Key Account Executive

Van Drunen Farms; Illinois; On-site; USD 97,000 - 118,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits eligible

Bonus potential

Incentive programs

Job summary

Van Drunen Farms seeks a seasoned sales professional to drive growth in the functional ingredient markets. You will build and maintain strategic relationships with key accounts, align customer needs with our ingredients, and lead initiatives from concept to execution.

The role requires five+ years in direct sales within relevant industries, strong networking, and a track record of expanding business across major brands, with extensive travel across the United States.

Qualifications

• Five or more years of direct industry sales experience (food/beverage/nutrition).
• Strong network of brand and industry partners with proven growth results.
• Proven business development and sales experience with measurable results.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to connect needs to solutions.
• Ability to analyze data and identify opportunities for offerings.
• Excellent listening, written, and verbal communication across levels.
• Strong project management across multiple opportunities and projects.

Responsibilities

• Drive profitable growth by developing business with key partners across functional food, beverage, and nutraceutical markets.
• Build strategic relationships and position Van Drunen Farms/FutureCeuticals as a trusted partner.
• Understand customer objectives and connect them with tailored ingredient solutions.
• Identify opportunities across our portfolio of ingredients and IP solutions.
• Collaborate with Sales Leadership and Account teams to grow existing accounts and pursue new business.
• Facilitate new projects by gathering info and moving opportunities from concept to execution.
• Maintain frequent communication and travel across the U.S. to build relationships.

Skills

Sales experience

Industry network

Business development

Problem solving

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Project management

Job description

The Van Drunen Family of Companies is growing!

• Expected Pay Range: $97,000-$118,000/year, exempt
• Bonus: This role may further qualify for supplemental compensation in the form of bonus and incentive programs, contingent upon achieving pre-established individual and company performance metrics.
• Benefits Eligible: Yes
• Benefits Available: 2026-benefits-summary.pdf

Who We Are

At Van Drunen Farms and FutureCeuticals, we're not just providing ingredients; we're providing people with purpose and possibility. As a global, growing, and vibrant supplier of fruit, vegetable, herb, grain-based, and functional ingredients, we partner with some of the world's best food, beverage, and nutraceutical brands. We're a family-oriented company where talented people have the opportunity to grow professionally and personally while helping shape the future of nutrition and health.

What You'll Do

• Drive profitable growth by developing business with key current and target partners across the functional food, beverage, and nutraceutical markets.
• Build strategic relationships with key accounts and position Van Drunen Farms and FutureCeuticals as a trusted industry partner across ingredient supply chain management, product development, and long-term growth.
• Understand customer objectives and challenges and connect them with tailored ingredient, product, and functional IP solutions.
• Identify product- and brand-specific opportunities across our broad portfolio of fruit, vegetable, herb, grain-based, and clinically studied functional ingredients.
• Partner with Sales Leadership, Business Development, Key Account Managers, Key Account Specialists, and Account Services to develop and execute strategies that grow existing accounts and new business opportunities.
• Facilitate new customer projects by gathering key information, coordinating internal alignment, and helping move opportunities from concept to execution.
• Maintain frequent communication and face-to-face customer engagement, with extensive travel across the U.S. to build relationships and grow business.

What You'll Bring

• Five or more years of direct industry sales experience, preferably within the food, beverage, nutraceutical, or functional ingredient industries.
• A strong network of brand and industry partners with demonstrated success developing customer relationships and driving business growth.
• Proven business development and sales experience with measurable results in implementing sales strategies, solving complex customer challenges, and growing accounts.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to identify customer needs and connect them to potential product and service solutions.
• Ability to use analytical data and conceptual thinking to identify business opportunities and potential product offerings.
• Excellent listening, written, and verbal communication skills with the ability to build relationships across multiple levels of an organization.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple customer opportunities and projects simultaneously.

What You Can Look Forward To

• The opportunity to represent a global ingredient manufacturer with broad capabilities across food, beverage, functional ingredients, and nutraceuticals.
• A highly strategic sales role focused on building long-term partnerships with leading brands and industry organizations.
• The opportunity to work with innovative ingredients and clinically studied functional solutions supporting the future of nutrition and health.
• Close collaboration with Sales, Business Development, Key Account Management, Account Services, and cross-functional teams.
• A relationship-driven role with significant customer visibility and opportunities to influence new product development and business growth.
• A family-oriented culture that values initiative, collaboration, professional development, and long-term growth.

Physical & Work Environment Requirements

• Ability to complete the physical requirements of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
• This position requires frequent communication with customers and internal stakeholders through phone, email, and in-person meetings.
• Extensive travel across the United States is required, as face-to-face customer engagement is essential to building relationships and growing the business.
• The role primarily involves professional office, customer, and travel environments.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and technical skills required of personnel so classified.

In the Van Drunen Family of Companies, commitment to excellence is in everything we do! As a global ingredient and nutritional supplement supplier to the world's best companies, we thrive on nourishing others with our products and our care for people. If you are looking to make an impact and grow with a family-friendly, values-driven company, you'll fit right in with the Van Drunen Family of Companies!

Our employees are the most valuable asset we have. The collective sum of the individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, creativity, innovation, unique capabilities and talent that our employees invest in their work represents a significant part of not only our culture, but our Company's achievement as well.

The Van Drunen Family of Companies is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

If you are an individual with a disability in need of assistance or an accommodation during the application process, please contact us at [e-mail].

Van Drunen Family of Companies may use artificial intelligence ("AI") in its recruitment and hiring process. To the extent AI is used, Van Drunen Family of Companies ensures that its use does not result in discrimination against applicants on the basis of any protected class.

Van Drunen Family of Companies does not accept unsolicited resumes. Any resumes, CV's, and other unsolicited assistance from search firms that do not have a submitted request and written search agreement for a position-specific requisition will be deemed the sole property of Van Drunen Family of Companies and no fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by our Company.

Equal Opportunity Employer: Disability/Veteran