Key Accounts Manager-Beverage

Cornbread Hemp • Louisville, KY

2d • Remote

About The Position

We are seeking a Key Account Manager, Beverage to own and grow Cornbread Hemp's presence in large chain accounts for our THC seltzer line. This person will own the end-to-end sales process — from prospecting national and regional chain buyers, to winning authorizations, to growing each account from first order into a category staple.
The ideal candidate is a true self-motivated sales leader with a track record selling adult beverages — beer, hard seltzer, RTD cocktails, or similar — into key account chains across convenience and grocery/mass. This role is for a highly motivated sales leader who thrives under pressure and tight deadlines, builds buyer relationships quickly, and has the discipline to follow each deal through to reorder and velocity.

Requirements

• Minimum of 5+ years selling beverages — beer, hard seltzer, RTD cocktails, or comparable — into large chain accounts, with existing relationships among category buyers at national or regional convenience and grocery/mass banners.
• Demonstrated success landing and growing key chain accounts — owning the buyer relationship, navigating category reviews, negotiating, and driving velocity after the close. Experience across both convenience and grocery/mass is strongly preferred.
• Highly self-motivated, autonomous, and confident, with the social skills to build buyer relationships quickly and maintain them. You move fast and thrive under pressure. You follow through; deals don't fall off after the handshake.
• Comfort selling in a fast-evolving, regulated category, with a proven ability to introduce a new or unfamiliar product into a buyer's set and make the category make sense. You can navigate the patchwork of state-level THC rules, buyer hesitancy, and shifting compliance requirements, and turn a category buyers find unfamiliar or risky into a confident, shelf-ready story.
• Disciplined with sales systems and data, familiarity with VIP strongly preferred. Comfortable owning a CRM, maintaining clean and current pipeline records, and producing reliable forecasts and account-level reporting without being asked. Strong closers who are a black box on reporting will not succeed in this role; we need both.
• Ability to work remotely with frequent travel for buyer meetings, trade shows, and key markets — up to 50% of the time.
• This role owns large chain accounts (national and regional convenience, grocery, and mass) for the THC seltzer line. Our THC seltzer business also moves through a separate DSD sales organization, and certain national retail accounts (including but not limited to Target, Walmart, Whole Foods, and Sprouts) may be managed in coordination with existing fractional key-account and broker resources. The VP of Sales will define specific account ownership and any shared-account protocols at the outset to ensure clear lines and no channel conflict. The ability to collaborate cleanly across these motions is essential.

Nice To Haves

• Existing relationships with beverage distributors — a meaningful value-add, though not required.
• Experience launching a new or emerging beverage brand.
• Experience with beverage and convenience/grocery trade shows.
• Familiarity with the THC beverage and functional-beverage categories.

Responsibilities

• Identify, prioritize, and pursue THC seltzer placements at large convenience chains (Circle K, 7-Eleven, etc. and regional c-store banners) and major grocery and mass retailers (Target, Walmart, Meijer, Sprouts, Whole Foods, Piggly Wiggly and similar). Develop account-specific strategies for each target banner.
• Use the chain authorizations you win to activate and accelerate distribution, partnering with our DSD and distribution teams to ensure product flows reliably into every account you open.
• Own the complete sales cycle — build your own pipeline, secure buyer meetings, present the brand and category story, negotiate terms, and close to first purchase order.
• Drive each account past the close. Win reorders, expand SKUs and door counts, and grow rate-of-sale through ongoing buyer engagement and category management.
• Introduce our non-alcoholic functional Spritz as a complementary offering where it fits the account, especially THC-restricted retailers. Position the Spritz clearly as a non-hemp, non-THC functional beverage so buyers understand what it is — and is not — relative to our THC seltzer and hemp lines.
• Build and maintain a detailed, accurate sales pipeline with reliable forecasting. Partner with the VP of Sales on KPIs, revenue targets, and account-level reporting.
• Partner with marketing on sell-in materials, promotions, and account support, and with operations to ensure supply-chain readiness for chain orders.

Benefits

• Full benefits package including health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Travel and expense budget for account visits, trade shows, and industry events.
• The opportunity to build a chain account book for a high-growth, nationally recognized brand in one of beverage's hottest categories.
• A direct line to senior leadership with significant strategic autonomy to own and grow your channel.
• A collaborative, supportive work environment rooted in Kentucky heritage and organic integrity.
• Professional development and career advancement as our sales organization scales.
• Flexible and remote working capabilities.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed