Richard J Michels
Leesburg,FL
Summary
Dynamic Produce Supplier Development Lead at Sobeys with a proven track record in cross-functional team leadership and supplier onboarding. Achieved a 35% reduction in rejection rates while driving $5 million in incremental sales through strategic contract negotiations. Expert in quality inspection and passionate about private label development, consistently delivering exceptional results.
Overview
35
35
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Produce Supplier Development Lead-Southeast
Sobeys
02.2021 - Current
- Lead a cross-functional team of suppliers to develop and maintain performance standards according to company specifications, reducing rejection rates by 35%.
- Put in extra hours to onboarded seven new manufacturers to improve quality, communication, performance, innovation, and to ensure the lowest possible rejection rates
- Increased one direct supplier’s sales from $1.7 million to $3.0 million in one year.
- Responsible for applying company and USDA specifications inspecting commodities before loading with the authority to reject purchase orders for quality concerns.
- Partnered with replenishment, manufacturers, planning, and pricing stakeholders to roll out a 3# Vidalia onion bin program, which increased onion sales by 25% and created a new SKU.
- Proactively increased company wide watermelons sales 28% from 540 loads to 1,932 loads by leveraging a cross functional team in sourcing, merchandising and warehousing to establish the roll out of a 45ct seedless program
- Recommended and mentored in contract negotiations for promotional pricing and volumes, which resulted in increasing volume by 10% and adding over $5 million in incremental sales.
- Designed, developed and launched private label grape tomatoes program increasing the category sales by 15%
- Partnered with direct watermelon growers and attending seed trials to drive innovation including analyzing customer behavioral data, to improve quality, shelf life, taste and flavor resulting in a variety specific marketing program
- Took the lead in identifying new packaging technologies in the multi-cultural space that would service the expanding ethnic category
- Experienced using Microsoft word, excel, powerpoint, iTrade, proprietary and iTrade for Sobeys
Southeast District Sales Manager for Melons
Delmonte
Plant City, FL
01.2019 - 01.2021
Strawberry FOB Sales
Sweet Life Farms/C-Lane
Plant City, FL
01.2017 - 01.2019
Broker of Strawberries, Citrus, Mangos, Mexican Limes
Ray Delfino Marketing
Plant City, FL
01.2016 - 01.2017
Value-Added/Packaged Salads Buyer
Caito Foods
Lakeland, FL
01.2015 - 01.2016
Strawberry FOB Sales
Colorful Harvest
Plant City, FL
01.2013 - 01.2015
Broker of Citrus, Strawberry and Eastern Veg.
William Manis Co.
Plant City, FL
01.2002 - 01.2013
- Managed the company’s Florida and Missouri watermelon harvesting, inventory and sales.
Divisional Produce Buyer
Winn-Dixie
Jacksonville, FL
01.2001 - 01.2002
Divisional Eastern Veg Buyer
Dominick’s
Northlake, IL
01.2000 - 01.2001
Melon Category Manager
Meijer
Lansing, MI
01.1998 - 01.2000
- With full profit and loss responsibility over Watermelon, Cantaloupe and Honeydew.
Sweet Corn FOB Sales
Twin Garden Farms
Harvard, IL
01.1996 - 01.1998
- Coordinating production with sales and managing Sales/Inventory for three Walmart Divisions.
West Coast Supply Chain Coordinator
Tobi Co.
Tampa, FL
01.1991 - 01.1996
- For Publix-Lakeland, Publix-Jacksonville and Publix- Miami Divisions.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Agriculture Economics
University of Florida
Associate in Arts - Computer Networking
ITT Technical Institute
Associate in Arts - General Studies
St. Petersburg College
Skills
- Supplier onboarding
- Cross-functional team leadership
- Quality inspection
- Contract negotiation
- Private label development
- Sales forecasting
Affiliations
- Alpha Gamma Rho National Social/Professional Agriculture Fraternity
- SEPC STARS Program
- Auburn University undergraduate Agriculture mentor
Websites
Certification
- Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training, 437077, 03/01/25
- CSCMP SCPro Fundamentals, Warehouse, Supply Chain, Transportation, Manufacturing, Service, Inventory, 05/01/21
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, 2025
Timeline
Produce Supplier Development Lead-Southeast
Sobeys
02.2021 - Current
Southeast District Sales Manager for Melons
Delmonte
01.2019 - 01.2021
Strawberry FOB Sales
Sweet Life Farms/C-Lane
01.2017 - 01.2019
Broker of Strawberries, Citrus, Mangos, Mexican Limes
Ray Delfino Marketing
01.2016 - 01.2017
Value-Added/Packaged Salads Buyer
Caito Foods
01.2015 - 01.2016
Strawberry FOB Sales
Colorful Harvest
01.2013 - 01.2015
Broker of Citrus, Strawberry and Eastern Veg.
William Manis Co.
01.2002 - 01.2013
Divisional Produce Buyer
Winn-Dixie
01.2001 - 01.2002
Divisional Eastern Veg Buyer
Dominick’s
01.2000 - 01.2001
Melon Category Manager
Meijer
01.1998 - 01.2000
Sweet Corn FOB Sales
Twin Garden Farms
01.1996 - 01.1998
West Coast Supply Chain Coordinator
Tobi Co.
01.1991 - 01.1996
Bachelor of Science - Agriculture Economics
University of Florida
Associate in Arts - Computer Networking
ITT Technical Institute
Associate in Arts - General Studies
St. Petersburg College
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