Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Affiliations
Recent Courses
Timeline
SeniorSoftwareEngineer
JAALA HANSON

JAALA HANSON

Stillwater,MN

Summary

HANDS-ON SALES LEADER: Growth-focused sales leader with deep expertise in food technology with emphasis in bakery, beverages, baby food, confectionary, convenience foods, nutritional bars, sports nutrition and dietary supplements. 20+ years of comprehensive sales experience identifying, developing, and negotiating complex sales cycles across Food Ingredients, Flavors and Processing Technology industries. Skillful at crafting strong business cases, providing thought leadership, leveraging ROI tools, driving Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR), and evangelizing products and services. SKILLFUL COMMUNICATOR: Skilled at weaving compelling insights, strategic advantages, and unique perspectives into persuasive stories to elevate competitive advantages and drive revenue. Excellent negotiation and communication skills, including the ability to deliver presentations to galvanize both customers and peers. RELATIONSHIP BUILDER: Demonstrated success forging and nurturing trusted partnerships with C-Level executives and key stakeholders. Adept at mentoring emerging sales leaders and forging trusted partnerships with key stakeholders and customers.

Overview

29
29
years of professional experience

Work History

Sales Executive

Biorigin
01.2024 - 11.2024
  • Managed $7M of business with North American customers
  • Managed a Global Flavor House
  • Increased sales revenue by acquiring 2 new customers resulting in $1.2 M in new business

Food Consultant

JMH Diversified Food Ingredient Resources
04.2022 - 12.2023
  • Business Development, Sourcing, Product Development Applications)
  • Manufacturer’s Representative (ingredients for dietary supplements, food and beverage and pharma)

NA Food Sales and Marketing Manager

Muntons Malted Ingredients
08.2021 - 04.2022
  • Managed $1.5M business with three customers
  • Implemented a new marketing plan for US, helped create a press release and microsite
  • Assisted in freight, planning and supply chain issues
  • Managed a new project consisting of transferring customer business to a new global manufacturing site and helped lead the plant in becoming Kosher certified
  • Introduced two new projects that will have a yearly revenue of $1M.

Sales Manager/Trader

Osage Food Products
10.2020 - 03.2021
  • Food Ingredients
  • Traded commodities, fats and oils, inulin, sweeteners, gums, and starches - $300k+ in sales
  • Added 10 new projects to pipeline, valuing $500K+ with flavors and proteins for dietary supplement and nutritional bar companies.

Independent Consultant

01.2019 - 10.2020
  • Product Development/Applications/Technology and marketing
  • Developed and submitted several reiterations of a functional food bar with hemp seeds, nuts and dried fruit for a company looking to get into the nutritional bar market, with high protein and high fiber incorporating plant-based ingredients
  • Created several plant-based beverage prototypes with probiotics and prebiotics for a start-up company.

Sales Engineer-Solutions Food/ Bakery Market Manager

GEA North America
05.2017 - 12.2018
  • Responsible for sales in Midwest Region for spray-drying, freeze-drying, separation and membrane filtration technologies for flavor, dairy, plant-based proteins, fruit, and pet food companies; grew business $2MM in 18 months
  • Promoted to NAM Bakery Market Manager, responsible for developing business for bakery equipment, including bread, pizza, pie, cake, biscuit, cracker, and snack turn-key lines.

Owner/ Contractor/Consultant

Livestrong Natural Food Resources, Food
09.2012 - 05.2017
  • Sourcing and Supply Chain Specialist Contractor for JPG Resources with emphasis on natural food ingredients for food manufacturers, including sweeteners, specialty oils, flavors, seasonings, nutraceuticals, antioxidants, fruits and nuts, inulin, texturizers, and probiotics
  • Food Technologist consultant helping clients formulate and commercialize new recipes
  • Formulated a high protein cookie for body builders with 20 percent vegan protein incorporating a system with flavor maskers and natural, low glycemic sweeteners
  • Marketing consultant working with Private Equity Company companies looking for acquisitions in ingredients

