Regional Sales Manager – Midwest/National Business Development

Regional Sales Manager – Midwest / National Business Development

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Department: Sales – Foodservice

Location: Remote – Midwest

Reports to: Vice President of Foodservice

The Opportunity

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Louisiana Fish Fry Products is seeking an experienced Regional Sales Manager – Midwest / National Business Development to help drive the continued growth of our Foodservice business.

This role combines national business development with regional sales leadership, with responsibility for developing national and multi-unit Foodservice accounts while driving growth throughout the Midwest.

We’re looking for someone who knows how to build business: identifying opportunities, developing relationships with operators and distributors, creating menu and product solutions, expanding distribution, and carrying opportunities through launch and long-term growth.

This is a remote position based in the Midwest, with travel throughout the assigned region and nationally based on business needs. Occasional travel to our Baton Rouge, Louisiana office will also be required as needed.

What You’ll Do

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National Business Development

• Prospect, develop, and close national and multi-unit Foodservice opportunities, with an emphasis on restaurant chains, convenience, hospitality, and other high-volume operator segments.
• Own the sales process from initial prospecting through presentations, product evaluations and cook-throughs, specifications, distributor alignment, launch, and follow-up.
• Build strong relationships with key decision-makers and position Louisiana Fish Fry products as valuable menu solutions rather than transactional line items.
• Develop Limited Time Offer (LTO), menu-development, and new-item opportunities that can lead to long-term account placements.
• Coordinate with internal teams, customers, distributors, and other partners to ensure distribution is in place to support national and multi-market launches.

Midwest Regional Growth

• Lead Foodservice sales development across Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Missouri, along with assigned national Foodservice accounts.
• Build operator-level demand and secure distributor authorization and stocking for Louisiana Fish Fry products throughout the region.
• Grow existing customers through increased penetration, new-item placements, and additional menu applications while identifying and closing new business.
• Develop strong relationships with distributor leadership, buyers, sales teams, and key operator decision-makers.
• Participate in distributor sales meetings, food shows, market work, product demonstrations, operator cuttings, and other customer-facing activities.

Broker Management

• Lead and manage Foodservice broker partners throughout the Midwest, establishing clear sales priorities, target accounts, expectations, and accountability.
• Conduct regular business reviews with broker teams and monitor pipeline activity, conversions, distribution wins, and regional sales growth.
• Work alongside brokers in market to develop operators, strengthen distributor relationships, and accelerate new business.
• Evaluate broker coverage and recommend changes when needed to improve market execution and growth.

What Success Looks Like

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• Development and conversion of a strong national and multi-unit account pipeline.
• Increased Foodservice sales and distribution throughout the Midwest.
• New customer acquisition and new-item placements within existing accounts.
• Expanded distributor authorization and product availability in priority markets.
• Productive and accountable broker partnerships.
• Consistent pipeline management, forecasting, communication, and follow-through.

What We’re Looking For

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• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Sales, Marketing, or a related field preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of Foodservice sales experience, with national or multi-unit account development experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated success developing new business and managing a sales pipeline from prospecting through close.
• Experience working with broadline Foodservice distributors and managing Foodservice brokers.
• Strong consultative selling, presentation, negotiation, relationship-building, and communication skills.
• Proven ability to work independently, prioritize opportunities, and effectively manage a geographically broad territory.
• Strong organizational skills with disciplined follow-up and accountability.
• Experience successfully launching new products or menu applications within Foodservice.
• Ability and willingness to travel throughout the Midwest and nationally based on business needs, including occasional travel to Baton Rouge, Louisiana as needed.
• Ability to lift a minimum of 25 pounds and meet applicable company requirements.

REQUIREMENTS

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We are proudly US-owned and US-made. In fact, our plant and headquarters are still located right where we started, in Baton Rouge.

In 1982, Louisiana Fish Fry Products was established to bring the true taste of Louisiana to a wider audience, with Cajun-inspired products that are authentic and easy to prepare. It started with fry mixes, then expanded to base mixes for Louisiana favorites like Jambalaya and Etouffée, followed by seafood boil, sauces and gravy mixes.

Louisiana Fish Fry Products has since seen steady growth in both the retail and foodservice industry.

Today, Louisiana Fish Fry Products still proudly calls Baton Rouge, Louisiana home. Nearly forty years later, that same commitment to selling authentic Louisiana-style dishes made from only the finest, high-quality ingredients still proudly inspires everything we do.