GB03 Essential Cuisine Ltd

Primary Location: WINSFORD, United Kingdom. At Solina, our community of close to 5,000 people share a passion for food and live our entrepreneurial culture. We design customised savoury solutions for our clients operating in the food industry, food service, butchery and nutrition markets. With sustainability at the heart of our business model, we aim to produce food that is good in every sense of the word: delicious, nourishing, affordable, sustainable and convenient. Solina is a fast-growing business, with around 50 production sites and R&D laboratories present in more than 19 countries mainly in Europe and North America. By constantly rethinking culinary solutions, we make food matter for people and the planet. Drive Growth. Win Sales. Shape the Future of Foodservice. Are you a commercially minded chef looking for your first sales role or a salesperson with a passion for food and a hunger to win? As a Business Development Manager at Solina Foodservice, representing our market leading brands Rich Sauces, Essential Cuisine, and Zafron Foods, you'll be on the front line of growth. From Michelin level kitchens and premium hotels to fast scaling restaurant groups and institutional operators, you'll identify opportunities, open doors, and convert conversations into profitable partnerships-where bold flavours, culinary innovation, and high impact sales come together. Key Responsibilities Strategic Business Development: Identify and target new business opportunities within the foodservice channel (e.g., QSRs, hotels, schools, healthcare, distributors). Develop and execute strategies to penetrate new markets or expand existing ones. Analyse market trends, competitor activities, and consumer behaviour to inform growth strategies. Client Relationship Management: Build and maintain strong relationships with existing and potential customers (e.g., chefs, procurement managers, foodservice distributors). Act as the main point of contact for key accounts, ensuring customer satisfaction and long term partnerships. Conduct regular meetings and presentations to clients to showcase products and solutions. Sales & Revenue Growth: Drive sales by promoting products and solutions tailored to the foodservice sector. Collaborate with sales teams to meet or exceed sales targets and KPIs. Negotiate contracts, pricing, and service agreements in line with company policy. Cross functional Collaboration: Work closely with marketing, R&D, supply chain, and finance teams to align product offerings and delivery with customer needs. Provide market and customer feedback to internal teams to guide product innovation and improvements. Product & Menu Development: Support customers in integrating products into their menus or foodservice operations. Provide insights on product usage, preparation, and application in commercial kitchens. Budgeting and Reporting: Develop and manage business development budgets. Prepare regular sales forecasts, reports, and performance analyses for senior management. Event Participation & Networking: Represent the company at foodservice trade shows, exhibitions, and industry networking events. Organise and lead product demonstrations or sampling events for potential clients. Knowledge and Skills Required Clean UK driving licence. Thorough knowledge of food trends, backed up with credible, recent culinary experience. Good knowledge of some (if not all) of the following sectors: hotels, pubs and restaurants, QSR, contract catering, education and healthcare, and manufacturing. Some prior sales experience within the food wholesale sector would be advantageous. Self motivated, confident and outgoing with the ability to build relationships at various levels. A passion for food and cooking. This role could be ideal for a commercially minded chef looking for their first serious sales role. Benefits Competitive salary. Bonus scheme. Car allowance. Pension scheme. Employee Assistance Programme. Cycle to Work scheme. We are open to talents of all backgrounds. Our recruitment process is based on competences, and we openly welcome all candidates of all types according to our DEI commitment.