National Sales Director – Beverage Manufacturing & Product Development

National Sales Director – Beverage Manufacturing & Product Development

Location: Edison, New Jersey / Potential remote

Department: Commercial Sales

Travel: Approximately 15–20% (Trade Shows, Customer Visits & Industry Events)

Compensation: Generous Base starting at $85k annually Commission

Target Candidate: This is a highly specialized sales role. We are seeking professionals with a proven history of selling beverage co-packing services or closely related food manufacturing solutions. To ensure a productive hiring process for everyone, applications that do not demonstrate this experience will not be reviewed.

Build the Next Generation of Beverage Brands

MetaBrand is an independent beverage formulation, commercialization, and manufacturing company helping beverage brands move from concept to commercial production.

Our clients range from first-time founders to rapidly growing national brands developing sports drinks, energy beverages, functional beverages, RTD cocktails, coffee, wellness beverages, and hemp-derived products.

We’re looking for an experienced commercial sales leader who understands beverage manufacturing, thrives on building new business, and wants to play a direct role in growing one of the industry’s most capable beverage commercialization companies.

This is a national business development role focused on acquiring new manufacturing partnerships while expanding opportunities across product development, formulation, pilot production, commercialization, private label manufacturing, and long-term co-manufacturing relationships.

What You’ll Own

As National Sales Director, you’ll own the growth of new customer acquisition across North America.

Your primary responsibilities include:

• Develop and execute a national business development strategy targeting emerging, growth-stage, and established beverage brands.

• Build and manage a high-quality sales pipeline through strategic outbound prospecting and relationship development.

• Identify brands preparing for commercialization that require formulation, pilot production, manufacturing, or commercialization support.

• Develop executive-level relationships with founders, CEOs, operations leaders, procurement teams, investors, consultants, and brand owners.

• Lead customers through the complete commercialization journey—from concept through commercial manufacturing.

• Collaborate with Product Development, Operations, Procurement, QA, Finance, and Executive Leadership to ensure successful customer onboarding and execution.

• Negotiate commercial agreements while protecting profitability and long-term customer success.

• Maintain accurate pipeline forecasting and CRM discipline within HubSpot.

• Represent MetaBrand at major industry events including BevNET Live, SupplySide West, Expo West, MJBizCon, Pack Expo, PLMA, NACS, and other industry conferences.

This Position Is About Growth

Success is measured by:

• New customer acquisition

• Qualified pipeline creation

• Annual revenue growth

• Closed manufacturing programs

• Multi-service customer expansion

• Long-term strategic account development

• Customer retention and lifetime value

Why This Role Is Different

Most beverage manufacturers only sell manufacturing capacity. MetaBrand provides multiple revenue opportunities through every customer relationship.

Our commercial team sells:

• Beverage Formulation

• Product Development

• Formula Commercialization

• Hero Sample Programs

• Pilot Production

• Manufacturing Scale-Up

• Beverage Co-Manufacturing

• Private Label Programs

• New Product Launches

• Line Extensions

• Manufacturing Transfers

This creates significantly greater revenue potential while allowing you to become a trusted commercialization partner rather than simply a manufacturing salesperson.

Required Experience / Required Qualifications

• Minimum five (5) years of beverage manufacturing or beverage co-manufacturing sales experience.

• Previous employment with a beverage contract manufacturer, beverage co-packer, or beverage commercialization company.

• Demonstrated history of exceeding sales goals through proactive business development.

• Experience managing complex B2B sales cycles involving multiple decision-makers.

• Existing relationships throughout the beverage industry.

• Strong understanding of beverage commercialization and manufacturing.

• Experience selling six- and seven-figure commercial manufacturing programs.

Preferred Industry Experience

Experience in one or more of the following beverage categories:

• Functional Beverages

• Sports Nutrition

• Energy Drinks

• Ready-to-Drink Alcohol

• Hemp / THC Beverages

• Wellness Beverages

• Private Label Beverage Manufacturing

Who You Are

You create opportunities—you don’t wait for them. You’re energized by building relationships, developing new business, and solving complex customer challenges.

You are:

• Highly proactive and self-directed.

• Curious, competitive, and commercially driven.

• Comfortable engaging senior decision-makers.

• Skilled at navigating long sales cycles.

• Exceptionally organized and accountable.

• A trusted advisor who earns credibility through expertise.

• Motivated by measurable results and continuous improvement.

Technology & Sales Tools

Experience with:

• HubSpot CRM

• LinkedIn Sales Navigator

• ZoomInfo, Apollo.io, or comparable sales intelligence platforms

• Microsoft 365

• Proposal and pipeline management software

Why Join MetaBrand

You’ll join a company that combines formulation, commercialization, and manufacturing under one roof—giving you a differentiated value proposition that few competitors can offer.

You’ll work alongside beverage scientists, commercialization experts, and manufacturing professionals to help bring innovative beverage brands to market while building long-term strategic partnerships that drive meaningful growth.

Highly Desirable

• Existing network of beverage founders, investors, consultants, ingredient suppliers, packaging suppliers, brokers, and commercialization partners.

• Experience working with emerging beverage brands.

• Familiarity with beverage manufacturing economics, production planning, and commercialization strategy.

• Experience selling technical or consultative manufacturing services.

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Food Science, or related discipline.