Diana Food Division, Diana Naturals
11.2008 - 09.2012

Global Business Development
01.2010 - 01.2012
  • Identified and led project for the first US acquisition for Diana and served key role in transition and integration of the new business
  • Completed analysis and developed a business plan for 5-year growth
  • Developed $3.5M per annum in new business for large baby food customer and grew business from $1.8M to $7M in four years

Key Account Manager, West Coast Sales / Market Director of Dietary Supplements

01.2008 - 01.2012
  • Acquired two new multinational/global customers with combined annual sales of $5 M
  • Increased sales on the West Coast by adding three new accounts totaling $1.5 M in addition to new business at existing accounts in the amount of $500,000
  • Baby Food (dried, retorted, and low acid, aseptic processed foods), Functional and Natural Foods and Dietary
  • Supplements were the main market growth sectors
  • Setup sales structure and marketing strategy for the dietary supplement market, training internal sales force and two distributors, while solely responsible for California and Utah including MLM companies
  • Doubled sales in dietary supplement category from $700,000 to $1.4 M selling ingredients for natural colors to supplement companies (red beet, purple carrot, red cabbage),flavors from concentrates and powders to boost taste in supplements, acerola with 35% active Vitamin
  • C, ingredients with guaranteed actives (beta carotene, anthocyanins), and ingredients with clinical trials (glucorphane and sulfuoraphane coming from broccoli extract, proanthocyanins coming from Cranberry juice extract, omega 3s coming from fish extracts)

Sr. Account Manager/Texturizing Solutions

Cargill
09.2005 - 11.2008
  • Developed, maintained, and expanded strong customer relationships at multiple levels and functions while increasing sales of texturants including starches, hydrocolloids, emulsifiers, enzymes, and soy flour across all market categories for the Western Region Territory including dairy, meat, and convenience foods, beverages, and bakery
  • Increased sales by $1.5M in the first fiscal year and exceeded budget targets for West Coast
  • Following M&A, promoted to National Accounts Manager for Bakery; increased sales by $2MM for a $25MM territory
  • Secured price increases of 20 % in a volatile commodity marketplace year over year
  • Built business for Cargill by cross-selling cocoa and chocolate, sweeteners, fats and oils, specialty oils, inulin, omega 3’s and stevia

Sales Manager/Distribution

LeSaffre
09.2004 - 09.2005
  • Yeast and bakery ingredients
  • Managed bakery distributors and Food Service Brokers

National Account Manager

Loders
01.2003 - 09.2004
  • Managed and expanded sales for large national accounts in the confectionery, nutrition, and bakery markets, selling both specialty and commodity fats and oils, encapsulated ingredients, emulsifiers, dough conditioners including enzymes and fat-based flavor and nutritional delivery systems including CLA and omega 3 fatty acids
  • ($13 M territory)
  • Implemented Loders Croklaan solution to replace TFA’s at top food manufacturers
  • Global Account Manager for large cereal and snack company; increased sales year over year by $2M

National Account Manager

Kerry Sweet Ingredients
01.2000 - 01.2003
  • Promoted to National Account Manager and increased sales for a $20MM territory that encompassed top ten cereal, nutritional bar, and snack accounts by $15M
  • Responsible for selling entire Kerry portfolio including cheese and dairy ingredients, soy protein, seasonings, batters and breading, chocolate and compound coatings, high protein and fiber cereal clusters and innovative inclusions, flavors, and enzymes
  • Directed projects for global cereal and snack accounts while working closely with Kerry international counterparts
  • Helped drive co-man cereal and bar business for major Cereal and Nutritional Bar Companies
  • Launched new technology resulting in $2MM of new sales.

Kerry Ingredients
01.1996 - 01.2003

Account Manager

Kerry Inc. Formerly Shade Foods
01.1996 - 01.2000
  • Managed and expanded sales for Midwest Territory ($12M) that encompassed two large ice cream accounts and two of the top five cereal companies selling Shade technologies including chocolate, confectionary and innovative inclusions, granola cluster and cereal particulates
  • Hired, managed, and directed activities for external brokers
  • Attained new customer that had been a target for three years, resulting in $1MM of new sales; increased overall sales by $2MM.

