Retail
10 Target food and beverage buyers
These ten current and former Target food and beverage buyers have held buyer and category roles in food and beverage at Target. A reader can learn how buying works in food and beverage at Target from people who have held the role.
Professionals to explore
01—10Drake Tesdall
LinkedInExperience: Sr. Buyer Ice Cream & Frozen Pizza · Target
Sr. Buyer Ice Cream & Frozen Pizza at Target since October 2025. At Target they were also Sr. Merchandise Planner - Dry Breakfast & Warm Beverages (2023–2025), a Merchandise Planner for ice cream, frozen pizza and frozen desserts (2021–2023) and Inventory Analyst - Candy (2018–2021).
Elizabeth Carlson
LinkedInExperience: Senior Buyer, Food and Beverage Owned Brands · Target
Senior Buyer, Food and Beverage Owned Brands at Target since August 2026. At Target they were also Planning and Inventory Operations Lead (2025–2026), Planning Operations Lead (2023–2025) and Senior Merchandise Planner in seasonal (2022–2023) and mobile services (2018–2022).
Laura Wieck
LinkedInExperience: Sr. Buyer - Soda & Energy · Target
Sr. Buyer - Soda & Energy at Target since March 2026. Their other Sr. Buyer roles at Target include Feeding & Maternal Health (2025–2026), described as merchant for infant feeding, toddler feeding and maternal health in the Baby division, Baby Nursery Essentials (2024–2025) and Household Cleaning (2022–2024).
Melissa Smith
LinkedInExperience: Senior buyer - RTD & Non-alc Adult Beverages · Target
Senior buyer - RTD & Non-alc Adult Beverages at Target since August 2026, and listed as Buyer - Beer, THC & Non-alc Adult Beverages at Target since 2022. They were also a Food Beverage Coordinator at Target (2020–2022) and Director of Food And Beverage at Wedge Community Co-ops (2015–2020).
Rachel Salem
LinkedInExperience: Senior Buyer- Chilled Juice & Coffee, Refrigerated Baked Goods, Cultured , and Spreads · Target
Senior Buyer at Target since December 2025 for chilled juice and coffee, refrigerated baked goods, cultured products and spreads. At Target they were also a Merchandise Planner for women's flats and heels (2024–2025), Buyer- Air and Dish Care (2021–2024) and Associate Buyer- Toys (2019–2021).
Rafael Roman
LinkedInExperience: Sr. Buyer - Deli · Target
Sr. Buyer - Deli at Target since July 2026, and Sr. Buyer, Multicultural Merchandising there from 2025 to 2026, a role described as driving strategy, sourcing and product assortments tailored to the multicultural guest. Their Target history also includes Strategy & Insights Lead (AIC) (2024–2025) and Pricing Analyst (2018–2020).
Ryan Boes
LinkedInExperience: Senior Buyer | Yogurt/Cheese/Dessert · Target
Senior Buyer | Yogurt/Cheese/Dessert at Target since October 2023. At Target they were also Senior Inventory Manager for dairy and frozen (2021–2023) and Senior Merchandise Planner for global foods and condiments (2018–2021), a role whose description mentions managing the P&L and strategy for global foods.
Ryanne Graham
LinkedInExperience: Sr. Buyer - Frozen Fruit, Apps, Snacks, & Breakfast · Target
Sr. Buyer - Frozen Fruit, Apps, Snacks, & Breakfast at Target since April 2025. As Lead Consultant Strategy & Operations Food & Beverage Merchandising at Target (2023–2025) they led the Food & Beverage Merchandising quarterly strategy process, and they were also a Strategy Implementation Lead (2021–2023) and Sr Analyst (2019–2021) in enterprise strategy at Target.
Stephanie Perri
LinkedInExperience: Senior Buyer, Warm Beverages · Target
Senior Buyer, Warm Beverages at Target since January 2026; their summary describes leading coffee and warm beverages through assortment planning, portfolio management and vendor partnerships. Their profile also lists Brand Manager roles at SunOpta (2024) and at Nestlé for Starbucks and Seattle's Best Coffee (2022–2023), and Associate Brand Manager - Kid Grain Bars at General Mills (2021–2022).
Whitney Miller
LinkedInExperience: Sr Buyer, Owned Brand F&B · Target
Sr Buyer, Owned Brand F&B at Target since August 2026, and listed as a Senior Buyer at Target since June 2024. Their Target roles also include Buyer (2021–2024) and Associate Buyer (2020–2021), and they were Assistant Buyer, Housewares at Dollar General (2018–2019).
Choose the right perspective
Match the person's sub-category, such as frozen, dairy, deli or beverages, to the question you want to ask, since buyers know their own categories best. Check whether the person buys owned brands or national brands, because the two involve different work.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01How does a food and beverage buyer at a large retailer divide time between assortment planning, working with vendors and reviewing results?
- 02How does buying for owned brands differ from buying national brands in a grocery category?
- 03How do buyers and merchandise planners share the work on a food or beverage category?
Reaching Target food and beverage buyers
How can I contact one of these Target food and beverage buyers?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 1 company: Target, based on profile data retrieved on October 13, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
How much does it cost to reach Target food and beverage buyers?
You choose the offer, starting at $5 per person. It includes Instant Expert's 20% fee, so an offer that pays the person $100 costs you $125. You're charged only when the person books the call or sends the answer.
What if they don't reply?
You pay nothing. Instant Expert sends follow-up reminders, and if the person hasn't booked or answered within 7 days, the request expires and any hold on your card is released. You can invite several of the 10 people on this list at once and cap your total spend, so you pay only for the ones who accept.
Can an AI agent ask one of these Target food and beverage buyers a question?
Yes. An agent with a USDC wallet on Base can ask one question without an Instant Expert account. It names the person, for example by the LinkedIn URL on this page, and pays per ask over x402 (HTTP 402). The person answers in writing or by voice note, and if nobody answers within 7 days, the payment goes back to the wallet automatically. x402 docs
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
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