European Business Development Mgr Plant-based Cheese

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Together with you, we want to empower you to achieve this mission with us. We value you as a person and actively support you on your professional journey, while caring for your future. Join our big little family and let’s make products for you and the world to love. Do you share our taste for life?

Your role:

Looking for new profitable growth, Vandemoortele Plant-Based Food Solutions (PBFS) is trying to venture into the adjacent market of plant-based cheese. To support the market entry, various layers of groundwork have been completed over the last 2 years: a core product portfolio has been developed and benchmarked in R&D and Operations, we have established a plant-based cheese brand (Savri®) with compelling positioning and storyline, and a commercial target segmentation and prioritization has been performed. This has even led to the first commercialization of our plant-based cheese products, with a successful project for a European industry leader in the manufacturing and marketing of savory oven dishes.

Today, we want to bring our commercialization efforts to the next level. Which is where PBFS sees the role of European Business Development Manager Plant-Based Cheese. We are looking for someone to scout for and develop the business in plant-based cheese. The focus channels for business development are Industry & Food Service key accounts: i.e. industrial food manufacturers that use any type of cheese (dairy, processed, plant-based) in production, or bigger Food Service chains like e.g. Sodexo, Accor Hotels, Burger King, etc.

The key objective for the role is to hunt for new business. Implying that, after some initial reflecting and segmentation, the main task of the Business Development Manager Plant-Based Cheese will be to contact and visit new prospects, understand their needs and translate opportunities into long-term partnerships and profitable sales.

In the role, the Business Development Manager Plant-Based Cheese will report directly to the Strategy & Innovation Manager of PBFS. Additionally, (s)he would find itself supported by other key members and functional teams of PBFS: the Marketing Director, the two Commercial Directors, the dedicated R&D teams, the central marketing teams, the local commercial teams, etc.

The main countries to cover are Germany, France, UK, BeNeLux, Spain, and Italy. Consequently, the Business Development Manager will be expected to travel 60% of his/her time to visit customers, prospects, fairs and congresses.

Your key responsibilities and challenges are:

• You explore the European plant-based cheese market and identify the most interesting business opportunity pockets across Industry and Food Service segments.
• You hunt for new customers in the identified segments and understand their specific needs, strategies, products, service, pricing, environment, etc.
• You define the technical and functional customer needs by visiting existing and potential customers.
• You develop fitting products solutions, supported by R&D.
• You identify market trends to feed future innovation development.
• You negotiate contracts and grow sales.
• You are co-responsible for driving the Plant-Based Cheese P&L.

Are you the one we're looking for?

• You hold a master’s degree in engineering (Chemistry/Agriculture/Bio is a strong plus), Business Engineering, or Economics.
• You have min. 5 years of experience in B2B (technical) sales, ideally in cheese and/or ready meals.
• You have experience in hunting new customers and exploring new markets.
• Above all, you have a very entrepreneurial and driven spirit, with a strong will to succeed.
• You are pragmatic, problem-solving and take initiative.
• You are result-oriented and have an insatiable curiosity for new markets and segments.
• You are highly flexible, proactive and stress resistant.
• You are a team player, with a hands-on mentality and a high degree of integrity.
• You are genuinely interested in the business and its markets.
• You can create trustful relations.
• You are willing to travel (short trips) 60% of your time.
• You have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, written and verbal, in English. Knowledge of additional languages (e.g. German, French) is a plus.

What’s in it for you?    

• You will join our big little family: Our associates are the beating heart of our company; they bring the flavour to our organisation. We prioritise well-being and development, fostering a welcoming environment where everyone is valued. As a global family business, we take a human-centric approach. 
• We value you as a person: At Vandemoortele, we recognise the unique contributions of each associate and offer the opportunity to shape your own professional journey. Enjoy flexible working hours, remote work, and join our sports and well-being initiatives. 
• We care about your future, and we support your professional journey: We are committed to your growth, we empower our associates to take ownership of their professional development. 
• We make products for you to love: We are a team of passionate food enthusiasts. In our mission to shape a tasty future we strive to create a wide range of food solutions that connect people, cultures and traditions. From fresh croissants and tasty food in our company restaurant, to healthy fruit baskets in our coffee corners, we aim to enhance your everyday experience. 

Join us in making sweet memories!

We're looking forward to welcoming you to our delicious journey! Submit your updated CV and compelling cover letter (optional) highlighting your relevant experience and motivation.

For questions or additional information, mail: peter.sachem@vandemoortele.com.

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