Andre Bassiri

About Andre Bassiri

Hello! My name is Melad Andre Bassiri but I go by my middle name, Andre (like the Giant)! I am currently the Director of Procurement at Custom Made Meals, managing the Procurement and Warehousing teams.I have over 7 years of experience in the Food and Beverage industry specializing in the procurement of items such as proteins, grains, produce, packaging, PPE, and a host of other categories. With multiple years of experience at both large manufacturers and growing small-to-medium enterprises, I have developed a strategic approach to problem solving while also considering the operational impact of decisions as they affect the wider business. Having had experiences in corporate and retail, I pride myself on being able to approach problems from a creative and well-rounded mindset. Utilizing the skills and languages I have developed over the course of my career, I aim to drive profitability, reduce risk, and bring structure to any role I find myself in. I look to continue to develop myself, my direct reports, my team, and those around me as I progress in my career.

Experience

1. Director of Procurement

   Custom Made Meals

   Aug 2022 — Present

   Responsible for all procurement categories (specializing in Proteins, Veg, PPE, and Packaging) and processes such as RFPs, CSR, Sourcing, Reporting, Pricing, and Forecasting.• Successfully hosted multi-vendor RFPs, and contract negotiations, for the Protein (Beef, Pork, Poultry), Produce, Dairy, Packaging, and PPE categories.• Perform yield and product studies on Proteins to ensure full utilization of subprimal muscles, falloff, and most efficient use of protein for finished good production. • Communicate RFP results to the CEO, VP of Finance, VP of Operations, and VP of Sales to ensure transparency on internal pricing, and any changes to operations. • Report on past, current, and future market conditions based on available indices (Urner Barry, CBOT, USDA, etc) for each of the categories to minimize price risk, take financial positions on markets, and ensure continuous supply of inbound products during periods of high volatility. • Benchmark suppliers on a monthly or quarterly basis, depending on market volatility. • Developed a strong Supplier Relationship program to foster key partnerships with long term strategic suppliers considering a variety of different factors such as product proximity, supply-chain risk evaluation, financial risk, and others. • Management of the warehousing team to ensure proper product allocation, storage, and usage according to internal FIFO mandates and SOPs. • Coordinate overall business strategy with Sales, Marketing, Finance, QA, and other BUs by providing key information and specifications about product markets and unique product nuances to maximize margin and minimize risks throughout both the supply chain and in operations. • Source sustainable packaging in coordination with our customers sustainability goals; initiatives such as switching black carbon trays to white/clear trays.• Assist in R&D development of new items through partnering with current and prospective vendors, procuring samples, and forecasting prices.

Education

• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

  Bachelor's Degree, Economics

  2012 — 2016