Fresh Produce Receiver / Quality Inspector

Location: Winnipeg, MB
Position: Full-Time
Industry: Fresh Produce / Food Distribution
Salary: Commensurate with experience
Benefits: Available based on experience and company policy

Position Overview

Staffmax is seeking a Fresh Produce Receiver / Quality Inspector to join our client’s team in Winnipeg. This is a hands-on role focused on receiving, inspecting, handling, and maintaining the quality of fresh fruits and vegetables.

The ideal candidate will have previous experience working with fresh produce in a warehouse, distribution centre, grocery store, produce department, or similar environment. The successful candidate should be comfortable working in a fast-paced environment, performing physical tasks, lifting product, and conducting visual inspections to ensure produce meets quality and freshness standards.

Experience with GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices), food safety procedures, swabbing, and produce quality inspections is highly valued.

Key Responsibilities

• Receive incoming shipments of fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Inspect produce upon arrival for overall quality, freshness, and condition.
• Perform visual quality checks, including assessing:
  • Colour
  • Size
  • Texture
  • Freshness
  • Appearance
  • Damage, bruising, or spoilage
  • Temperature and general product condition
• Identify and report produce that does not meet quality or customer requirements.
• Perform routine environmental and/or product swabbing as required.
• Follow GMP, food safety, sanitation, and workplace safety procedures.
• Assist with proper handling, storage, and rotation of fresh produce.
• Check product during receiving and storage for signs of aging, deterioration, or spoilage.
• Complete receiving and quality-related documentation accurately.
• Communicate quality or product concerns to supervisors and relevant team members.
• Assist with cooler organization and proper placement of incoming produce.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and sanitary work area.
• Support inventory counts and other warehouse or produce-related tasks as required.
• Follow all company procedures and food safety standards.

Qualifications

• Previous hands-on experience working with fresh fruits and vegetables is required.
• Experience in a produce warehouse, distribution centre, grocery store, supermarket, or produce department is considered an asset.
• Good understanding of fresh produce quality, freshness, handling, and storage.
• Knowledge of GMP and food safety practices.
• Experience performing or assisting with swabbing and sanitation checks is an asset.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to identify differences in produce quality.
• Comfortable performing physical work, including lifting and moving boxes of produce.
• Ability to work in a cooler/warehouse environment.
• Good communication skills and ability to report quality concerns clearly.
• Basic computer skills and ability to complete documentation.
• Reliable, punctual, and comfortable working independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to regularly lift, carry, push, and move boxes and containers of fresh produce.
• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.
• Ability to work in refrigerated/cooler environments.
• Ability to perform repetitive physical tasks safely.
• Ability to visually inspect produce for quality and condition.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is someone who knows fresh produce firsthand and is comfortable working directly with fruits and vegetables.

We are open to candidates who have worked in grocery store produce departments, produce warehouses, food distribution centres, farms, or other fresh produce environments.

You do not need to come from a traditional Quality Control background. We are looking for someone who understands what fresh, good-quality produce should look and feel like, can identify issues with colour, size, texture, freshness, or damage, and is comfortable with the physical demands of receiving and handling produce.

Knowledge of GMP, food safety, sanitation, and swabbing procedures will be considered a strong asset.