B2B Ingredient Sales Representative

Inside Sales Representative

Food Ingredients  |  Chicagoland Area

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

A privately held food ingredients company based in the greater
Chicago area is expanding its commercial team and looking for a sales
professional with real hunger for new business. The company supplies a broad
range of specialty ingredients to industrial food manufacturers across domestic
and international markets. Operations are modern, the product line is credible,
and the business is growing.

This role suits someone who wants ownership of a territory,
not just a quota. You’ll be expected to develop a book of business, with the
backing of an experienced internal team and a product portfolio that gives you
something worth selling.

THE ROLE

New customer acquisition is the core of this job. You will be
responsible for mapping target accounts, creating initial contact, and
advancing relationships through to close — with existing account support as a
secondary responsibility. Internal teams in technical, operations, and
marketing are aligned to help you win and onboard new business efficiently.

–   Source,
evaluate, and pursue new commercial accounts across the industrial food
manufacturing sector

–   Build
a consistent pipeline through targeted outreach, market research, referral
networks, and industry event participation

–   Establish
credibility with prospects early and advance relationships through each stage
of the sales cycle

–   Construct
and execute a growth plan for your territory with a clear focus on
high-potential accounts

–   Develop
thorough command of the ingredient portfolio to match solutions precisely to
each customer’s sourcing and formulation needs

–   Prepare
and deliver tailored commercial proposals, product presentations, and sample
programs that move deals forward

–   Maintain
service continuity on existing accounts without letting it erode time allocated
to new business development

–   Partner
with internal technical, supply chain, and marketing teams to support smooth
onboarding, product trials, and customer-specific initiatives

–   Contribute
to pipeline reporting, demand forecasting, and market intelligence that inform
broader sales strategy

–   Own
commercial negotiations from opening offer through executed agreement

–   Represent
the company at customer facilities, trade events, and industry gatherings as a
knowledgeable and professional point of contact

Requirements

–   1-3 years selling ingredients or related products into industrial food accounts,
with a verifiable record of opening and closing new business — food ingredient
sales experience strongly preferred

–   Disciplined
pipeline manager — you know what’s in your funnel, where each opportunity
stands, and what it takes to move it forward

–   Confident
communicator who earns trust with buyers quickly and operates effectively
without close supervision

–   Comfortable
owning a number and a territory with minimal hand-holding

–   Willingness
to be in front of customers, at trade shows, and on the road when the
opportunity warrants it; estimated 10–25% travel

–   Four-year
degree in a business or technical field is a plus; demonstrated results carry
more weight than pedigree

–   Fluent
in Microsoft Office; familiarity with Monday.com is a welcome bonus

WHY THIS ROLE

–   A
seat at the center of where the business is growing — not a support function or
a secondary priority

–   The
agility of an entrepreneurial operation with the stability and infrastructure
of an established company

–   A
well-regarded ingredient portfolio that gives you real commercial credibility
from day one

–   Chicagoland
headquarters, situated in one of the most active food manufacturing markets in
the country

–   Compensation
structure built to reward new business performance, not just tenure

This search is being conducted on a confidential basis.