Food Service Business Development

Since 1933, Vine Line Produce has been delivering fresh fruits and vegetables to our valued partners throughout the Midwest. Our goal is to collaborate and build solid relations in the produce industry, allowing us to understand our partners needs and services, so that we can support them in all things produce. Vine Line continues to be an organization built on generations of hard working, ethical, and humble families who are dedicated to building relationships by taking care of our customers. We look forward to adding to our team and continuing our growth.

Essential Functions:

• Provide hands-on leadership to create a business that delivers to the corporate objectives
• Deliver to the assigned revenue and margin objectives
• Develop the sales strategy and plans to penetrate the specific food service accounts
• Negotiate contracts and terms that meet volume, pricing, and delivery timing requirements at optimal product margin
• Coordinate with supply chain and produce development to ensure timely development of product and accurate order fulfillment
• Provide reliable estimates and forecasts of future sales for company projections
• Solicit, evaluate, and advocate for customer product and feature requests to improve offerings and service
• Continue to manage day-to-day relationships with new accounts in a sales role capacity
• Ability to travel and work in the office environment. Travel is expected to be 50% - 70% during the work week

Competencies, Education, and Experience:

• College coursework related to above functions (related Bachelor’s Degreed preferred)
• Proficient PC skills in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, and common E-Mail systems
• Influencing skills (proven ability to persuade others towards an idea or goal)
• Negotiation skills (proven ability to seek and close the right deals)
• Start-Up Smart (willing to do what’s needed whenever and wherever needed)
• Intellectual horsepower (highly analytical & strategic)
• Highly resourceful (stretches people and money; compresses time)
• Food Service Business Development/Sales – Proven history of identifying, qualifying, and closing prospects. History of closing prospects from a targeted list through multi-channel selling. The ability to nurture relationships over a long period of time.
• Food Service Channel – Specific, proven experience developing a portfolio of products for food service and developing a network to service the food service channel. Direct and recent experience selling produce products into these accounts. Ideally, the manger has top-to-top relationship management experience with senior management, merchandisers, and buyers. Track record of establishing and sustaining customer relationships at all key levels to achieve desired results.
• Customer-Team Experience – History of working seamlessly with other functional counterparts on the overall go-to-market strategy, new product initiatives and customer specific plans. History of consistently using individual customer goals, strategies, and capabilities to tailor programs that generate success for both company and customer.
• Conceptual Selling – Demonstrated ability to integrate key industry trends, consumer understanding, competitive landscape and category management into a conceptual sales presentation that secures agreement to a recommended business plan that achieves mutual objectives.

Compensation Structure:

• $50,000 - $60,000/Year Commission and Bonus Plan

Physical Demands:

• Occasionally lift up to 50lbs
• Travel as needed and required
• Stand or sit for long periods of time

Benefits:

• Company vehicle, laptop, and cell phone
• Health & Welfare Benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, and Voluntary Life)
• Paid Time Off
• Holidays
• 401(k) with Company Match
• Weekly Paid
• Career Advancement Opportunities

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth and pregnancy-related conditions), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service and veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws and ordinances.