What drives us?
a) Provide the best chocolate to the best chefs in the best way possible.
b) Improving the world of gastronomy by inspiring Chefs to excellence.
c) Sustainable business: treating people and the environment responsibly.
d) The relationships with people all along our value chain.

What defines us?
a) Innovation, expertise, flavor, responsible business.
b) Expertise along the cocoa value chain. We are planters, sources, producers and creators.
c) Artisanal savoir-faire with industrial capabilities.

About FSP – Food Service Premium
a) Food Service Premium is the mother organization under which Valrhona has regrouped itself along with its recent acquisitions.
b) The organization aims to provide the “essential Premium pastry ingredients to Food Service Professionals (pastry chefs, bakers, restaurants, hotels and caterers) throughout the world”, but also to consolidate our market share across categories and markets.
c) The FSP Brands are Valrhona, Republic Del Cacao, Sosa, Chocolate, Pariani, Weiss, Adamance.
d) Weiss is excluded from this position.

The Job:
The Business Development Manager South China first goal is to accelerate the growth of Valrhona Selection brands (sales, turnover and profit) by creating a strong link and trust in between the Valrhona Selection brands and its partners (our distributors and our customers), from which he will create a full value chain for the company.

Her / His main missions will be:

1/ Business Development – Commercial:
According to Valrhona / FSP brands KPI and considering his Distribution Partners’ profile / constraints the Business Developer South China will have to design, define and implement the best commercial strategy to develop our brands in the different countries with a key focus on:

Distribution:
Through data analysis provided by our distributors (Sell Out) + external dates from Valrhona / Consulting companies:
– Assess our current distribution situation/market qualification and identify additional distribution potential in different channels (Hotels, restaurants, pastry chains, KAS, pastry studios, etc…) in the country.
– Route to market: evaluate and design the best route to market to distribute our product to our end users (from our main distributor to end users and / or through 2nd / 3rd Tiers wholesalers) in the country.
– Portfolio distribution: evaluate the possibility and build plans to enlarge the distribution of our products portfolio within our current customers (Bonbons, Couvertures, ingredients, decors, etc…).
– Compare current distribution of other products from our distributors, identify additional distribution opportunities and build plans with our distributors in order to capture the additional related business.
– Product launches: based on our global / regional strategy and depending on local needs, design, define and execute product / innovation launches for the country in order to develop our business.

Pricing / Value Chain:
– Evaluate the current pricing strategy per brands / channels – propose and implement corrective action plans if needed in collaboration with our distributors while considering margin expectations / targets from our distributor / customers.
– Define, recommend and agree on the best pricing strategy for launch of new products / innovations with our distributor / customers.
– Design, define and recommend the best value chain for our different stake holders (distributors / 2nd and 3rd Tiers wholesalers) in order to offer the appropriate pricing strategy taking into consideration our competitors pricing strategy
– Evaluate the competition landscape & price positioning, issue and recommend corrective actions if needed in collaboration with the distributor.

Promotions:
– Design, define, agree and implement with the distributor sales force / customers the most effective promotions when needed (seasonal promotions, new product launches, commercial promotions).

Distributor Management:
– Build with our Distributor Annual Joint Business Plans / Partnership programs, agree on Annual targets (Turnover, Volume, and Margin) and Business Drivers / Action plans (Distribution, Commercial strategy, Promotions, Sales Force Incentives, Pastry Activities, etc…).
– Monthly Meetings: review on a monthly basis our current business results against initial targets, evaluate the implementation of our agreed action plans and issue corrective actions plans / recommendations to our distributor in order to hit our common targets.
– Work closely with our Regional / HQ resources in Pastry, Marketing, Sales Development, Operations and Finance in order to deliver our local plans agreed with our distributor / main customers.
– Lead, Enable, Engage and Energize Distribution Partner Sales Force in order to implement the agreed action plans with the distributor (Distribution enhancement, promotions, innovation launches, etc…).
– Develop and implement Brand trainings for our Distributor Sales Force in order to grow their selling skills / capabilities / Attend weekly / monthly sales force meetings to update them on the last news / objectives of Valrhona Selection.
– Develop Sales Aid / Selling tools / Incentives for our Distributor Sales Force in collaboration with our Distributor.
– Organize visits on the field with the Distributor sales force in order to grow their selling skills capabilities / organize monthly / quarterly / annual incentive for distributor sales force when it’s relevant.

