Chain Manager (National and Regional Accounts)

About Fat & Happy Beverages:

Founded in 2009 and based in Los Angeles, Fat & Happy Beverages (F&H) is an importer and distributor of Fine Wines, Spirits and Specialty Foods. We bring authentic products from family-owned producers in Armenia, Georgia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East to the U.S. market. Our portfolio includes Brandy, Wine, Vodka, Gin and Specialty Foods from producers such as Ararat, Karas, Gevorkian and Tamada.

Fat & Happy Beverages has strong relationships and an established business with leading retailers, including Total Wine & More, BevMo, Costco, etc. We are now entering a new stage of growth and are building a dedicated chain team to expand our presence with national and regional retailers.

The Role:

The Chain Manager will own and grow Fat & Happy Beverages' chain business with national and regional retailers (chains). California is the core focus, and the role also targets key accounts nationwide such as Spec's, Costco, Trader Joe's, etc. You will grow our Spirits and Wine portfolio with current chain partners, win listings with new chains, and turn annual plans into programs that drive sales.

Key Responsibilities:

•      Grow the chain channel: drive sales of key spirits and wine products across national and regional chain accounts.

•      Expand existing accounts: increase distribution, shelf presence and sales with current partners, including Total Wine & More, BevMo and Costco.

•      Win new business: secure listings with new chains, both in California and nationally.

•      Plan the year: build annual account plans with volume, revenue and margin targets, promotional calendars and investment marketing, trade marketing and commercial budgets.

•      Develop programs: design chain-specific promotions, displays, features and seasonal programs.

•      Manage key relationships: be the main contact for chain buyers and category managers, and work with suppliers' trade and marketing teams to secure support and funding.

•      Run programs to completion: coordinate pricing, orders, deliveries and in-store execution with internal teams and distributors so every program is delivered on time.

•      Analyze results: track sales, depletions, promotion results and return on investment, and use the data to recommend next steps.

•      Watch the market: monitor category trends, competitor activity and pricing in chain retail.

Requirements:

•      Bachelor's degree.

•      At least 4 years of experience managing chain accounts in the wine, spirits or beverage alcohol industry, or in consumer packaged goods.

•      Strong analytical skills, with experience turning sales data into actionable plans.

•      Advanced Excel skills: pivot tables, lookups, data models and building reports.

•      Proven experience working directly with chain buyers and running retail programs.

•      Strong presentation, negotiation and communication skills.

•      Highly organized, able to manage several accounts and deadlines at once.

•      Willing to work on-site in our Los Angeles office, with occasional travel to accounts and trade events.

Preferred:

•      Existing relationships with buyers at California and national chains.

•      Experience with retail data tools such as NielsenIQ, VIP/iDIG or retailer portals.

•      Familiarity with imported wines and spirits, especially brandy/cognac.

What We Offer:

•      Competitive base salary, plus a performance bonus.

•      Benefits: health insurance, paid time off

•      A key role with direct impact on the company's growth and close work with the leadership team.

•      A diverse, authentic portfolio with strong growth potential.