Facility & HQ
- [Journeyman Electrician](https://feeny.ai/job/journeyman-electrician-kevin-s-natural-foods-imperial-manufacturing-facility-hq-z9jwryks2qkv) — Imperial Manufacturing Facility & HQ
- [Food Safety Specialist](https://feeny.ai/job/food-safety-specialist-kevin-s-natural-foods-mariposa-manufacturing-facility-0px8q1cgq3dj) — Mariposa Manufacturing Facility & Office
- [Senior Accountant - Cost/Manufacturing](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-accountant-cost-manufacturing-kevin-s-natural-foods-petersen-75mm253pp0qf) — Petersen Manufacturing Facility & Office