Food Service - Sales Specialist

POSITION SUMMARY

Reports To: Vice President of Sales – Food Service

Location:
Chicago, IL

FLSA Status:

Exempt

At V & V Supremo Foods, we don’t just make cheese, we create traditions, craft flavors, and celebrate community. As a leader in authentic Mexican food products, we’re ready to break through boundaries and redefine the way people experience our brand. With a vision to surpass half a billion in sales within five years, we’re seeking a motivated Sales Specialist who thrives on challenges, embraces growth, and can achieve aggressive goals with smart strategies and willingness to go the extra mile.

The Sales Specialist will be responsible for driving growth at V & V Supremo Foods, leveraging V&V’s brand strength, product excellence and demonstrating operator “value” over price. This position will be responsible for driving the business at the restaurant level, with particular focus on regional multi-units that want to use the best product and are proud to display it. This role demands a person who is driven, loves a challenge, takes winning seriously and wants to help restaurants make their operations last for the long term.

• Identify, cultivate and sell Regional Multi-Unit Restaurants (Chicago focused)
• Work with a multitude of internal resources to develop a robust target list of accounts that are maintained in V&V’s CRM system for identifying, quantifying and progressing restaurant accounts to a successful closing.
• Act as a consultant to V&V operator targets using market intelligence and culinary support to create meaningful product applications for all V&V’s cheeses and meats.
• Work with V&V brokers to quickly attend to material sales opportunities that require hands‑on work with operators ready to make purchasing decisions.
• Drive Incremental sales at LLO’s (Large Leverage Operators) and Non‑Comm. Accounts
• Work with local “alpha” operators (LLO’s) that drive a disproportionate amount of volume and brand presence.
• Aid in selling NACUFS (College & Universities) members to gain placements, provide branding opportunities and share growth in Mexican cuisine on campuses.
• Brand Growth and Awareness
• Identify existing and new local users of V&V Supremo products for unique branding opportunities.
• Utilize V&V’s Menu Branding program to drive restaurant use of Chihuahua® and V&V Supremo logo on their menus.
• General Project and Event Support
• Work with the Central National Account Manager to aid in supporting Distributor food shows, broker trainings, Industry events and other like activities.
• Provide aid in local, regional and national projects that support the broader food service team and business.
• Measurement and Accountability
• Track and report on goals assigned to this position including successful account closes, menu branding targets, local broker and Central region sales numbers.
• Ensure CRM accounts are updated, with progress reports created on a regular basis.

• Entrepreneurial Spirit: Demonstrated ability to innovate, think outside the box, and achieve big results with limited resources.
• Cross functional teamwork: Ability to work with internal teams (particularly Culinary) to create breakthrough sales presentations and maintaining a high close ratio.
• Strategic thought with Tactical know-how: Strong ability to interpret data, derive insights, and craft data‑driven strategies that are executed with tactical excellence.
• Passion for Food: A genuine enthusiasm for the food industry and authentic Mexican cuisine is a plus.

• Experience: 3 years of food service sales experience, with sales in Dairy/Cheese strong plus.
• Language: Bilingual in Spanish (strongly preferred)

V&V Supremo Foods is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. We are committed to providing a fair and inclusive environment where all employees and applicants have equal opportunities to succeed