Culinary Sales Specialist- Chattanooga, Tennessee

International Gourmet Foods (IGF); Tennessee; On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

International Gourmet Foods (IGF) is seeking a Culinary Sales Specialist to build a new, uncultivated customer base across a largely untapped territory.

You will act as IGF product expert, pursue opportunities, and close sales while developing lasting relationships with clients. The role emphasizes entrepreneurial drive, self-motivation, and the ability to travel extensively to foster growth.

Qualifications

• Three or more years in hospitality or food industry with a proven track record.
• Must live in the area with strong local connections.
• Ability to travel up to 75% to visit clients and 15% for out-of-market travel.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships across teams, departments, customers and vendors.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills with a customer focus.
• Proactive, quick-thinking problem solving and time management abilities.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Dynamics, Excel, Teams, Word) and related tech.
• Experience in sales or distribution within the food/hospitality channels.

Responsibilities

• Manage, expand, and compete for IGF's share of the food distribution market.
• Serve as subject matter expert on IGF products; identify opportunities and close deals.
• Meet and exceed individual and department targets and KPIs.
• Develop and grow IGF's customer base within designated markets.
• Pursue new business: cold-call and follow up on inquiries and leads.
• Expand existing accounts: increase sales volume and market share.
• Actively manage existing accounts and maintain contact information.
• Visit customers in person to check in and introduce new products.
• Develop industry and product knowledge continuously.
• Negotiate and manage contract terms; coordinate with Accounts Receivable to ensure payment.
• Serve as IGF point of contact; communicate resolutions internally and externally.
• Attend sales meetings as required and comply with policies and procedures.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Hospitality experience

Local connections

Customer relationships

Travel readiness

Proactive problem solving

Communication & organization

Data entry & MS Office

Time management

Independent/team work

Energy & self-motivation

Tools

Microsoft Dynamics

Excel

Teams

Word

Email

Texting

Job description

IGF is a family-owned food distribution company that prioritizes quality and customer service.

This position will allow for a largely untapped territory and customer base to be built out and offers huge potential for growth. We are seeking an individual that will flourish in an environment ripe with opportunity to open and develop new business in a competitive environment while creating lasting and meaningful relationships with customers.

If you are adaptable, self-motivated and able to vigorously pursue opportunities as soon as they surface, you are a fit for this position. We are looking for someone with an entrepreneurial mindset that is eager to make their mark and excited by the challenge or turning a virgin territory into a healthy and thriving market. If this is you, then we want to hear from you.

IGF Mission

To deliver quality service and cultivate community around the table.

To deliver quality by building relationships, resolving issues, and making it easy to be an IGF customer.

IGF’s Sales Department members work strategically to approach markets with the objectives of securing strong business relationships and dominating the independent food sector within targeted areas.

Culinary Sales Specialist: Job Description

• Work to manage, expand, and compete for IGF’s share of the food distribution market
• Serve as subject matter experts on how to sell IGF’s products, identify sales opportunities in the marketplace and close business transactions
• Meet and exceed individual and department targets and KPIs
• Develop, grow and manage IGF’s customer base within designated markets
• Proactively pursue new business: cold-call and regularly follow up on inquiries, leads, and prospects
• Expand existing customer accounts and relationships to:
  
  
  
  • Increase overall sales volume
  
  
  • Sell a broad range (high percentage) of products that IGF carries
  
  
  • Increase IGF’s market share
  
  
• Actively manage existing accounts
• Maintain an up-to-date portfolio of accounts, including customer contact information, targets, and updates
• Stay up to date on customers’ businesses and needs
  
  
  
  • Visit customers in person to check in and introduce new products
  
  
• Develop and continuously improve industry and product knowledge

iii. Negotiate and manage contract rates, terms, and payment arrangements

• Coordinate customers’ contract terms and fees with Accounts Receivable to ensure payment and avoid lapses in service
• Collect customer payments
• Submit credit and product-return requests

iv. Serve as customers’ IGF point of contact

• Effectively communicate internally to resolve service issues
• Effectively communicate issue resolutions to customers

4. Attend sales meetings as required

5. Comply with company and department policies and procedures

6.Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications (Required)

• Must live in the area and have strong local connections
• A minimum of three years of hospitality or food industry experience with a track record of success
• Ability to deal with customers, vendors, and all channels of distribution to assess and analyze situations and needs
• Ability to build and maintain relationships across teams, departments, customers and vendors
• Ability to work independently or as part of a team – changing gears when required and effectively managing time and prioritizing multiple responsibilities
• Must be able to travel up to 75% to visit clients within the designated sales region, and 15% for out-of-market travel
• Proactive, quick-thinking, problem-solving approach to work
• Excellent communication and organization with a keen focus on customer needs
• A high level of energy and self-motivation, as well as a passion for the food industry
• Strong attention to detail
• Must possess a strong set of data entry skill as well as being proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (especially Dynamics, Excel, Teams, and Word) and other tech skills, including use of email, and text

Qualifications (Preferred)

• Five or more years of hospitality or food industry experience

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to sit and drive for several hours a day and able to walk around to client establishments
• Must be able to bend and lift (at least 55 lb.)
• Requires bending, sitting, standing, walking, use of hands, arms, legs, eyes, and voice

Medical

Vision

401K

Paid time off

Company-paid life insurance

Short-term disability

Referral program

Health savings account

Compensation

Initial Base salary and the uncapped opportunity to earn once targets have been met.