Business Development Manager - Food Service

At Arla, we do so much more than make some of the world’s favourite dairy products. We make healthy taste delicious, mornings worth getting up for and family dinners unforgettable. Puck®, Lurpak®, The Three Cows®, Starbucks® and Castello® – names like these make us a vital, natural part of modern life in over 100 countries around the world. There are 1,200 employees in the Middle East and Africa and 19,000 global employees at the heart of our business.

Every single one of us plays an important role and together we build on our 10bn Euros turnover and establish our position as one of the largest dairy companies in the world.

Are you a proven business development or commercial professional ready to progress your career with a leading global dairy company? Join us at Arla Foods and be part of a team dedicated to driving growth and building strong relationships with key clients!

You will join our UAE food service team and work closely with cross-functional departments and distributors to develop and execute our food service strategy in the tea shop, QSR and cafeteria channels. The position reports into the Head of Food service in our Jabel Ali office, Dubai.

Read more about our part of the business here Inside Arla | Arla.

In this position, you will be responsible for cultivating and enhancing strategic partnerships with food service distributors. Leading and optimising sales strategies, including promotional activities, conducting performance analyses, and identifying opportunities to grow distribution channels through joint business planning and targeted strategic initiatives.

• Collaborate with distributors in the tea shop, QSR, and cafeteria channels to enhance relationships and optimize performance.
• Develop and execute strategies for penetrating new markets and expanding existing ones.
• Work on crafting and negotiating business development agreements and joint business plans with distributors.
• Conduct regular sales analysis to identify trends, challenges, and opportunities for growth.
• Provide training and support to distributors to ensure alignment with company standards and objectives.
• Develop KPIs and monitor distributor performance to ensure targets are met or exceeded.
• Perform market research to identify potential areas for expansion and new partnership opportunities.
• Coordinate promotional activities and campaigns to support distributor sales efforts.

To thrive in this role, the ideal candidate will bring a strategic, solution-driven mindset, approaching challenges with a proactive and forward-thinking attitude. Strong communication skills are essential—not only to inspire and guide a team, but also to foster alignment across departments. Transparency and a collaborative spirit are equally important, as this role demands a true team player who can build trust and drive shared success.

In a data‑led environment, being data savvy is crucial to make informed decisions, optimize performance, and contribute meaningfully to the broader commercial strategy.

At Arla, we’re committed to professional development and promoting from within. Our positive and collaborative culture will bring out the best in you. You will join a market leader producing nutritious household‑favourite brands while contributing to sustainable practices that benefit our customers, farmers, and the planet.

If you want to be part of a dynamic team and help shape the future of dairy, seize this exciting opportunity! Please apply as soon as possible, as we will process applications continuously and close recruitment once the right candidate is found.

Arla is a global leader in the dairy industry, committed to enabling good food choices that make life better, providing people with natural, sustainable nourishment, while taking care at every step to ensure Arla is a choice they can feel good about. If you are looking to shape the future with an ambitious global cooperative that truly cares about your growth, where everyone feels valued and empowered, and collaboration is the core of culture, Arla is a choice you can feel good about.