Food Service Field Sales Representative

At Lakeside Foods and our family of companies, we're committed to providing wholesome foods to enrich people's lives through food. We are a culture that pursues our vision of growth and innovation with passion, confidence, and commitment. We are strongest together - valuing collaborative contribution, transparency and new ideas to enable change and growth. We are committed to an inclusive and respectful environment that promotes a healthy work-life balance, and there's a seat at the table for you. Lakeside Foods is seeking a Food Service Field Sales Representative - Value Added Products to drive growth across existing and new accounts while managing broker relationships within an assigned region. This role supports the expansion of the Value Added portfolio across Lakeside and Riverside brands by delivering profitable growth, strengthening customer partnerships, and executing strategic sales initiatives.
What You'll Get Competitive compensation based on experience
Affordable, market‑leading medical, dental, and vision insurance
401(k) retirement plan with company match
Paid vacation and personal time
Paid professional development opportunities
Autonomy within a collaborative, high‑performance sales team
Long‑term growth opportunities with a stable, family‑owned company What You'll Do Develop and grow foodservice sales within assigned regional markets across Lakeside and Riverside value-added product portfolios Manage and expand relationships with: Broadline distributors
Regional distributors
Foodservice operators
Broker partners
Regional and emerging chain accounts Drive distribution gains and operator penetration within key foodservice channels including: Independent restaurants
Regional chains
Non-commercial
Healthcare
Education
Hospitality Deliver annual volume, revenue, and profit objectives while maintaining accurate quarterly forecasting
Collaborate with broker partners to execute strategic sales initiatives, operator engagement, and distributor growth plans
Conduct operator sales calls, distributor meetings, product trainings, food shows, and culinary demonstrations
Identify and develop opportunities for menu applications, LTOs, and value-added product solutions
Lead category growth initiatives and provide market intelligence related to competitive activity, pricing, trends, and customer needs
Execute customer agreements and promotional programs while balancing profitability and strategic growth objectives
Conduct Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) with key distributor, broker, and customer partners
Partner cross-functionally with Sales Operations, Customer Service, Supply Chain, Marketing, and Culinary teams to support customer initiatives
Assist with pricing, deductions, credits, customer issue resolution, and account management activities
Maintain CRM reporting, pipeline management, and sales activity tracking
Represent Lakeside Foods professionally at industry events, customer meetings, and foodservice trade shows What You'll Bring
Education & Experience Bachelor's degree preferred
5-10 years of foodservice sales experience preferred
Strong background in foodservice distribution, broker management, culinary related sales, and operator focused sales
Experience calling on or working with distributors such as: Sysco
US Foods
Performance Food Group
Ben E. Keith
Shamrock Foods Proven success growing regional territories and developing strategic customer relationships
Experience selling value-added, frozen, refrigerated, appetizer, or prepared food categories preferred Skills & Abilities Strong understanding of the foodservice sales process and distributor network dynamics
Demonstrated ability to execute regional Annual Operating Plans (AOPs)
Ability to build relationships across distributor, broker, and operator communities
Strong negotiation, communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills
Experience managing multiple product categories and customer priorities
Strong forecasting, analytical, and business planning capabilities
Proficiency with CRM systems, Microsoft Office Suite, and reporting tools such as Power BI
Self-motivated with strong organizational and territory management skills
Ability to travel regularly throughout assigned territory Why Lakeside Foods
Founded in 1887, Lakeside Foods is a family‑owned company with a long tradition of quality, integrity, and customer partnership. We invest in our people and provide opportunities to grow while making a meaningful impact across our brands and customers. Lakeside Foods and our family of companies welcomes people of all backgrounds and the varied ideas they bring to the workplace. Being an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer is part of our heritage and culture. We recruit, hire and promote employees based on qualifications and merit, without regard to race, religion, age, gender, disability, marital or veteran status. Lakeside Foods participates in E-Verify.
Equal Opportunity Employer, including Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities