Sales Food Service

MARK BRADFORD

**** ***** ***** ******, ******, Michigan 49345 • 616-***-**** • **************@*****.***

EXECUTIVE SALES

Growth & Relationships with Emerging Chains, Foodservice Distributors, Broker Teams, Retail and National Accounts

Top performing foodservice sales professional with over twenty years of experience in the following:

•Region Management

•Regional/Emerging Chains

•Distributor/Broker Management

•National Brand Sales

•Custom Product Development

•Private Label Sales

•Culinary Development

•Retail Marketplace Sales

•National Accounts

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

WEST MICHIGAN BEVERAGE, Grand Rapids, Michigan June 2019 – Present

Distribution of snacks (Jays, El Matador, etc.) and beverages (Faygo, Rip-It, etc.) to grocery and C-Stores.

Business Manager – West Michigan

Work with customers to develop ad plans at retail store chains such as Meijer and SpartanNash.

Maintained book of business and manage a team of five drivers/salesmen growing 7% in the last year!

Positioned NEW endcap products with Wesco and Speedway resulting in $200,000 in incremental sales.

LASSONDE PAPPAS, Carneys Point, New Jersey Jan. 2019 – June 2019

Private-labeled juices, enhanced waters, and cranberry sauce.

Business Development Manager – Eastern U.S. Division (Michigan South to Texas and East)

Work with major players in the foodservice industry including US Foods, Sysco and Gordon Food Service.

Work with broker sales force to identify and sell to trending, emerging accounts across 17 Midwest states.

Work with local chains such as Zoup, Bagger Dave’s, Gilmore Group, and Leo’s Coney Island - $500,000 annual sales.

Worked Bravo Brio Restaurant Group (118 units nationwide) to sell juices for cocktails - $600,000 annually.

EPI BREADS, Grand Rapids, Michigan 2013 – 2018

An Atlanta based custom food company specializing in baked goods.

Business Development - Regional Chains, National Chains, Broadline Distributors, and Retail stores.

Launched new market and built the business from $0 to over $3M over a two-year period in a 14-state territory.

oCreated three private label high-end breads for Meijer retail stores with an annual volume of $700,000.

oDeveloped custom bread product with R&D for Fazoli’s for take and bake for an additional $500,000 in sales.

oCreated and sold three GFS brand breads sold in 170 marketplace retail stores worth $500,000 annually.

oWorked on LTOs for chains such as Applebee’s, Culver’s, Bob Evans, Fazoli’s, and Champp’s ($350,000).

oWorked with Bravo Brio Restaurant Group, a 118-unit regional chain, to create two proprietary bread items worth $200,000 of annual sales through Gordon Food Service.

oDeveloped and sold a salsa bread for Hacienda Mexican Restaurants, a 20-unit chain through GFS ($100,000).

oRFP negotiations with the Gordon Food Service team which led to the creation of three stocked products open to the national accounts team resulting in $200,000 of incremental sales.

oLeft EPI Breads to begin work at Lassonde Pappas after company reorganization.

GOURMET CUISINE INCORPORATED, Grand Rapids, Michigan 2010 – 2013

Privately owned, custom food company. A division of LeDuff America, based in Mesquite, Texas.

Director of Business Development, Midwest Territory (Minnesota South to the East Coast, including Texas)

Developed new market and grew annual sales from $0 to $4,300,000 over a three-year period by opening distribution and selling custom products.

Developed two custom soups and a sauce for Champp’s winter menu worth $300,000 in sales.

Created H-E-B branded private label soups sold to 340 units for $800,000 in annual sales.

Established a Sysco Local Partnership Program, stocking Gourmet Cuisine label items in Midwestern OPCOs in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio resulting in $300,000 of new business.

Worked with Gourmet Cuisine’s corporate chef to create more than 20 new soups to create the company’s first non-proprietary foodservice items, establishing a brand in the marketplace - $200,000 of new business.

Generated $1,000,000 with a national Walmart program providing a custom broth component for a holiday retail kit.

CAMPBELL’S FOODSERVICE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 1999 - 2010

Global manufacturer and marketer of high-quality foods based in Camden, New Jersey.

Corporate Accounts Executive for Gordon Food Service from 2008-2010

Directed corporate account sales activities for Midwestern states and 136 GFS Marketplace retail stores.

Managed sales of full portfolio of Campbell’s Foodservice brands (Pace Salsa, Pepperidge Farm, Campbell’s Soup, V8) in entire Gordon Food Service footprint (26 states) worth $47,000,000 of annual business.

Created a fresh soup take and go for five flavors sold in 242 retail store delis ($1,000,000 annually)

Worked with Sodexo, HPS, and other corporate contract accounts with years of growth 5% annually.

Sold two flavors of V8 Fusion fruit juice into GFS retail Marketplace stores ($600,000 annually)

Sold Creative Dining a soup program for 20 colleges and universities, resulting in $500,000 in incremental sales.

Regional Manager, Campbell’s Foodservice StockPot Soup Division 1999-2008

Developed new business with key chain accounts, gaining new distribution within an eight-state territory.

Achieved double-digit sales growth for more than six consecutive years.

Increased annual sales by $750,000 by working with chefs and R&D departments to create private label soups for corporate accounts like Claddagh Restaurants ($500K), Bravo Brio Restaurant Group, and Old Bag of Nails.

Began with $0 in sales in Gordon Food Service territory and exceeded $1,000,000 in incremental sales within first year and $3,000,000 in the first three years and ending with $5,000,000 before promotion to Corporate Accounts Executive position.

Executed private label contract by selling for ten Midwest Sysco OPCOs.

H. J. HEINZ COMPANY, Chicago, Illinois 1996-1999

Iconic global food company headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Area Sales Manager

Hired as sales representative in 1996 covering the Michigan territory.

Promoted to area sales manager in Chicago, Illinois within one year with three direct reports, and $25,000,000 worth of annual business.

AWARDS

Regional Sales Manager of the Year at StockPot soups in 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2007

Chairman Award at Campbell’s Foodservice, the highest within the organization in 2008

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Science in Hospitality, Ferris State University, Big Rapids, Michigan, 1993

Associate of Arts & Science in Diversified Business, Ferris State University, Big Rapids, Michigan, 1991

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