Produce Specialist

Sysco•Ocoee, FL

About The Position

This is a professional sales position focused on growing new business in the fresh produce category and achieving assigned business goals while enhancing the customer experience. The Produce Specialist maintains required industry and category certifications and sells the category directly to customers. The role prioritizes time, targets, and team-selling efforts using market insights and data analytics. The position develops produce expertise and customer relationships, identifies customer needs, and builds product mixes that provide solutions and support business objectives. It also tracks sales activity and results, collaborates with colleagues, and supports sales strategies through direct customer engagement and participation in Sysco events.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED and at least 3 years of sales experience in a retail, broker, wholesale, or distribution environment, with deep technical expertise in produce categories.
Produce knowledge and awareness of trends.
Analytical problem-solving skills, including familiarity with analyzing reports and deriving insights from data.
Ability to express information in terms of profit and loss, food cost, and expense ratio.
Strong financial acumen and ability to plan and execute business plans.
Flexibility, openness to change, and receptiveness to new ideas.
A track record of success in consultative selling, networking, and negotiations.
Proficient communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work with and influence a variety of key stakeholders.
Experience building trust with prospective customers and securing new business.
Strong business and restaurant operations acumen for managing sophisticated customers.
Ability to learn proprietary CRM tools for planning and forecasting sales growth.
Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
Proactive, self-directed approach and ability to structure a weekly schedule for success.
Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines and produce accurate, thorough, high-quality work.
Excellent organizational and project management skills, including ability to execute multiple initiatives simultaneously.
Understanding of marketing principles, product lines, ordering procedures, and Sysco credit terms.
Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent educational level.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute targeted produce sales strategies to achieve regional and individual annual business goals, driving profitable sales growth and penetration across fresh produce, specialty segments, and Sysco brands.
Identify customer and prospect needs and assemble a product mix that delivers solutions and helps achieve business objectives.
Use data analytics to prioritize produce opportunities.
Seek, qualify, and support the conversion of top prospects to Sysco customers.
Stay informed about market conditions, product innovations, and competitors’ products, prices, and sales, and share relevant information with customers as a value-added service.
Track activities and results, collaborate on opportunities, and champion team selling through Salesforce, Sysco’s CRM tool.
Use product sampling in a solutions-oriented manner to close sales.
Provide feedback to specialty companies and merchandising about product quality and integrity, product mix, customer satisfaction, perceived value, and competition.
Develop and maintain relationships with customers, chefs, and sales team members.
Support prioritized sales strategies through direct selling and engagement with customers and prospects at Sysco food shows and other industry events.