Food Packaging Specialist
Department: Sales
Reports To: Regional Sales Manager, Food
FLSA Status: Exempt
Positions Supervised: None
Job Status: Full Time
Amount of Travel Required: 25-50%
Territory Requirement: Must reside in California's Central Valley or be willing to relocate.
Job Summary:
The Food Packaging Specialist will sell primarily food packaging products and services offered by the company to current and new clientele, both distributors and end-users.
This is a field-based, hunter-oriented sales role focused on developing new business with food processors, packers, and related manufacturers across California's Central Valley and surrounding food production markets. Target customers include protein processors, produce packers, ready-meal manufacturers, bakeries, co-packers, and other companies using flexible packaging materials in production environments.
The Central Valley is a competitive, relationship-driven market with large opportunities and established supplier relationships. Success requires consistent in-person prospecting, strong follow-through, comfort calling on operations and purchasing leaders, and the ability to build credibility with customers who may already have long-standing packaging suppliers.
LK Packaging offers a broad and competitive food packaging portfolio, including flexible films, thermoforming films, lidding films, flow wrap films, overwrap films, vacuum packaging, trays, bags, and related packaging products. The right candidate will use that portfolio to identify opportunities, solve customer problems, and win new business through persistence, technical curiosity, and disciplined territory development.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
· None.
Duties/Responsibilities:
· Develops new business through regular in-person prospecting, cold calling, referrals, distributor relationships, and targeted account development.
· Builds and maintains a strong pipeline of food processors, packers, and manufacturers within the assigned territory.
· Communicates with customers and leads to identify and understand their product or service needs; identifies and suggests products and services to meet those needs.
· Asks strong discovery questions related to equipment, materials, applications, production challenges, cost pressures, and supplier performance.
· Demonstrates the functions and utility of products or services to customers based on their needs.
· Presents LK Packaging products and capabilities clearly to purchasing, operations, plant management, and ownership-level contacts.
· Manages the sales process from initial prospecting through sample requests, specifications, quoting, trials, follow-up, and close.
· Ensures customer satisfaction through ongoing communication and relationship management; resolves any issues that may arise post-sale.
· Maintains communication with existing and previous customers, alerting them of new products, services, and enhancements that may be of interest.
· Works closely with internal teams on pricing, samples, technical support, customer service, and product recommendations.
· Maintains detailed reports of sales activities including calls, orders, sales, lost business, and any customer or vendor relationship problems.
· Provides periodic territory sales forecasts.
· Represents LK Packaging professionally in the field, including plant visits, customer meetings, trade shows, and distributor calls.
· Performs other duties as assigned.
Required Skills/Abilities:
· Strong prospecting ability and willingness to spend significant time in the field.
· A competitive, self-directed sales style with the discipline to build a territory over time.
· Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills.
· Excellent sales, negotiation, and closing skills.
· Ability to build trust with operations, purchasing, plant-level contacts, and business owners.
· Comfort selling in a technical or application-based environment.
· Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
· Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
· Ability to function well in a high-paced and at times stressful environment.
· Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.
· Willingness and ability to travel regularly throughout the assigned territory, including overnight travel when required.
Education and Experience:
· Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Sales, Business, or related field OR
· At least five years of related experience required.
· 3-5 years of industry experience in food packaging, foodservice, or flexible packaging preferred.
· Experience selling to food processors, packers, manufacturers, distributors, or production-based customers is strongly preferred.
· Prior success developing new business in a competitive territory is highly valued.
Physical Requirements:
· Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
· Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times.
· Must be able to travel regularly by car and occasionally by air.
· Must be able to visit customer production facilities, warehouses, and manufacturing environments as needed.
Pay: $100,000.00 - $120,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid sick time
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: Remote
