Sales Representative

Columbia Packaging Group•Chino, CA

15d•$75,000 - $85,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Columbia Packaging Group is seeking a motivated Sales Representative to learn the straw business from the ground up. This role involves spending time in our Chino plant to understand the PLA and PHA straw manufacturing process, and then applying that knowledge to the market. The primary objective is to find new customers, engage with buyers, secure business, and retain existing clients, with a goal to double annual sales within two years while maintaining profitable pricing for CPG. The position requires strategic solicitation and development of new customers, alongside maintaining strong relationships with existing ones. Key duties include identifying potential clients, following up on leads, assisting customers with product trials, and closing new business deals.

Requirements

Comfortable picking up the phone, asking for a meeting, and getting out to see customers.
Ability to follow through after the first conversation.
Curiosity about how things are made and ability to explain technical details in plain language.
Ability to keep track of work, use CRM, and understand that a sale has to make financial sense.
Ability to work from the Chino plant and travel to customers across Southern California.
Early career sales candidates are welcome.

Nice To Haves

Experience in packaging, plastics, manufacturing, or foodservice would help, but we can teach the product.

Responsibilities

Learn the extrusion process and the details that matter to a buyer: materials, straw sizes, performance, packaging, quality, capacity, and lead times.
Understand where PLA and PHA products fit, how they differ, and what we can support with product documentation.
Research customers with meaningful straw volume.
Find out who buys, what they use today, what it costs them, and what would make them change to our straws.
Make cold calls, book meetings, visit customers, and follow up.
Turn those conversations into samples, trials, quotes, and orders.
Work with the CPG team on pricing, product fit, and delivery.
Stay close to new accounts through their first orders and earn repeat business.
Keep a current list of prospects and opportunities, with a clear next step for each one.
Review your pipeline with sales leadership every week.
Capture customer feedback so we know what the market needs and where we can win.
Works collaboratively with sales management to develop a sales growth strategy focused on margin growth and customer satisfaction.
Closes new business deals by coordinating requirements; developing and negotiating contracts; integrating contract requirements within business operations.
Maintains CRM data with detailed record keeping of sales activities, including opportunities, calls, quotes, relationship status, customer contacts, etc.
Communicates with customers and leads to identify and understand their needs; identifies and proposes products to meet those needs.
Performs various special projects and other duties as assigned.