The Director of Foodservice Sales is responsible for accelerating Engelman’s Bakery’s growth within the hospitality, institutional, and foodservice channels by prospecting for and closing new business directly with independent restaurants, restaurant groups, and hospitality operators. Brokers may occasionally provide an introduction, but the majority of new business must be self-generated through this individual’s own direct prospecting. This individual will build their own pipeline, grow revenue through new direct accounts, and position Engelman’s as the preferred direct-source bakery partner for operators.
This is a road-based, customer-facing hunter role built around direct, in-person relationship building — cold calls, door-knocking, and in-person sampling with restaurant owners, chefs, and foodservice operators. The direct relationship between Engelman’s and the end-user operator is the foundation of this role.
This position does not have supervisory responsibilities.
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Generate a personal pipeline through direct prospecting — cold calls, in-person visits, and door-knocking — to develop and close new business with independent restaurants, restaurant groups, hospitality operators, and institutional customers (lodging, healthcare, universities, catering, and contract foodservice).
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Follow up promptly on any broker-introduced leads, while ensuring the majority of new accounts are self-sourced through direct prospecting.
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Lead product presentations, samplings, and negotiations directly with owners, chefs, and purchasing decision-makers to close new accounts.
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Develop and execute strategic sales plans to deliver new business and margin growth goals.
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Build Engelman’s reputation and presence as the preferred direct bread supplier among target restaurant and hospitality accounts.
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Meet or exceed a quarterly target for new direct accounts opened, tracked through consistent call, visit, and sample-drop activity in the field.
Customer Relationship Management
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Manage and deepen relationships directly with restaurant owners, chefs, and foodservice buyers to secure repeat orders and grow share within each account.
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Collaborate with culinary, marketing, and operations teams to design customized solutions for restaurant owners, chefs, hospitality customers and menu applications.
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Partner with internal operations, production, and delivery teams to ensure excellent service and on-time fulfillment for direct accounts.
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Own pricing negotiations and terms for direct accounts, balancing profitability with competitiveness in the market.
Strategic Leadership
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Represent the voice of the customer internally, translating operator feedback and emerging trends (clean label, sustainability, portion control) into product and service improvements.
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Represent Engelman’s at trade shows, culinary expos, and industry events to build the brand and generate new account leads.
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