Produce Advisor

About us:

We’re a team of 14,000 who make sure all South Islanders have access to the groceries and essentials they need. Proudly 100% Kiwi-owned and operated, our co-operative has more than 200 PAK’nSAVE, New World, Four Square and On the Spot stores feeding the South Island. 

We value being at the heart of our communities, like we’ve always been, to make the South Island a better place – for today and for many generations to come. From sunny Golden Bay all the way to Stewart Island, there’s a Foodstuffs store serving you and your whānau. 

Our success is down to our people who bring their skills, experience, passion, and expertise to make Foodies an amazing and rewarding place to work. Given the breadth of our cooperative, the opportunities for development are endless. 

Our values:

At Foodstuffs South Island, together we drive success to be our best and care for our whānau. We recognise that it takes a collective effort to achieve success, and we thrive on fostering a culture of collaboration to drive innovation and embracing challenges as a united team. We are committed to supporting our people, and to positively impact the lives of South Islanders every day.

About the role:

As our Produce Advisor you will advise and actively assist retail stores with all aspects of the produce department operations whilst ensuring company expectations are met and aligned with each banner groups strategic objectives.  

Reporting to the Fresh Foods Operations Manager, you’ll spend time visiting and interacting with Store Owners, Produce Managers and Fresh Food Managers across the Soouth Island, delivering expert advice on customer experience, financial performance, and operational efficiency within produce departments. 

You’ll provide training in line with best practice, supporting teams through process simplification and improvement.

The role provides the opportunity to be based in other locations other than Christchurch in the South Island with flexible hours for the right applicant. 

Key Responsibilities

• Provide expert guidance to stores with regard to products, merchandising, equipment and system support
• Influence store teams to deliver outstanding customer service and operational excellence
• Collaborate with other departments to develop innovative retail solutions and minimise food waste
• Train and support store teams in produce operations and customer engagement strategies
• Problem-solve operational challenges and maintain a keen eye for detail in presentation standards
• Contribute and support store refurbishments, upgrades and new builds, ensuring alignment with company values and operational goals
• Drive innovation in fixture development, equipment utilisation and process efficiency

About you:

You might be a Produce Manager, 2IC or Fresh Foods Manager ready to share your knowledge of the produce industry. You'll have the ability to use initiative in order to best support our retail stores at any given time. Ideally you will also have:

• Strong produce operations background and passion for retail excellence
• Proven ability to coach, influence, and uplift store teams
• Comfortable using data and technology to drive smarter decisions
• Sharp eye for merchandising and presentation

Don't Meet Every Requirement?

We encourage you to apply anyway. We are looking for individuals with diverse experiences and are keen to hear from those who believe they have the drive and potential to succeed in this role.

Why join us?

• Our Papanui based office has free carparking, an in-house café.
• Our approach to flexible working is based on trusting and empowering our people to manage their time and deliver results while balancing the needs of their personal lives.
• We’re committed to equitable outcomes, and we offer additional paid parental leave, free period products and financial health checks to name a few.
• We support your wellbeing with Southern Cross health insurance for you and your family after a qualifying period, discounts at local gyms, access to online wellbeing tools, and a prayer and privacy room onsite.
• You can access Enhanced leave; Lifestyle leave and sick leave from day one of joining the Foodies team.
• We offer continuous learning and professional growth, as well as access to our extensive online training library and endless opportunities.
• We’re proud of our supportive team environment, and our positive and friendly culture that’s made fun by Furry Friend Fridays and monthly social events!

How to apply:

Applications will close 2 September 2025 and will only be accepted via our careers site. 

If you have any questions about the role, or experience any issues submitting your application, please email careers@foodstuffs-si.co.nz.   

Join us in feeding the South Island.