Director of National Foodservice Sales, Ammerland America

The Opportunity: Director of National Foodservice Sales

Location: Madison, NJ     Reports to: President

Ammerland America, the US-based subsidiary of Molkerei Ammerland—a prestigious 140 year-old European Dairy Cooperative—is seeking a highly strategic, market-savvy Director of National Foodservice Sales, to accelerate the growth of our premium imported cheese portfolio.

https://www.ammerlanderusa.com/    https://molkerei-ammerland.com/en-us/frontpage

In this high-impact role, you will act as the commercial bridge between Ammerland America, our global import partners, and the domestic foodservice market. You will work in tandem with our importer’s sales team to conduct client visits, secure national chain restaurant menu placements, and manage a national footprint. This is not a remote role because it requires initial training and ongoing heavy partnership at our importer's newly relocating headquarters in Madison, New Jersey, so proximity to the New Jersey/East Coast region is required.

Key Responsibilities

• Importer Partnership & Joint Field Execution: Work hand-in-hand with the importer’s Business Development Managers and Regional Sales Representatives to drive case volume. Lead joint market visits, align on target accounts, and co-travel to close high-volume Ammerland cheese placements across the country.
• Menu & Formula Placement: Secure national and regional menu placements with major chain restaurants, multi-unit operators, and hospitality groups, and establish Ammerland America as an approved ingredient supplier for industrial food processors.
• Foodservice & Industrial Volume Growth: Accelerate top-line revenue and maximize case movement within domestic chain restaurants, hospitality, and industrial channels, utilizing the importer's infrastructure to scale.
• Commercial & Distribution Alignment: Act as the direct strategic link between Ammerland America and the importer's sales network, ensuring localized product slotting, supply chain continuity, and strong relationships with both national broadliners and regional independent distributors.
• Pipeline & Value Engineering: Move high-volume opportunities from initial culinary cuttings and R&D evaluation through to final contract rollout, aligning cheese specifications with large-scale manufacturing and packaging needs.

Qualifications & Experience

• Entrepreneurial Cheese Expert: A self-directed builder with a proven track record in the cheese or dairy industry. This role requires the seasoned market knowledge to architect a foodservice channel, demanding high autonomy and a proactive, roll-up-your-sleeves approach from day one.
• Dairy Commodity & Financial Acumen: Deep understanding of cheese commodity pricing models, volume-based forecasting, and margin management. Must be comfortable navigating dairy market fluctuations and structuring profitable contracts based on volume commitments.
• Channel & Distribution Mastery: Proven track record of securing cheese specifications and closing volume contracts with national chain restaurants, hospitality groups, and industrial food processors, with a deep understanding of how to pull that volume through major broadliners and regional independent distributors.
• Technical & Culinary Competency: Ability to confidently lead product cuttings and discuss cheese applications, melt profiles, and yields with corporate chefs, while simultaneously talking volume and logistics with procurement.
• Travel Mobility: Ability and willingness to travel about 30% nationally for field work, client visits, and industry trade shows.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Food Science, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience).

Compensation & Benefits

• Base Salary: $140,000 – $170,000 (Commensurate with experience)
• Variable Incentive Comp: Performance-based bonus structured around case volume growth, distribution expansion, and strategic menu placements.
• Allowances: Corporate travel and entertainment expense coverage, including all client culinary cuttings, regional travel, and accommodations.
• Benefits Package:
• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance.
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) & Dependent Care Account (DCA).
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) policy.
• Simple IRA retirement plan with a 3% company match.

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