Director / Sales Manager, Business Development - Retail

Freshway Foods  |  Sidney, OH

Location: Home Office Based

Reports To: VP of Sales, Freshway Foods

Direct Reports: Account Manager, Inside Salesperson

Channel Focus: Retail, Grocery, Club, Specialty, Natural/Organic, Convenience

Product Focus: Fresh pre-cut produce, grab-and-go formats, deli kits, consumer-packaged value-added items

ABOUT THE ROLE

Freshway Foods connects farms to consumers by delivering fresh-cut produce solutions with a commitment to the growers, customers, and communities we serve. We help retail operators eliminate the labor, quality, and food safety challenges of fresh produce by delivering fully customized, ready-to-use solutions. We move fast, tailor solutions to retail operations, and show up as a true partner   turning fresh produce from a cost center into a competitive advantage. We are one of the largest regional processors of fresh fruit and vegetables, offering a wide range of value-added products and services to meet the growing needs of our customers.

As the sales leader, you will own and grow Freshway’s presence across consumer-facing retail channels. Your mandate spans pre-cut grab-and-go, deli kits, snack packs, and other consumer-packaged produce formats sold directly to grocery retailers, club stores, specialty retailers, and convenience channels. You will serve as the primary commercial architect for the retail business   building a playbook, leading a team, and winning with the buyers and category managers who decide what ends up in the produce case and the deli aisle.

KEY THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THIS ROLE

Which functions will I partner with most?

You will work daily with Operations, Marketing, Supply Chain, R&D/Innovation, and Finance   aligning demand signals from retail buyers, margin strategy, service levels, packaging development, category programs, and financial reporting. In this role, internal selling is just as important as external selling.

Do I own strategy, execution, or both?

Both. You will design the retail commercial strategy and build the systems, processes, tools, and selling rhythms that bring it to life   then ensure your account manager and inside salesperson execute at a high level day-to-day.

Territory Scope

Regional or national depending on retailer. You will oversee retail accounts with a dual focus on deepening penetration within the existing book of business and aggressively adding net new retail logos across grocery, club, specialty, and convenience channels.

Culture & leadership: How am I expected to make decisions?

Decisions are expected to be data-informed, customer-back, collaborative, and action-oriented   with strong communication and professionalism under pressure. You will be managing up to the President and down to a two-person team simultaneously. Clarity and composure are required.

What am I being hired to solve right now?

Your immediate mandate is to establish and grow Freshway’s retail business with a focus on consumer-packaged fresh-cut, grab-and-go, and deli kit formats. You will build or refine the retail go-to-market strategy, create buyer-ready presentations and category selling tools, and develop the pipeline of retail accounts that will define Freshway’s next growth chapter. You will also inherit and elevate an account manager and inside salesperson, shaping how this team operates.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Lead the Retail Sales Strategy & Operating System

• Develop the annual and quarterly retail sales strategy aligned to revenue, margin, and channel growth goals.
• Build scalable processes for pipeline management, retailer forecasting, pricing/margin reviews, promotional planning, and goal setting.
• Implement and reinforce CRM adoption, reporting, and data quality across the retail team.
• Own the retail sales calendar   including buyer meeting cycles, trade shows, category reviews, and new item cut-ins.

Consultative Retail Selling & Pain Point Discovery

• Approach each retail account with a consultative mindset: understand buyer objectives, category performance gaps, consumer trends, and competitive pressures before presenting solutions.
• Use structured discovery to uncover pain points at the buyer and category manager level   whether that is shrink, labor in the deli, consumer demand for grab-and-go, or gaps in the value-added produce set.
• Build solutions proposals, not just product pitches. Every retail presentation should connect Freshway’s capabilities to a documented retailer’s need.
• Apply creativity in account planning: developing custom packaging, limited-time formats, seasonal programs, and private label concepts that align to individual retailer strategies.
• Leverage market data (consumer trends, IFPA insights, Nielsen/Circana where available) to support category storytelling with buyers.
• Establish clear roles, responsibilities, account assignments, and performance expectations for each direct report.
• Provide structured coaching, ride-alongs, and performance management tied to individual development plans.
• Participate directly in key buyer meetings, presentations, and negotiations alongside the team.
• Build a culture of preparation, curiosity, and solutions-first selling within the retail team.

Drive Retail Growth: New Accounts & Penetration

• Prospect and cultivate new retail accounts across grocery, club, specialty, natural/organic, and convenience channels.
• Expand wallet share within existing retail accounts by introducing new SKUs, category programs, and seasonal items.
• Partner with Marketing on consumer-facing brand development, packaging design, trade promotions, and new product launches.
• Identify and pursue private label opportunities with retail partners seeking custom fresh-cut and grab-and-go programs.
• Represent Freshway at retail trade shows, produce industry events, and category forums.

