Food Service Buyer - Consumables, Vending & Autonomous

Whsmithcareers; Greater London; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading retail company is seeking a proactive Food Service Buyer – Consumables & Vending to oversee the consumables range and vending operations. You will define business requirements, negotiate with suppliers, and develop sustainability policies. The ideal candidate has experience in food service buying, strong negotiation skills, and a passion for innovation. This position offers a collaborative environment in Aldgate, London, contributing to national impact in food services.

Benefits

Career development opportunities

Collaborative work environment

National impact on food services

Qualifications

• Experience in food service, retail, or FMCG buying.
• Ability to negotiate with suppliers effectively.
• Experience in managing commercial performance.

Responsibilities

• Define requirements for store-level consumables.
• Oversee sales performance of vending solutions.
• Build relationships with food and packaging suppliers.

Skills

Buying experience in food service

Negotiation skills

Category management

Vendor relationships

Ability to innovate

Job description

Job Title: Food Service Buyer – Consumables & Vending

Location: WHSmith – Aldgate, London

Contract: Full-time

WHSmith is expanding its food service capability and we’re looking for a proactive, commercially driven Food Service Buyer – Consumables & Vending to join our team in Aldgate, London. In this role, you’ll take ownership of our consumables range, support the growth of vending and autonomous retail, and help deliver an exceptional experience for our customers across the WHSmith estate.

What You’ll Be Doing

Consumables Buying

• Define the business, customer and performance requirements for all store-level consumables, including packaging, napkins, cutlery, crockery, takeaway containers, sauces and sugars.
• Work closely with food service, operations, health & safety and group procurement teams to ensure all consumables meet operational needs, food safety standards, brand guidelines and supplier framework agreements.
• Partner with suppliers to identify, trial and validate packaging solutions that are fit for purpose in-store, while ensuring commercial viability in terms of cost and quality.
• Develop and implement sustainability policies for food packaging, supporting WHSmith’s environmental commitments.

Vending & Autonomous Retail

• Set the overarching category plan for vending and autonomous retail, collaborating with category buyers to align machine product offerings with business priorities.
• Lead the buying process for food supply across our vending estate, identifying new suppliers, new product opportunities and matching them to the right store formats and customer profiles.
• Define business, customer and performance requirements for vending hardware, such as coffee machines and soft drink dispensers.
• Oversee sales performance across vending and autonomous retail, working with maintenance teams and group procurement to ensure contracts and SLAs for equipment, refills and maintenance are fit for purpose.
• Ensure all vending solutions across the estate operate with maximum uptime, strong functionality and consistent brand presentation.

Supplier & Contract Management

• Build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with food and packaging suppliers.
• Negotiate favourable commercial terms that support quality, cost-efficiency and long-term partnerships.

About You

We’re looking for someone who:

• Has buying, category management or supplier management experience in food service, retail or FMCG.
• Is confident negotiating with suppliers and managing commercial performance.
• Can balance strategic thinking with day-to-day delivery.
• Works effectively across multiple teams and stakeholders.
• Brings a passion for innovation, sustainability and improving customer experience.

Why Join WHSmith?

• Play a key role in a growing area of the business with national impact.
• Work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment in our Aldgate office.
• Enjoy opportunities for career development and cross-functional exposure.

Interested? Apply now and help shape the future of WHSmith’s food service, consumables and vending offering!