Regional Sales Manager

Rishi Tea & Botanicals is one of the fastest-growing and category-leading premium tea brands in the U.S. Our remarkable teas and botanicals are served in tens of thousands of premier cafés, restaurants, and hospitality destinations globally, as we partner with the most respected names in the culinary and hospitality world. Founded in 1997 by Josh Kaiser, Rishi charted a new course for the tea industry: sourcing teas and botanicals from the world’s best producers, building long-term relationships directly with farmers, and bringing exceptional quality to market without compromise and with culinary creativity.

As a result, Rishi has become a vanguard of Direct Trade within the tea industry. This philosophy defines our brand as both consumers and operators alike increasingly seek transparency, authenticity, and excellence.

Today, Rishi is a rapidly scaling omnichannel brand expanding across eCommerce, Away From Home, and retail with a diverse product portfolio spanning loose leaf tea, sachets, matcha, iced tea, tea concentrates, and ready-to-drink sparkling tea. The pinnacle of our assortment is our limited-release Garden Directtea program. Garden Direct represents the highest expression of Rishi’s sourcing expertise: ultra-small-lot teas selected directly from exceptional gardens, often harvested seasonally and produced in limited quantities.

These teas showcase rare varietals, distinctive terroir, and craftsmanship that cannot be replicated at scale.

As Rishi continues to rapidly-scaleand redefine the premium tea category, this is a moment to join a brand with momentum, purpose, and the ambition to shape the future of how the world experiences tea.

The Regional Sales Manager (RSM) is responsible for supporting the strategic growth of the Pacific Northwest (PNW) region. A key focus will be supporting and honoring legacy partnerships while supporting and growing our wholesale network, both direct and through distribution throughout each state in the territory. The RSM drives revenue growth by strategically prospecting new distributors and multi-unit accounts while deepening customer engagement with existing accounts, with the goal of meeting or exceeding annual territory revenue goals.

This position is required to travel up to 25%.

The essential duties and responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Prospecting & strategic selling (50%)
  • Identify and purse high potential inbound and outbound leads across the region
  • Focus on multi-unit revenue-driving distributor opportunities and halo accounts that elevate brand prestige and market visibility
  • Strategically target accounts and distributors to expand both the qualitative (high value) and quantitative (high-volume) footprint of Rishi
  • Maintain accurate CRM/Excel tracking of all prospecting activities and pipeline status, building strategic next steps on new prospects
  • Attend national trade shows and marketing events, as approved by leadership, to generate qualified leads, build strategic relationships, and maximize ROI through measurable outcomes (e.g. revenue, impressions, sampling)
  • Support distributor expansion efforts in coffee, food service, and nontraditional channels, minimizing cannibalization while unlocking new market access
  • Exhibit meticulous customer advocacy by ensuring every touchpoint reflects the Rishi brand experience
  • Focus on Tier 1 customers: high revenue (100k/year) and high-profile customers, such as Michelin Star, James Bear Winners, Top 50 hotels and restaurants, etc.
  • Collaborate with the marketing team to execute regional initiatives that generate inbound leads and support key partnerships
  • Share insights on sales trends and tea purchasing behaviors to support accurate forecasting and inventory planning
  • Enhance distributor partnerships by conducting quarterly business reviews, providing comprehensive training and offering ongoing program support
  • Present and manage distributor agreements and ensure reps are equipped with selling tools and collateral
  • Support existing customers with training, tea education and event…