2/ Business Development – Marketing:
– Serve as an ambassador of the brands that will be managed in the South Region China (Valrhona, Chocolatree, RDC, SOSA, Adamance, Pariani)
– According to the Valrhona / Valrhona Selection Marketing strategy, build a marketing infrastructure both online and offline that effectively connects to the appropriate audience – Identify and engage our Key Opinions leaders
– Translating promotional tools (Social media postings, promotional materials, etc.) to all related to the brands.
– Coordinate with the Valrhona BM Valrhona & New Brands for China
– Design, Define and build an efficient planning for all pastry activities for the region according to the needs of the market (New Product launches, public chefs demonstrations, stages in Tokyo School / HQ in France, Buffets à la technique, ATR, etc…) in order to increase loyalty of our customers, recruit new users, upskill our partners (chefs), and develop our business in the long term – follow up and evaluate the impact of our activities (marketing / commercial)
– Design / define and implement the right marketing plans / activities in South China (salons, advertising, social media / networks, customer loyalty programs, etc…) from within annual brands marketing budget + distributor marketing budget
– Event planning for new product launches, public chefs’ demonstrations, and other media related functions

3/ Business Development – Customers focus:
– Build with our Key customers in South China Annual Joint Business Plans, and agree on Annual targets (Turnover, Volume, and Margin) and Business Drivers / Action plans (Distribution, Seasonal Promotions, recipes, etc…)
– Identify our main clients (20/80) in different channels (Hotels, restaurants, pastry studios, chocolatiers, wholesalers), organize visits and identify their main needs (bakery / pastry market) in order to provide and implement products, recipes and services which will best clients expectations and develop our business
– Identify potential clients and design tailor-made plans (recipes, personalized products / moulds, marketing program, commercial offer) in order to continue to develop our business

4/ Internal Reporting:
– Report / communicate on a monthly base local results (Sales, Turnover, Customer / Distributors meetings, pastry activities) and issue recommended action plans in order to hit company targets.
– Report / communicate marketing budget status to the different stakeholders on a monthly base (marketing, finance, area manager).
– Report / communicate monthly activities (customer visits, pastry activities commercial follow up).

What you will need:
Client Oriented Mindset
 Work directly with clients – in meetings and in daily correspondence. Anticipates needs and provide solutions proactively in collaboration with the distributors.
 Ensure highest standard of all deliverables to clients in coordination with your management and the local distributor.
 Provide direction and leadership to the distributor team in the development of sales and implementation of projects with clients.
 Passionate about gourmet food and the F&B universe, able to relate to customers’ environment.

Metrics and Analytics curiosity
 Track metrics for recording the success and quality of the sales in your territory. Use these metrics to guide your work and uncover hidden areas of opportunity.
 Analyze the business and conducting depth analysis; routinely debrief on current business and future opportunities. Provide recommendations and action plan based on data.
 Utilize analytics tools to track all pertinent account information and sales progress to drive growth.

Attitude
 Able to strike a balance in a Chinese business environment, working along both local and international colleagues, partners & clients.
 Not afraid to voice your own opinions.
 Relation builder (good social skills), net-worker, able to bring people to cooperate.
 Diplomat: able to achieve compromise, while protecting and fostering the interest of our company.
 Open to change – continuously learning and improving your own skill set.
 Take ownership of outcomes and responsible for your areas results.

Values
 Sharing.
 Respect.
 Team Spirit.
 Creativity.
 Self- Expression.

Ideal Qualification
 Fluent in Mandarin, both spoken and written – Mandatory.
 Cantonese is a plus.
 Fluent in English, both spoken and written – Mandatory.
 French speaking / understanding is a plus.
 Experienced with living and/or working in South China and familiar with its cultural environment.
 Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree or equivalent experience in Business-related field.
 Minimum 3-5 years’ relevant experience in the field of business development.
 Project experience.
 Willing to travel 30% to 40% of his/her time.

Package
 To be discussed.

Company Profile
We are a French chocolate manufacturer that has been making exceptional chocolate for chefs and gourmets since 1922.

Located in Tain l’Hermitage, in the heart of the Rhône valley in France, We have been in Tain l’Hermitage ever since Alberic Guironnet first founded La Chocolateries du Vicara’s in 1922. Guironnet’s original chocolate factory is still in use. This is where we make pralinés, bonbons and our white chocolate.

We now also have a second, larger factory on the edge of Tain l’Hermitage. This is where we make our dark and milk chocolate couvertures.