National Account Manager - Foodservice, AFH

About Heartland Food Products Group

Heartland Food Products Group (HFP) is a global leader in innovative sweeteners and beverage solutions. Our portfolio includes Splenda, Splenda Stevia, Splenda Allulose, and Java House Cold Brew, supporting operator and consumer demand for better-for-you, great-tasting, and versatile products.

We partner with national and regional food service chains across restaurants, convenience, hospitality, coffee, OCS/OCM, and healthcare-helping operators streamline beverage and sweetener solutions across both FOH and BOH.

Location:

USA Remote;
West, Central, Northeast and Southeast. Preferred Cities:
Tampa, Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Phoenix, Minneapolis, Chicago or near any major airport.

Position Summary

The National Account Manager (NAM) - Away from Home is responsible for leading and growing key national and large regional accounts across the QSR/Fast Casual/Casual Dining, Convenience, Travel and Leisure, and Coffee Segments.

This role manages the full sales cycle-including operator engagement, menu innovation support, business planning, pricing/program execution, and distributor alignment-while collaborating closely with internal cross-functional teams and broker partners.

Key Responsibilities

Account Leadership & Business Management

* Own a national or multi-region account list with responsibility for customer relationships, business planning, and overall account performance.

* Develop and execute Joint Business Plans (JBPs) with customers, including product placement strategies, innovation opportunities, and program alignment.

* Lead customer presentations across purchasing, culinary, beverage, R&D, marketing, and operations.

Customer Development

* Drive product placement for Splenda, Splenda Stevia, Splenda Allulose, and Java House across FOH and BOH applications.

* Coordinate product testing, menu innovation sessions, and formulation work with Culinary and R&D.

* Identify opportunities for new chain development across hotel groups, convenience retailers, QSR/fast casual, coffee chains, and other AFH segments.

Distribution & Program Execution

* Ensure distribution coverage through food service distributors including Sysco, US Foods, GFS, PFG, DOT Foods, Core-Mark, McLane, Eby-Brown, and regional accounts.

* Manage pricing letters, contracts, programs, and customer compliance.

* Partner with brokers (OCS, C-Store, Regional AFH) to support market-level execution and operator activation.

Internal Collaboration

* Work cross-functionally with Marketing, R&D, Culinary, Finance, and Supply Chain.

* Provide accurate forecasting, program visibility, and communication within Salesforce.

* Support trade shows, operator showcases, and customer events.

Brand & Event Support

* Represent Heartland at industry events including NRA, NACS, SCA, Foodovation, Market Vision, and operator innovation summits.

* Support brand activations tied to Java House and Splenda where relevant for operator engagement.

Required Qualifications

* 5-10 years of National Account Food service sales experience (required).

* Proven experience selling into at least one of the following: convenience, hotel, QSR/fast casual, chain restaurants, coffee chains, or healthcare.

* Strong understanding of food service distribution networks and pricing structures.

* Ability to build and manage senior-level customer relationships.

* Strong negotiation, presentation, and communication skills.

* Proficiency in Salesforce, Excel, PowerPoint, and pipeline management.

* Ability to travel 40-60% within the U.S.

Preferred Qualifications

* Experience with sweeteners, beverage solutions, coffee, or better-for-you products.

* Experience running menu innovation cycles or coordinating with R&D/Culinary.

* Existing relationships within national or large regional food service chains.

* Understanding of cold beverage platforms, coffee programs, and tabletop/BOH sweetener solutions.

What We Offer

* Competitive salary, bonus program, and benefits package.

* Opportunity to make an immediate impact within a growing AFH organization.

* Direct access to leading brands such as Splenda, Splenda Stevia, Splenda Allulose, and Java House Cold Brew.

* A collaborative culture with strong cross-functional support.