Job Description

Sales Professional / Business Development Manager

Location: Watsonville, CA (Hybrid / Travel as Required)

Company Overview

For more than 65 years , The VPS Companies has been a trusted partner in the frozen food industry, providing marketing, sourcing, manufacturing, and cold storage solutions to leading food manufacturers and foodservice companies.

Headquartered in Watsonville, California , VPS Companies operates through several divisions including Inn Foods (sales and marketing), Valley Packing (sales brokerage), Food Service Systems (foodservice sales),  National Custom Packing (co-packing), and Central Cold Storage (3PL cold storage) . We work with customers across the industrial, foodservice, and retail sectors, delivering customized supply chain solutions and high-quality frozen food products sourced globally.

We are a family-owned organization built on teamwork, integrity, flexibility, and long-term customer partnerships.

Position Summary

The Sales Professional / Business Development Manager is responsible for developing and expanding customer relationships within the frozen food and food manufacturing industries. This role focuses on growing revenue through both new business development and strategic account management , while working closely with internal operations teams to deliver customized product and supply chain solutions.

The ideal candidate brings strong industry relationships, a consultative sales approach, and the ability to translate customer needs into profitable business opportunities.

Key Responsibilities

Business Development

• Identify, develop, and close new business opportunities within food manufacturers, foodservice companies, and industrial ingredient users
• Proactively prospect new accounts through industry networking, trade shows, referrals, and targeted outreach
• Expand VPS’s presence with existing customers by identifying cross-selling opportunities across sales, co-packing, and cold storage services

Account Management

• Build and maintain strong, long-term customer relationships
• Serve as the primary point of contact for key accounts and ensure high levels of customer satisfaction
• Anticipate customer needs and proactively offer solutions that add value to their business

Sales Strategy & Market Intelligence

• Monitor market conditions including commodity trends, supply availability, logistics costs, and competitive activity
• Provide customers with timely insights on pricing, product availability, and market changes
• Work with leadership to develop sales strategies aligned with company growth objectives

Pricing & Proposal Development

• Develop competitive pricing and proposals based on product specifications, logistics, and operational costs
• Analyze cost structures including product, packaging, freight, handling, and storage
• Negotiate contracts and commercial terms with customers

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with operations, production, procurement, and logistics teams to ensure alignment between sales commitments and operational capabilities
• Coordinate customer requirements including specifications, packaging, forecasting, and service expectations

Customer Support

• Resolve customer concerns quickly and professionally
• Maintain clear communication with customers throughout the order lifecycle
• Ensure accurate documentation of customer agreements, pricing, and specifications

Qualifications

Required

• 10+ years of experience in food industry sales , preferably in frozen foods, ingredients, co-packing, or foodservice supply
• Demonstrated success in business development and account growth
• Strong understanding of food industry pricing structures, supply chains, and customer requirements
• Excellent negotiation and relationship-building skills
• Ability to translate customer needs into customized service solutions
• Strong communication and presentation skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)

Preferred

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Food Science, or related field
• Experience working with food manufacturers, co-packers, or frozen food distributors
• Familiarity with CRM systems and sales pipeline management
• Knowledge of food safety, quality standards, and regulatory requirements

Key Competencies

• Strategic thinking and problem solving
• Customer relationship management
• Negotiation and contract management
• Market awareness and commercial judgment
• Collaboration across operations, procurement, and logistics teams

Physical Requirements

This role requires regular computer use and occasional travel to customer locations, trade shows, and company facilities. The employee must be able to lift and carry materials up to 25 pounds occasionally .

Equal Opportunity Employer

VPS Companies is an Equal Opportunity Employer . All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin

Contact:

Daniel Havenar

Human Resources Director

Email: daniel@vpsco.com

PH: (831) 761-7079

We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.

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