National Account Manager - Food Service/Bars & Restaurants

Location: Carmel, Indiana About Heartland Food Products Group

Position Summary: The National Account Manager – Foodservice is responsible for leading and growing key national and large regional accounts within the bars and restaurant industry. This role will build strategic relationships with bars & restaurants, hotel groups, lodging operators, resorts, hospitality management companies, and other away-from-home customers to drive growth across Heartland’s sweetener and beverage portfolio. The National Account Manager manages the full sales cycle, including operator engagement, account strategy, joint business planning, menu and beverage innovation support, pricing and program execution, distributor alignment, and forecasting. This individual will collaborate closely with internal cross-functional teams, distributor partners, and brokers to deliver profitable growth and exceptional customer execution.

Account Leadership & Business Management: Own a national and multi-regional bars and restaurant account list, with responsibility for customer relationships, business planning, revenue growth, and overall account performance. Develop and execute Joint Business Plans with customers, including product placement strategies, innovation opportunities, promotional programs, and operational alignment. Build and maintain senior-level relationships across purchasing, culinary, beverage, food and beverage operations, R&D, marketing, and finance functions. Lead compelling customer presentations that communicate Heartland’s product portfolio, operator value proposition, and growth opportunities. Negotiate customer programs, pricing, contracts, and business terms in alignment with company objectives.

Bars and Restaurant Customer Development: Drive product placement and growth for Splenda®, Splenda Stevia®, Splenda Allulose®, Equal® and Java House® Cold Brew across hospitality food and beverage applications. Identify opportunities across bar and restaurants, hotel groups, resorts, lodging operators, hospitality management companies, coffee programs, banquet and catering operations, and other away-from-home segments. Partner with Culinary and R&D teams to coordinate product testing, menu innovation sessions, beverage program development, and formulation opportunities. Develop solutions for front-of-house and back-of-house applications, including tabletop sweetener offerings, coffee programs, cold beverage platforms, and food and beverage operations. Identify and develop new national and large regional chain opportunities within the hospitality segment.

Distribution & Program Execution: Ensure strong distribution coverage and execution through foodservice distributors, including Sysco, US Foods, GFS, PFG, DOT Foods, Core-Mark, McLane, Eby-Brown, and regional distribution partners. Manage pricing letters, contracts, customer programs, promotional activity, and compliance requirements. Partner with brokers to support market-level execution, account activation, distributor engagement, and operator follow-through. Monitor program performance and proactively address execution gaps, distribution challenges, or customer needs. Maintain accurate forecasts, pipeline activity, account plans, and program visibility within Salesforce.

Internal Collaboration: Collaborate cross-functionally with Marketing, R&D, Culinary, Finance, Supply Chain, and Customer Service to support account priorities and deliver customer solutions. Provide clear and timely communication regarding customer activity, business opportunities, forecasts, risks, and program status. Support customer-specific innovation, commercialization, and supply-chain coordination as needed. Participate in internal business reviews and account planning processes.

Brand & Event Support: Represent Heartland Food Products Group at relevant industry events, including NRA, NACS, SCA, Foodovation, Market Vision, and hospitality or operator innovation summits. Support customer events, operator showcases, trade shows, and sales meetings. Activate Splenda® and Java House® brand opportunities that strengthen operator engagement and accelerate bar and restaurant account growth.

Required Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree preferred or equivalent relevant experience.5–10 years of national account foodservice sales experience. Proven experience selling into the hospitality segment, including bar and restaurant, hotels, lodging groups, resorts, or hospitality management organizations. Strong understanding of foodservice distribution networks, distributor economics, pricing structures, and customer program execution. Demonstrated ability to build, manage, and grow senior-level customer relationships. Strong negotiation, presentation, business planning, and communication skills. Experience developing and executing Joint Business Plans with national or large regional customers. Proficiency in Salesforce, Excel, PowerPoint, and pipeline management. Ability to travel approximately 40–60% within the United States.

Preferred Qualifications: Experience selling sweeteners, beverage solutions, coffee, cold brew, or better-for-you products. Experience supporting menu innovation cycles or collaborating with Culinary and R&D teams. Existing relationships within national or large regional bar and restaurant organizations and foodservice chains. Understanding of cold beverage platforms, coffee programs, tabletop sweetener solutions, and back-of-house foodservice applications. Experience working with foodservice brokers and distributor partners to execute national and regional customer programs.