Director of Foodservice, Business Development

Company Description

SIMPLi is a leading regenerative food brand committed to connecting people globally through the joy of food. Founded in 2020 by Sarela Herrada and Matt Cohen, SIMPLi prioritizes sustainability and ethical practices by working directly with farmers to source premium single-origin ingredients. The company is dedicated to making these high-quality products available to consumers nationwide, catering to customers through stores, restaurants, and online platforms.

SIMPLi's mission emphasizes benefiting people, producers, and the planet.

Role Description

As the Director of Food service, Business Development, you will drive customer acquisition, strengthen client relationships, grow our client base, and lead a sales team eager to grow. You will focus on identifying revenue opportunities, collaborating with the Co-Founder to onboard distributor partners, and expanding our distribution network. Day-to-day activities will include developing and executing food service strategies, financial planning, managing profit and loss, and overseeing budgetary decisions to drive sustainable growth.

This is a full-time hybrid role based in Philadelphia, PA, with some flexibility for remote work.

Strategic Leadership & Sales Growth

• Develop and lead strategies focused on competitive positioning, account sales, and territory development.
• Create and execute a comprehensive food service sales strategy to drive revenue growth with both new and existing customers.
• Conduct high-level industry research to identify opportunities and shape effective sales solutions.
• Build a robust pipeline by targeting national accounts, regional chains, and food service distributors.
• Develop and execute annual sales plans encompassing innovation, market trends, partnerships, selling strategies, and expense budgets.
• Construct and maintain accurate sales forecasts for Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) meetings.
• Achieve annual sales and case volume targets.

Account Development & Management

• Drive the entire sales process—from initial contact and discovery to proposal, presentation, negotiation, and contract execution.
• Develop business plans for key customers aligned with organizational fiscal objectives.
• Secure customer meetings, sample products, quantify opportunities, and negotiate contracts.
• Maintain a comprehensive customer database, including contracts, key contacts, meeting notes, and competitive intelligence.
• Provide customer support, follow up on issues within 24 hours, and ensure high satisfaction across accounts.
• Develop and update monthly risk and opportunity reports, tracking progress to plan.

Relationship Building & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Build and maintain strong, long-term relationships with key customers, distributors, and industry partners.
• Collaborate closely with internal teams—Marketing, QA, Supply Chain, Finance, and R&D—to align on customer needs and growth opportunities.
• Strategically communicate insights upward to drive alignment and continuous improvement across the organization.
• Provide continuous feedback to support innovation, service enhancements, and operational excellence.

Customer Events & Industry Engagement

• Represent SIMPLi at regional and national trade shows; coordinate sampling, marketing tools, and show coverage.
• Lead distributor and customer training sessions on product offerings and promotions.
• Organize and facilitate customer planning events and ideation sessions to strengthen relationships and identify growth opportunities.
• Monitor culinary trends to develop new product ideas and capitalize on emerging market opportunities.

Leadership & Team Development

• Influence and mentor team members to build capability and achieve business objectives.
• Develop a network of partner relationships to expand awareness of SIMPLi capabilities and create new opportunities.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous learning.

Requirements, Skills & Capabilities

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field (MBA preferred).
• Minimum 7–10 years of progressive experience in the Food service industry.
• Must reside in or near Philadelphia, PA.
• Proven track record of achieving sales growth and managing complex customer relationships.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and negotiation skills.
• Strong analytical ability to interpret market data and translate insights into action.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word).
• Effective prioritization, time management, and strategic planning capabilities.
• Passion for food, sustainability, culinary innovation, and customer engagement.