Sr Sales Manager, Beverage Manufacturer

FedUp Foods, one of the nation's early producers of kombucha through the Buchi brand, and one of the largest functional beverage manufacturers in North America, offers a diverse portfolio of organic private label functional beverages for top global retailers.

For 17 years, we've been crafting high-quality functional better-for-you beverages for some of the most recognized brands and retailers in the country. What started as a niche operation has grown into a trusted private label partner known for innovation, integrity, and consistency. Now, with three facilities and expanded capacity, we're ready to take our next big leap, and we're looking for a Senior Sales Manager who's ready to help lead the charge.

The person in this role can work remote, or in-person / hybrid from our Wilmington or Marshall, NC location. Expected travel is up to 50%.

As our first dedicated senior sales hire, you'll play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our commercial strategy and will report directly to one of the company's Co-founders and EVP of Sales. You'll bring both the strategic mindset to design scalable sales processes and the hands-on drive to start selling by building and maintaining relationships, closing deals, and laying the foundation for our next phase of growth.

You'll join a leadership team that values a growth-mindset, collaboration, transparency, and entrepreneurial thinking. You're an ideal candidate if you have a deep understanding of yourself and a high EQ. If you're energized by the idea of building a bigger business – not just managing accounts, but shaping how we sell - this is the opportunity for you to make a lasting impact.

• Contribute to strategic sales planning by identifying category white space and emerging market opportunities to expand our partnerships.
• Build, nurture, and manage end-to-end customer relationships, from initial outreach and onboarding to pricing, contracts, and long-term account management.
• Design and implement processes that use and optimize our CRM system (NetSuite) to track sales activities, manage pipeline visibility, and improve our Sales Operational Planning (SOP) process.
• Manager and cultivate a Sales Coordinator through a strong organization-first mindset that balances accountability and empathy.
• Identify, pursue, and close new business opportunities with national and regional retailers, club stores, and foodservice partners.
• Partner cross-functionally with Commercialization, Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, and Quality teams to deliver on customer needs and ensure alignment across functions.
• Represent our company at trade shows, industry events, and customer meetings to strengthen partnerships and increase brand visibility.
• Contribute to sales structure and process development, helping lay the groundwork for future team expansion and best practices.

• Proven success in identifying, developing, and closing complex B2B deals ideally in multi-channel, private-label, retail and/or contract manufacturing environments.
• Deep understanding of sales cycles, including buyer expectations, retailer requirements, and category management.
• Experience building and scaling sales processes, CRM utilization, and pipeline management.
• Have the ability to have discernment when leading and managing difficult conversations and situations.
• Strong commercial acumen and ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution.
• Ability to analyze sales data, category performance, and competitive landscape to inform strategy and decision making.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with a balance of understanding both customer and organization needs and an ability to influence across functions.
• 7+ years of intentional relationship-driven sales experience; private label or co-manufacturing a plus.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field (MBA a plus).

• Competitive salary + performance bonus
• Values-driven company culture
• Opportunity to make a direct impact in a fast-growing, purpose-driven company
• Robust benefits package, 401k with match, paid time off and more

AKM provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to, recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

NOTE: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employees may perform other related duties as directed to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.