Business Development Manager in Elizabeth, New Jersey at Gellert Global Group

Gellert Global Group consists of many of the leading North American food importing companies (Atalanta Corporation, Camerican International, Finica, GGG Manufacturing) and has been importing food products for over 100 years. The combined revenues of GGG exceed $1.7 billion. GGG companies provide strength in sourcing, insurance, finance, logistics, food safety, and information technology, and supply the needs of retailers, distributors, food service chains, hotels, cruise lines, and food manufacturers alike.

Build a premium Italian coffee brand across the U.S. East Coast. Caffè Vergnano, one of Italy’s oldest coffee roasters since 1882, is looking for a Business Development Manager to accelerate growth on the U.S. East Coast, with a focus on New York, New Jersey, and Florida.

This is a high-impact, entrepreneurial role for someone who can take ownership of existing customers while driving new customer acquisition independently, opening doors with top foodservice accounts and turning a strong brand story into measurable results.

You will drive Caffè Vergnano’s commercial development working both independently and in close collaboration with our existing distributors and their local sales teams. Your role is to enable and leverage the distributor sales force (through joint customer visits, opportunity qualification, and pipeline conversion) to win new customers, while also prospecting autonomously to open new accounts and build sustainable volume. You will act as a true brand ambassador, bringing Italian espresso standards to the best coffee shops, bakeries, restaurants, hotels, and country clubs in the region.

Responsibilities:

Market Development & Growth

• Drive new account acquisition and increase customer base, distribution and visibility
• Independently drive pipeline development, turning qualified prospects into signed accounts
  • Partner closely with our distributor field teams to: Qualify opportunities and prioritize targets
  • Run joint sales calls and accelerate close rates
  • Train and motivate distributor reps on brand story, product range, and selling points

• Represent Caffè Vergnano at key local industry events when relevant

Account Management

• Own the customer relationship end-to-end: onboarding, activation, retention, and growth
  • Provide consultative guidance on: Coffee selection and menu fit
  • Equipment solutions and workflow
  • Product quality standards
• Coordinate equipment installation and maintenance with technical partners and service teams

Skills & Qualifications:

• 5+ years of sales experience in coffee business and/or foodservice
• Proven track record in opening new accounts from prospecting to activation
• Strong hunter mindset with the ability to generate leads, conduct cold outreach, and close new business
• Solid understanding of the U.S. coffee landscape
• Experience working with distributors and influencing indirect sales teams (highly preferred)
• Comfortable spending most of the time in the field: client-facing, consultative, and credible with owners, GMs, and operators
• Highly autonomous, structured, and performance-driven; you can build a territory from the ground up

Travel expectation: This role involves regular travel across the East Coast—primarily NY/NJ/FL, with flexibility to support additional states as the business grows.

Location & territory: Field-based on the East Coast (ideal candidates based in NY/NJ). Territory focus: New York, New Jersey, Florida with expansion potential.

Salary: $100,000 - $135,000 annually plus bonus

Our Benefits:

We care about your total well-being and will support you with the following subject to your location and role.

Health: Medical, dental and vision insurance, Company-paid life, accident and long-term disability insurance, flexible spending accounts

Wealth: Competitive pay, annual bonus opportunity, matching 401(k) with immediate vesting upon enrollment, generous employee referral program

Happiness:

• Professional Growth: Online training courses, virtual and classroom development experiences, education assistance program
• Work-Life Balance: Paid-time off, parental leave, flexible work schedules (subject to your location and role)
• Team Building: Employee engagement and recognition programs, wellness, philanthropic and DE&I initiatives, Company-sponsored celebrations, and team-building events

The Gellert Global Group of companies is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, pregnancy, leave status, disability, veteran status, genetic information and/or any other characteristic or status protected by national, federal, state, or local law. Gellert Global Group is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. Accordingly, if reasonable accommodation is required to fully participate in the job application or interview process, to perform the essential functions of the position, and/or to receive all other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact hr@gellertglobalgroup.com.