Retail Category Management & Buyer Relationships

• Build multi-level relationships within retail accounts   from category managers and buyers to VP-level merchandising leadership.
• Develop joint business plans with key retail partners that align Freshway’s production capabilities to the retailer’s category strategy.
• Advocate internally for service improvements, pack size changes, label updates, and assortment decisions driven by retailer feedback.
• Stay current with the competitive landscape in fresh-cut and value-added produce at retail understanding what the major processors are doing and where Freshway can differentiate.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner with Operations and Supply Chain to ensure Freshway can deliver on retail commitments, fill rates, lead times, shelf-life specifications, and promotional volume.
• Work closely with R&D/Innovation on new consumer-facing product development for retail, including grab-and-go snack formats, deli kit configurations, and seasonal packaging concepts.
• Collaborate with Finance on retail margin modeling, promotional ROI, and customer profitability analysis.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

This role requires travel for retail buyer calls, store visits and shelf audits, ride-a-longs with your account manager, regional and national trade shows (including PMA/IFPA produce events), industry category forums, and internal leadership meetings. Estimated 35% travel, with heavier travel during new account pursuit cycles and annual category review seasons.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE IN 1 YEAR

• Retail Pipeline - Active pipeline of 15+ qualified retail prospects across grocery, club, and specialty channels with documented buyer contacts and opportunity stages.
• New Account Wins - At least 2–3 new retail accounts onboarded and generating revenue, with signed program commitments for grab-and-go, deli kits, or fresh-cut sets.
• Team Performance - Account manager and inside salesperson operating with clear goals, structured coaching cadence, and measurable activity and revenue metrics.
• CRM Adoption CRM fully implemented and maintained with accurate pipeline, contact records, activity logs, and forecasting data for all retail accounts.
• Category Selling  - Buyer-ready category presentations developed for at least three retail segments, incorporating consumer trend data and Freshway capability storytelling.
• Revenue Growth - Retail channel revenue growth at or above target, with documented margin improvement on new business.
• Internal Credibility - Recognized by Operations, Supply Chain, and Marketing as a collaborative, solutions-oriented leader who brings retail market intelligence back into the business.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required Experience

• 7+ years of sales experience in consumer-packaged goods, fresh produce, value-added food, or perishable retail   with a demonstrated track record of selling into grocery, club, specialty, or convenience retail channels.
• Direct experience calling on retail buyers and category managers, with the ability to navigate multi-level retailer relationships from store-level to headquarters buying.
• Proven consultative selling approach: history of using discovery, pain point mapping, and solutions-based proposals to win and grow retail accounts.
• Familiarity with the retail produce or deli category: understanding of shelf sets, planograms, shrink economics, promotional programs, and private label dynamics.

Strongly Preferred

• Fresh-cut or value-added produce sales experience (pre-cut vegetables, grab-and-go fruit cups, deli kits, snack packs, or similar formats).
• Experience developing or selling consumer-facing packaging formats and private label produce programs to retail partners.
• Exposure to retail category management principles and the ability to build data-driven category presentations for buyers.
• Existing relationships with buyers at regional or national grocery, club, or specialty retail chains.
• Understanding of retail promotional calendars, slotting, and reset cycles.

Skills & Tools

• Strong business acumen: ability to model margin, evaluate trade promotion ROI, and present financially sound proposals.
• Creative problem-solver brings new ideas to account planning, packaging formats, seasonal programs, and go-to-market approaches.
• Excellent presentation and communication skills   credible and compelling in a buyer meeting with limited prep time.
• Proficiency with CRM platforms and Microsoft Office (particularly Excel and PowerPoint for buyer presentations).
• Comfort with ambiguity: able to build structure where little exists and adapt quickly as retail priorities shift.

LEADERSHIP & CULTURE EXPECTATIONS

Seek and apply feedback

• Actively solicit input from your team, peers, and leadership. Model the behavior you expect from your direct reports.

Lead with curiosity

• Approach every retail account with genuine curiosity about their business   their customers, their challenges, their competitive context. Earn the right to pitch by listening first.

Communicate clearly and professionally

• Maintain high standards of communication with buyers, your team, and internal partners   especially when timelines slip, product changes, or challenges arise.

Build solutions, not just volume

• Resist the urge to sell on price alone. Help your team understand that sustainable retail relationships are built on solving business problems, not discounting.

Influence cross-functionally

• Your ability to bring Operations, R&D, and Supply Chain along on retail commitments is as important as your external selling ability.

Demonstrate sound business judgment

• Know which accounts and programs are worth pursuing. Make recommendations grounded in margin, fit, and long-term partnership potential.