Ailina Pena

I am a dynamic Procurement Manager with over seven years of experience leading strategic sourcing and vendor management across food service operations. I lead cross-functional teams to implement cost-saving measures while strengthening supplier relationships and ensuring compliance with corporate procurement policies.

At Guckenheimer I manage procurement across multiple campuses, overseeing ordering, receiving, reporting and inventory using NetMenu, and I partner with chefs and regional leaders to build allergen-management systems that improve food safety and transparency. I standardized vendor lists and optimized supplier selection, achieving notable cost reductions such as halving the coffee program costs while doubling product volume at no extra expense.

Previously I managed purchasing for Bakery, Coffee & Juice Bar departments at Whole Foods Market, using IRMA and Coupa to maintain purchasing compliance and reduce waste. I am bilingual in English and Spanish, focused on continuous improvement, and committed to sustainable, compliant sourcing strategies that drive operational excellence.