Key Skills

Job Description

In the fast-evolving world of food innovation, selling ingredients isn't just about quotes and contracts, it’s about answering the high-stakes questions that keep R&D teams and product developers up at night. Will this hold up under extrusion? Does it maintain structure during pasteurization? Can it deliver the right texture without off-flavors? At Meelunie, we’re rewriting the story of plant-based ingredients. With a 159-year Dutch heritage, iconic brands like Windmill Potato Starch, and a brand-new processing facility in Denmark producing taste- and color-neutral fava bean proteins, we sit right at the forefront of the global protein transition. But world-class ingredients don't sell themselves from a catalog, they take a trusted advisor who can stand in a customer's test kitchen one day and negotiate a long-term supply agreement the next. We are looking for an energetic Technical Sales Manager to bridge technical expertise with commercial strategy, converting market trends and plant-protein functionality into game-changing business opportunities across Europe. The Role As our Technical Sales Manager, you will bring an entrepreneurial spirit to developing, maintaining, and expanding high-value customer relationships throughout the European market. Combining commercial instinct with technical credibility, you will serve as the primary bridge between our customers’ technical needs and Meelunie’s global product and R&D teams. You will spend a significant part of your time out in the field (requiring approximately 20% overnight travel), visiting customer production sites, innovation centers, and industry trade events across Europe to unlock new market potential. Here's what your day-to-day will look like: Drive European revenue growth by identifying, acquiring, and nurturing key customer accounts, acting as their primary technical and commercial point of contact. Meet and exceed annual volume and profitability targets across your assigned customer portfolio through strategic planning and quarterly reviews. Provide hands-on technical guidance on plant-protein functionality, formulation, and food application, partnering closely with R&D on trials and troubleshooting. Collaborate directly with international Product Managers to turn emerging market dynamics, regulatory shifts, and protein application trends into viable commercial offerings. Lead contract negotiations, manage customer credit lines, and coordinate long-term supply agreements to optimize portfolio margin. Represent Meelunie at European trade shows, technical seminars, and sales meetings, continuously bringing field-level insights back to inform internal strategy. What you bring Minimum of 5 years of proven sales or technical sales experience in the food protein ingredients industry. Solid technical background in plant-based proteins, gained through a degree or direct industry experience in Food Technology, Food Science, Chemistry, or a related field. Deep practical understanding of protein functionality, processing, and applications in food systems (experience in pet food or aquafeed is also valuable). Strong commercial acumen with a track record of managing contract negotiations, customer credit, and long-term strategy. Natural public speaker with exceptional, multi-level communication skills in English (proficiency in Dutch or a third European language is a strong plus). A self-directed, resilient mindset, comfortable managing risk, making autonomous decisions, and creating opportunity where none existed before. Who we are Meelunie is a global supplier of plant-based ingredients with a proud history and an aggressive vision for the future. Headquartered in Amsterdam and part of the global Hoogwegt Group, we operate across the USA, Mexico, Brazil, China, Singapore, and Australia. Meelunie is its people, loyal, self-starting, and dynamic professionals empowered to go the extra mile. If you bring that same energy, drive, and technical curiosity, we want to give you the platform to thrive.

Core Responsibilities

Grow revenue across Europe by acquiring and managing customer accounts, meeting volume and profitability targets, and providing technical guidance on plant-protein applications. Negotiate contracts and supply agreements, collaborate with product and R&D teams, represent the company at industry events, and share market insights internally.

Requirements

Requires at least five years of sales or technical sales experience in the food protein ingredients industry, plus a technical background in plant-based proteins and practical knowledge of protein functionality, processing, and food applications. Candidates should have strong commercial and communication skills, including contract negotiation experience; Dutch or another European language is an advantage.