Senior Regional Sales Manager

Business Development – Foodservice, Broadline Distribution & Broker Network

About Cherry Central

Cherry Central Cooperative was formed in 1973 when five Michigan fruit growers joined together to market their crops as one. More than fifty years later, we are a grower-owned, vertically integrated cooperative representing hundreds of family farms across North America, headquartered in Traverse City, Michigan. Our founding belief still guides us: we are stronger when we work together.

We grow, process, and market red tart cherries, dark sweet cherries, apples, blueberries, cranberries, strawberries, pomegranate arils, and more, in frozen, dried, canned, juice, sauce, and organic formats. Our brands — fruitHaven and Indian Summer — are sold across foodservice, K-12, retail, private label and co-pack, ingredient, and global supply channels, with all facilities operating to Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) standards.

Our Foodservice division serves schools, hospitals, restaurants, hotels, and non-commercial operators through the nation’s broadline distributors and a network of independent brokers. We are now building out a hybrid direct-sales and broker model to accelerate growth, and this role is central to that plan.

Position Summary 

The Senior Regional Sales Manager – Business Development owns Cherry Central’s foodservice growth within an assigned multi-state region. This is a hands-on, revenue-accountable role for a seasoned foodservice professional who has sold through Sysco, Gordon Food Service, Performance Food Group, US Foods, and independent broadline distribution; managed national and regional chain and non-commercial accounts; and led a broker network under a compensation plan they helped design.

The successful candidate will secure new item placements at the distributor division level, drive pull-through with operators, structure and negotiate marketing and growth agreements, and manage broker performance against clear commission and incentive plans built to deliver double-digit growth. Experience selling private label and manufacturer-branded programs into broadline distribution, buying groups, and group purchasing organizations (GPOs) is essential.

Key Responsibilities:

Regional Revenue Growth & Account Management

• Deliver annual volume, revenue, and margin targets for the region across brokered and direct-sold business.
• Manage and grow national and regional accounts, including chain restaurant, healthcare, college & university, K-12, and other non-commercial segments, in coordination with the national account team.
• Develop and execute an annual regional business plan by distributor, broker, and key operator, with quarterly reviews against plan.
• Prepare pricing proposals, bids, and deviated pricing programs in line with Cherry Central pricing policy and margin objectives.

Broadline Distribution Development

• Call on Sysco, GFS, PFG, US Foods, and independent broadline houses at the division/OpCo level to secure new item stocking, category positioning, and shelf-space expansion for fruitHaven, Indian Summer, Traverse Bay Fruit Co., and private label programs.
• Lead general sales meetings, product cuttings, and district sales trainings for distributor sales representatives (DSRs) to drive knowledge, samples, and pull-through.
• Negotiate and manage distributor marketing agreements, growth rebates, promotional calendars, and food-show participation; measure return on every dollar committed.
• Maintain distributor item files, velocity reporting, and stocking status to identify gaps and opportunities.

Broker Network Leadership

• Manage, evaluate, and develop the regional broker network; recommend appointments, realignments, and terminations based on documented performance.
• Design and administer broker compensation, commission, and incentive plans (including new-item bonuses and growth accelerators) that reward placement, distribution gains, and double-digit volume growth.
• Set quarterly broker objectives, conduct formal business reviews, and hold brokers accountable to agreed targets and reporting.
• Provide brokers with training, selling tools, pricing, samples, and sales support, and ride along with broker representatives in the market.

Buying Groups, GPOs & Private Label

• Develop and manage relationships with foodservice buying groups and group purchasing organizations (GPOs) to secure contract eligibility, pricing programs, and member compliance.
• Sell and manage private label and co-pack programs into broadline distributors and buying groups, coordinating with R&D, quality, and operations on specifications, labeling, and launch timelines.
• Track contract performance and rebate obligations; partner with finance on accrual accuracy and settlement.

Planning, Reporting & Collaboration

• • Deliver monthly forecasts, pipeline updates, and market intelligence (competitive pricing, category trends, distributor changes) to the National Sales Manager.
  • Maintain accurate CRM records, call reports, and account plans.
  • Work cross-functionally with marketing, customer service, supply chain, and quality to ensure flawless execution for customers.
  • Represent Cherry Central at distributor food shows, industry conferences, and customer events.

Required Experience and Qualifications:

• 15+ years of progressive foodservice sales experience with a food manufacturer, processor, or brand, including at least 5 years at the regional manager, senior regional manager, or business development manager level.
• Proven success managing national and regional accounts (chain and non-commercial) with documented growth results.
• Direct, hands-on experience calling on local broadline distributor divisions — Sysco, Gordon Food Service, Performance Food Group, US Foods, and independents — including placing new items, conducting general sales meetings and DSR trainings, and negotiating marketing agreements.
• Demonstrated experience managing an independent broker network, including building broker compensation and commission plans that drove double-digit growth.
• Private label and/or co-manufacturing sales experience with broadline distributors, buying groups, and group purchasing organizations.
• Strong command of foodservice pricing mechanics: deviated pricing, distributor margin structures, rebates, bid pricing, and contract compliance.
• Skilled negotiator with the financial acumen to model agreements, evaluate ROI on trade spend, and protect margin.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, and experienced with CRM and distributor reporting tools.
• Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, food science, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Valid driver’s license; ability to travel approximately 50% within the region, with occasional national travel.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience selling fruit, produce, frozen, dried, or beverage categories into foodservice.
• Knowledge of K-12 nutrition programs, USDA commodity processing, and bid-based selling.
• Existing relationships with category managers and division leadership at Sysco, GFS, PFG, or US Foods in the assigned region.
• Experience with GPO contracting in healthcare and hospitality (e.g., Premier, Vizient, HPSI, Avendra, Entegra).
• Prior experience helping transition a company from a fully brokered model to a hybrid direct/broker sales structure.

What Success Looks Like:

• Year 1: Complete regional business plan; secure new item placements across the region’s major broadline divisions; implement the broker compensation plan and complete first-cycle broker reviews.
• Year 2 and beyond: Sustained double-digit regional volume growth; measurable improvement in trade-spend ROI; expanded GPO and buying-group contract coverage; a high-performing, accountable broker network.

Compensation and Benefits

Cherry Central offers a competitive base salary plus an annual performance incentive tied to regional growth objectives, along with a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical (Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan POS plan with Nonstop card), Delta Dental coverage at no employee premium, vision, life and short-term disability insurance, a 401(k) plan with a safe harbor company match, paid time off, and a company vehicle or auto allowance with expense reimbursement.

APPLY TODAY

Qualified candidates should submit a résumé and a brief cover letter summarizing their broadline distribution, broker management, and business development results to hr@cherrycentral.com.

Cherry Central Cooperative, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status.