Full-Time

Quality Control Lead

Always Fresh Farms

Always Fresh Farms

51-200 employees

Grower, marketer, and shipper of berries

No salary listed

Plant City, FL, USA

In Person

Travel to other remote locations may be required.

Category
Manufacturing Quality & Test (1)
Required Skills
Microsoft Office
GMP
Quality Assurance (QA)

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Requirements
  • A high school diploma or equivalent is required.
  • A minimum of 2–5 years of experience in fresh produce quality assurance, agriculture, food manufacturing, or warehouse operations is required.
  • Knowledge of United States Department of Agriculture grade standards and inspection procedures is required.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office and electronic quality management systems is required.
  • The ability to organize work and communicate effectively is required.
  • The ability to handle confidential information professionally is required.
  • Regular and consistent attendance and the ability to work overtime, nights, and weekends when needed are required.
  • The ability to lead, motivate, and develop employees is required.
  • The ability to stand for long periods, bend, stoop, squat, push, pull, and perform repetitive motions is required.
  • The ability to lift 20–30 pounds as needed is required.
  • The employee must be willing to work in a refrigerated warehouse environment of 33°F–40°F.
  • The ability to work overtime, weekends, and holidays is required.
Responsibilities
  • Lead and assist in supervising the daily activities of the quality control team.
  • Assign inspection responsibilities to inspectors during receiving, shipping, rework, repack, and packing activities.
  • Provide training and coaching to quality control inspectors and monitor inspector performance.
  • Ensure inspection procedures are performed accurately and consistently.
  • Perform quality inspections of incoming and outgoing berry shipments, including packing, repacking, and reworking activities.
  • Verify product compliance with customer specifications, United States Department of Agriculture grade standards, and company product specifications.
  • Perform routine verification of inspections to ensure consistency among inspectors.
  • Support decisions regarding the disposition of questionable product, including holds, rejections, release, and rework.
  • Comply with Good Manufacturing Practices, sanitation procedures, and food safety requirements.
  • Participate in inspector calibration exercises and annual quality training.
  • Monitor product shelf-life programs and inventory rotation.
  • Perform other assigned quality control duties.
  • Travel to other remote locations as needed for support.
Desired Qualifications
  • Bilingual English and Spanish proficiency, including reading, writing, and speaking, is preferred but not required.

Always Fresh Farms grows, markets, and ships fresh berries to maintain a year-round supply for retailers, foodservice, and wholesalers. It partners with farms across the Americas and handles marketing, logistics, and quality control through a 70,000-square-foot packing facility to ensure a continuous 52-week flow of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. The company differentiates itself with an integrated supply chain, a strong grower network, and certifications for organic standards and food safety, plus strategic partnerships like the 2019 alliance with Giddings Fruit S.A. Its goal is to provide consistent, high-quality berries year-round while supporting sustainable farming and strong producer relationships.

Company Size

51-200

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Plant City, Florida

Founded

N/A

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Always Fresh cited strong 2025-2026 Peruvian blueberry quality and shelf life in April 2026.
  • The company featured jumbo blueberries and blushies on its homepage in August 2026.
  • Jack Cain’s March 2026 retirement signals leadership continuity, not distress.

What critics are saying

  • A 2020 lawsuit alleged Always Fresh mishandled fruit and caused over $25 million losses.
  • Its 52-week model depends on Chile, Peru, Mexico, and Argentina staying production-stable.
  • A major Giddings-related contract break or food-safety incident destroys the supply proposition.

What makes Always Fresh Farms unique

  • Always Fresh Farms controls year-round berry sourcing across the Americas from Plant City.
  • Its 70,000-square-foot Plant City packhouse supports cooling, packing, and quality control.
  • The Giddings Fruit partnership adds Latin American genetics and supply depth.

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