Our Buyers

You might think a carrot is just a carrot.

The people who acquire produce for Fresh Direct are a discerning and curious bunch. Our Buyers are organized into three teams, each focusing on Imports, Organics, or Conventional products.

You might think a carrot is just a carrot, but Susan Leung, FDP’s Senior Procurement Manager, knows better. On a recent trip to India, she discovered that carrots grown there look and taste different from the kind most North Americans are used to finding in their stores. Many Indians moving to Canada miss the taste of those carrots, and prefer the ones they remember eating back home. “It is my job to bring in all the different varieties to meet developing niche markets within Canada,” says Leung.

It’s this combination of keen observation, listening to our customers, and foresight that make our buyers the best in the business. Keeping at the forefront of such a dynamic and fast-paced industry requires energy, living out of a suitcase at times, and the ability to adapt quickly to changing weather and growing patterns around the world. “There are so many changes and so many different scenarios that each of our 14 buyers have to be on their toes every day.”