B2B Ingredient Sales Representative

Chicagoland, United States | Posted on 06/25/2026

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.

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

• 1-3 years selling ingredients or related products into industrial food accounts, with a verifiable record of opening and closing new business — food ingredients 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  is a welcome bonus

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