National Account Manager - Food Service

Heartland Food Products Group (HFP) is a global leader in innovative sweeteners and beverage solutions. Our portfolio includes Splenda®, Splenda Stevia®, Splenda Allulose®, and Java House® Cold Brew, supporting operator and consumer demand for better-for-you, great-tasting, and versatile products. We partner with national and regional foodservice chains across restaurants, convenience, hospitality, coffee, OCS/OCM, and healthcare—helping operators streamline beverage and sweetener solutions across both FOH and BOH.

Locations: US West, Central, Northeast, Southeast

Preferred: Tampa, Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Phoenix, Minneapolis, Chicago or near a major airport

Position Summary

The National Account Manager (NAM) – Away from Home is responsible for leading and growing key national and large regional accounts across the QSR/Fast Casual/Casual Dining, Convenience, Travel and Leisure, and Coffee Segments.

This role manages the full sales cycle—including operator engagement, menu innovation support, business planning, pricing/program execution, and distributor alignment—while collaborating closely with internal cross-functional teams and broker partners.

Key Responsibilities

Account Leadership & Business Management

• Own a national or multi-region account list with responsibility for customer relationships, business planning, and overall account performance.
• Develop and execute Joint Business Plans (JBPs) with customers, including product placement strategies, innovation opportunities, and program alignment.
• Lead customer presentations across purchasing, culinary, beverage, R&D, marketing, and operations.

Customer Development

• Drive product placement for Splenda®, Splenda Stevia®, Splenda Allulose®, and Java House® across FOH and BOH applications.
• Coordinate product testing, menu innovation sessions, and formulation work with Culinary and R&D.
• Identify opportunities for new chain development across hotel groups, convenience retailers, QSR/fast casual, coffee chains, and other AFH segments.

Distribution & Program Execution

• Ensure distribution coverage through foodservice distributors including Sysco, US Foods, GFS, PFG, DOT Foods, Core-Mark, McLane, Eby-Brown, and regional accounts.
• Manage pricing letters, contracts, programs, and customer compliance.
• Partner with brokers (OCS, C-Store, Regional AFH) to support market-level execution and operator activation.

Internal Collaboration

• Work cross-functionally with Marketing, R&D, Culinary, Finance, and Supply Chain.
• Provide accurate forecasting, program visibility, and communication within Salesforce.
• Support trade shows, operator showcases, and customer events.

Brand & Event Support

• Represent Heartland at industry events including NRA, NACS, SCA, Foodovation, Market Vision, and operator innovation summits.
• Support brand activations tied to Java House and Splenda where relevant for operator engagement.

Required Qualifications

• 5–10 years of National Account Foodservice sales experience (required).
• Proven experience selling into at least one of the following: convenience, hotel, QSR/fast casual, chain restaurants, coffee chains, or healthcare.
• Strong understanding of foodservice distribution networks and pricing structures.
• Ability to build and manage senior-level customer relationships.
• Strong negotiation, presentation, and communication skills.
• Proficiency in Salesforce, Excel, PowerPoint, and pipeline management.
• Ability to travel 40–60% within the U.S.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with sweeteners, beverage solutions, coffee, or better-for-you products.
• Experience running menu innovation cycles or coordinating with R&D/Culinary.
• Existing relationships within national or large regional foodservice chains.
• Understanding of cold beverage platforms, coffee programs, and tabletop/BOH sweetener solutions.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary, bonus program, and benefits package.
• Opportunity to make an immediate impact within a growing AFH organization.
• Direct access to leading brands such as Splenda®, Splenda Stevia®, Splenda Allulose®, and Java House® Cold Brew.
• A collaborative culture with strong cross-functional support.