B2B Ingredient Sales Representative
About The Position
A privately held food ingredients company based in the greater Chicago area is expanding its commercial team and looking for a sales professional with real hunger for new business. The company supplies a broad range of specialty ingredients to industrial food manufacturers across domestic and international markets. Operations are modern, the product line is credible, and the business is growing. This role suits someone who wants ownership of a territory, not just a quota. You’ll be expected to develop a book of business, with the backing of an experienced internal team and a product portfolio that gives you something worth selling.
Requirements
- 1-3 years selling ingredients or related products into industrial food accounts, with a verifiable record of opening and closing new business — food ingredient sales experience strongly preferred
- Disciplined pipeline manager — you know what’s in your funnel, where each opportunity stands, and what it takes to move it forward
- Confident communicator who earns trust with buyers quickly and operates effectively without close supervision
- Comfortable owning a number and a territory with minimal hand-holding
- Willingness to be in front of customers, at trade shows, and on the road when the opportunity warrants it; estimated 10–25% travel
- Fluent in Microsoft Office
Nice To Haves
- Four-year degree in a business or technical field is a plus; demonstrated results carry more weight than pedigree
- Familiarity with Monday.com is a welcome bonus
Responsibilities
- Source, evaluate, and pursue new commercial accounts across the industrial food manufacturing sector
- Build a consistent pipeline through targeted outreach, market research, referral networks, and industry event participation
- Establish credibility with prospects early and advance relationships through each stage of the sales cycle
- Construct and execute a growth plan for your territory with a clear focus on high-potential accounts
- Develop thorough command of the ingredient portfolio to match solutions precisely to each customer’s sourcing and formulation needs
- Prepare and deliver tailored commercial proposals, product presentations, and sample programs that move deals forward
- Maintain service continuity on existing accounts without letting it erode time allocated to new business development
- Partner with internal technical, supply chain, and marketing teams to support smooth onboarding, product trials, and customer-specific initiatives
- Contribute to pipeline reporting, demand forecasting, and market intelligence that inform broader sales strategy
- Own commercial negotiations from opening offer through executed agreement
- Represent the company at customer facilities, trade events, and industry gatherings as a knowledgeable and professional point of contact
Benefits
- Compensation structure built to reward new business performance, not just tenure
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
Associate degree
