Hiring Warehouse Associate in Tolleson, AZ

Gourmet Foods International is a leading U.S.-based distributor of premium gourmet food products, serving high-end grocery stores, fine dining restaurants, luxury hotels, and specialty food retailers across all 50 states for over 35 years. Our 120,000-square-foot distribution hub in Tolleson, Arizona, is a critical logistics node for our southwestern operations, managing the flow of over 4,000 SKUs of specialty products including imported cheeses, artisanal cured meats, boutique wines, organic pantry goods, and fresh specialty produce. We are currently expanding our warehouse team to support growing demand for our product lines, and are hiring multiple Warehouse Associates to join our on-site operations team.

As a Warehouse Associate at our Tolleson facility, you will play a direct role in ensuring that our gourmet products reach clients in perfect condition, with zero delays to delivery schedules. This is a hands-on, full-time role with fixed daytime hours, no mandatory weekend shifts, and clear paths for professional growth within our logistics team.

Your core responsibilities will include:
1. Receiving and verifying incoming shipments: You will check all inbound deliveries against purchase orders, confirm product quantities, expiration dates, and packaging integrity, and log all receipts into our Manhattan Associates WMS (Warehouse Management System) with an error rate below 0.5% to ensure full traceability of all food products in compliance with FDA regulations.
2. Picking and packing customer orders: You will retrieve products from designated storage locations based on electronic pick lists, verify expiration dates and product condition before packing, use protective packaging materials for fragile items (wines, aged cheeses, delicate pastries) to avoid damage during transit, and meet a 98% on-time order preparation rate for all same-day and next-day delivery orders.
3. Managing warehouse stock: You will store received products in temperature-appropriate zones (ambient, refrigerated, frozen) per HACCP food safety standards, implement FEFO (First Expired, First Out) rotation protocols to minimize product waste, update stock location data in the WMS in real time, and participate in weekly cycle counts with a 99% accuracy target.
4. Loading and unloading delivery trucks: You will operate manual pallet jacks and counterbalance forklifts (forklift certification is required, or we will provide paid training at hire for qualified candidates) to move pallets of goods, follow all warehouse safety protocols to avoid product damage and workplace injuries, and complete truck loading within a 2-hour window per vehicle to meet delivery schedule commitments.
5. Maintaining workplace safety and hygiene: You will follow all HACCP and FDA food safety guidelines, clean work areas and equipment after each shift, report any contamination risks, equipment malfunctions (cold storage units, shelving) or safety hazards to the operations supervisor immediately, and complete all required food safety training modules quarterly.
6. Supporting special operations: You will assist with seasonal peak order preparation (holiday gifting programs, food festival shipments), support the receiving and documentation of imported gourmet products (European cheeses, Asian specialty ingredients) to verify customs and import compliance, and process customer returns by inspecting product condition and updating inventory records accordingly.

Our Tolleson warehouse offers a collaborative, safety-first work environment: all team members receive daily 10-minute pre-shift briefings to align on daily priorities, and we provide all required personal protective equipment (steel-toe boots, gloves, safety vests, cold-weather gear for freezer zones) at no cost to you. We prioritize work-life balance, with no mandatory overtime except for rare, pre-approved instances with premium pay, and a supportive team culture where all feedback is welcomed to improve our operations.

To qualify for this role, you must have at least 1 year of experience working in a warehouse or distribution center, with preference given to candidates with prior experience in food or perishable goods handling. You must be able to lift up to 25lbs regularly, read and write English fluently to interpret order documents and safety guidelines, hold a valid state-issued ID, and be able to work a fixed schedule of Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM with a 1-hour unpaid lunch break. Forklift certification is a plus, but we will provide paid, on-site training for candidates without certification who meet all other requirements. Familiarity with WMS platforms, barcode scanning tools, and HACCP food safety standards is also a plus.

In addition to a competitive hourly wage of $17 to $20 per hour depending on your experience, we offer a comprehensive benefits package including quarterly performance bonuses of up to $500, 80% employer-paid health insurance for you and your dependents, 10 paid vacation days and 5 paid sick days per year, free hot meals provided on site during work hours, free on-site parking, a 30% discount on all Gourmet Foods International products for personal use, and clear career progression paths: top-performing Warehouse Associates can be promoted to Warehouse Team Lead after 1 year of tenure, and to Operations Supervisor after 3 years, with all management training costs fully covered by the company.

The recruitment process for this role is straightforward: you can apply in one of two ways. First, you can walk in to our 4-day Open House from Tuesday, April 21 to Friday, April 24, 2025, between 9:00 AM and 6:00 PM at 10401 W Van Buren, Tolleson, AZ 85353, with a copy of your resume to complete an on-site interview with no appointment required. Second, you can submit your resume via email to [email protected] before April 18, 2025, with the subject line "Warehouse Associate Application – [Your Full Name]". All candidates who complete a first-round interview will be invited to a 30-minute facility tour and role overview with the operations manager if their initial interview is successful. We will contact all selected candidates within 5 business days of their interview to share next steps, with a target start date of May 5, 2025 for all successful hires. For questions about the role or the Open House, you can reach our HR coordinator Paula Garcia at [email protected].