Vice President, Foodservice Innovation

About Mattson 

Mattson is one of the country’s most successful food and beverage innovation firms. For nearly 50 years, we have partnered with CPG, foodservice, and food and beverage ingredient clients, ranging from startups to iconic industry brands. We’ve worked with leading restaurant groups and suppliers across the entire foodservice landscape, from regional restaurant chains to global franchise operators. Our passion is creating big business opportunities for clients. 

We help clients figure out where to play and more importantly, how to win. Within the broad foodservice space, we’ve:

• Built growth strategies for operators like Bonchon 
• Conceived and prototyped new restaurant concepts for operators like Yogurtland
• Created new menu items for operators like Round Table Pizza
• Conceived new products for suppliers like Simplot
• Formulated new platforms and products for suppliers like Torani

Our mission is to invent the future of food, one product at a time.

We are a 65 person, employee-owned company that operates at a fast pace, enabling our clients to be smarter and quicker in getting new ideas to market.  We provide hands-on resources, industry expertise, insights, and award-winning creativity across food and beverage categories, segments, and channels.

This position is based in our Chicago office. Earlier this year, we launched and established a 3,000 square foot innovation center in the West Town neighborhood and we’re looking for someone to join our Chicago team.

About the Position

This is, first and foremost, a business and relationship development position.

As a key member of Mattson’s Relationship Leaders team you will be responsible for identifying and developing new client relationships, scoping and writing proposals, and managing the engagements you bring in.

Your focus will be in helping us drive significant growth in the foodservice channel. This includes commercial and non-commercial operators as well as suppliers to these operators. As such, the position requires an understanding of all facets of the foodservice industry.

While Mattson has had a number of notable successes in foodservice, it remains a smaller portion of our revenue base than it can be. We are seeking someone with the track record, credibility, and relationships to generate significant growth for our foodservice business. 

While you will be responsible for leading the client relationships that you cultivate, you’ll be supported by cross-functional teams, both in our San Francisco Bay Area and Chicago offices, who are uniquely qualified for each part of the engagement (e.g., customer and consumer insights, culinary, concepting, food technology and development, branding, and design), as well as our Chef Operator team as needed.  As an exciting organization with a wide array of subject matter experts, we are all deeply steeped in (and passionate about) the work for our clients. We want you to be successful and thrive in our high touch, relationship-based business. 

All candidates should have the following:

• Deep, personal relationships in the foodservice channel
• Proven track record of success in product/menu innovation
• Ability to take the initiative and work independently
• Bias toward rolling up your sleeves and digging into the work
• Comfort in selling all of our services one-on-one
• Skill to deliver world-class client and project management
• Enthusiasm for utilizing cutting-edge innovation techniques (e.g., Generative AI)

The ideal candidate will have demonstrated success in a similar role (business development and relationship management) in a client service organization.

Requirements

Skills and Experience We’re Seeking

• Business Development: Proven track record of leveraging network and personal outreach to identify and develop new client relationships and write and win compelling proposals
• Leadership: Ability to successfully lead client relationships (including comfortably recommending innovation and business strategies to senior foodservice executives) AND internal Mattson teams, coordinating across different Mattson functions and delivering world-class client service
• Creativity: Demonstrated success in conceiving compelling new product or menu ideas that deliver on client strategy and aspirations, and presenting them persuasively
• Business Analytics: Ability to view and frame opportunities from client perspective, e.g., building basic product P&Ls, proactively anticipating and addressing challenges and barriers, identifying potential sources of competitive advantage, etc.
• Broad Proficiency: Ability to design, sell, and direct work across all of Mattson's practice areas from front-to back-end innovation.
• Foodservice Channel Dynamics: An understanding of culinary, operations, menu, menu innovation, chain operator dynamics, experience with both commercial and non-commercial operators, and a passion for and ability to communicate food trends.

About You

• BA/BS in marketing, business administration, or related field in food science, nutrition, or culinary. Degrees/experience in both areas will set you apart.
• At least 15 years relevant work experience in the food & beverage industry, with the majority in foodservice (i.e., consulting, brand management, sales, innovation, market research, restaurant ops) 
• Flexibility, with personality and collaboration skills necessary to work cross functionally with all departments.
• Excellent communication skills; can present ideas effectively and persuasively.
• Must be able to travel with advance notice.

Benefits

What’s in it for You?

A job at Mattson will immerse you in the world of food.  You must be passionate about food and beverage.  The more you can articulate your passion, the more interested we will be in interviewing you.  At Mattson, food is not just our business; it’s our life.

We offer a rich package of benefits, including 401K, health, dental, Health Savings Account, Flexible Spending Account, participation in our ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan), which provides you the opportunity for profit-sharing. Oh and we also like to have fun. It’s food, after all!

Come work with us at our Chicago innovation center, right in the heart of a great food city. Join us and see why we’re the greatest thing since sliced bread.