Education

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) - Food Science and Technology, Nutrition

Oregon State University

Minor In Nutrition - Nutrition

Portland State University
Portland, OR

Skills

  • Customer service
  • Product knowledge
  • Sales expertise
  • Sales presentations
  • Sales strategy
  • Relationship building
  • Decision-making
  • Sales planning
  • Cold calling
  • Sales team leadership
  • Sales forecasting
  • Business development and planning
  • Data analysis
  • Cross-selling techniques
  • Closing techniques
  • Client development
  • Professional networking
  • Order management
  • Goals and performance
  • Staff management
  • Lead development
  • Brand promotion
  • Lead prospecting
  • Objection handling
  • Lead generation
  • Upselling strategies
  • Interpersonal and written communication
  • Product promotions
  • Systems and software expertise
  • Public speaking
  • Networking
  • CRM software proficiency
  • Operations
  • Sales funnel management
  • Strategic prospecting
  • Marketing initiatives
  • Business networking
  • Client acquisition
  • Pipeline management
  • Database management
  • Contract negotiations
  • Prospecting skills
  • Vendor management
  • Project management
  • Territory management
  • Persuasive selling
  • New market penetration
  • Customer segmentation
  • Report writing skills
  • Value propositions
  • Competitor analysis
  • Trend analysis
  • Expense reporting
  • Customer relationship management
  • Value-based selling
  • Quality assurance
  • Performance metrics
  • KPI tracking
  • Market trends
  • Market penetration strategies
  • Sales metrics analysis
  • Negotiation tactics
  • Sales coaching
  • Competitive positioning
  • Multichannel selling
  • Price quote preparation
  • Sales and market development
  • Deal structuring
  • Quota achievement
  • Sales proposal development
  • Problem investigations
  • Sales analytics
  • Managed budgets
  • Sales follow-up
  • Lead database management
  • Account management strategy
  • Proficient in project management software
  • Exceeds sales goals
  • Software CRM
  • Executive presentations
  • Sales performance analysis
  • Trade show participation
  • Sales enablement

Affiliations

  • Member of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT)
  • Member of Cargill Women's Leadership Council
  • Member of Females in Food

Recent Courses

  • GR3.1 (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Framework Training), 09/2013
  • GR4 (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Framework Training), 09/2013
  • Global Sustainability Conference, 05/2016
  • LAMP Training, 05/2003
  • LAMP Training, 06/2018

Timeline

Sales Executive

Biorigin
01.2024 - 11.2024

Food Consultant

JMH Diversified Food Ingredient Resources
04.2022 - 12.2023

NA Food Sales and Marketing Manager

Muntons Malted Ingredients
08.2021 - 04.2022

Sales Manager/Trader

Osage Food Products
10.2020 - 03.2021

Independent Consultant

01.2019 - 10.2020

Sales Engineer-Solutions Food/ Bakery Market Manager

GEA North America
05.2017 - 12.2018

Owner/ Contractor/Consultant

Livestrong Natural Food Resources, Food
09.2012 - 05.2017

Global Business Development
01.2010 - 01.2012

Diana Food Division, Diana Naturals
11.2008 - 09.2012

Key Account Manager, West Coast Sales / Market Director of Dietary Supplements

01.2008 - 01.2012

Sr. Account Manager/Texturizing Solutions

Cargill
09.2005 - 11.2008

Sales Manager/Distribution

LeSaffre
09.2004 - 09.2005

National Account Manager

Loders
01.2003 - 09.2004

National Account Manager

Kerry Sweet Ingredients
01.2000 - 01.2003

Kerry Ingredients
01.1996 - 01.2003

Account Manager

Kerry Inc. Formerly Shade Foods
01.1996 - 01.2000

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) - Food Science and Technology, Nutrition

Oregon State University

Minor In Nutrition - Nutrition

Portland State University

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JAALA HANSON