Cape Town City Centre: Business Development Representative

Responsibilities Sales Growth & Business Development Grow business in the Food Service / HORECA market by identifying and onboarding new end‑user accounts. Service existing end‑users and distributors to ensure retention and growth. Arrange meetings, menu presentations, and product trials to drive product adoption. Negotiate within authorized parameters and close sales opportunities. Achieve monthly, quarterly, and annual revenue targets as set by the manager. Customer Relationship Management Maintain and develop relationships with existing customers via in‑person visits, calls, and email. Conduct structured call cycles (daily/weekly/monthly) across allocated areas. Serve as key point of contact for distributors, chefs, outlet managers, and purchasing teams. Resolve customer concerns and escalate quality‑related issues when required. Distributor Management Collaborate closely with distributors to ensure stock availability, correct pricing, and promotional execution. Align on joint business plans, activation calendars, and target accounts. Support distributor sales teams with product training, menu applications, and selling tools. Track and report on distributor performance and compliance. Activations, Demos & Product Training Execute in‑store / in‑kitchen activations, cooking demos, and wet demonstrations (weekdays & weekends as required). Ensure all activation stock is planned, booked, and available. Conduct staff training sessions to increase menu penetration and product adoption. Track ROI and feedback from activation activities. Merchandising & In‑Outlet Execution Ensure correct product usage is demonstrated during trials and menu presentations. Install and maintain branded point‑of‑sale (POS) material where relevant (e.g., back‑of‑house collateral, oil management posters). Verify that distributors and key accounts adhere to agreed pricing and menu listing commitments. Market Intelligence Gather competitor intelligence: pricing, promotions, product performance, and industry trends. Capture end‑user and distributor opportunities, risks, and feedback. Track SKU penetration, menu listings, and regional sales patterns. Reporting & Administration Maintain accurate CRM entries for all activities, visits, pipelines, and opportunities. Weekly and monthly reporting on activities, achievements, and market insights. Submit activation summaries, training logs, and product trial results. Follow daily planning procedures and manage draft sales orders with the sales administrator. Health and Safety Participate in safety forums and attend relevant training/programmes Report all safety incidents to the relevant people Comply with safety policies and procedures Always wear protective clothing (where applicable) Requirements Qualifications & Experience 35 years experience in Food Service / HORECA / QSR sales (essential). Diploma in Sales/Marketing or equivalent qualification (advantageous). Proven experience engaging chefs, procurement managers, and distributor teams. Valid drivers license. Strong computer literacy (MS Office suite; CRM tools). Skills Required Excellent communication skills (written and verbal). Strong negotiation ability and commercial acumen. Customer‑service orientation with relationship‑building capability. Self‑starter, able to work independently and manage time effectively. Professional, presentable, and confident in kitchen environments. Highly persuasive sales ability. Strong awareness of market environment and competitor activity.