About the role
ABOUT OLIPOP
At OLIPOP, we’re on a mission to positively impact consumer health at scale. And we’re doing it through something simple: soda. But not just any soda, a new kind of soda: one that’s delicious, refreshing, and actually good for you.
This mission is deeply personal for our CEO, Co-Founder, and Formulator, Ben Goodwin. Like many of us, Ben grew up consuming the Standard American Diet: lots of soda and processed foods that prioritized convenience over nutrition. But at 14, he took his health into his own hands. After making significant changes to his nutrition and exercise, he lost 50 pounds and saw a transformation in his energy, mood, and emotional clarity.
Those changes sparked a deep curiosity about the connection between nutrition and health. Ben became a relentless student of the gut microbiome and the ways it supports overall wellness. The more he discovered, the more passionate he became about finding credible, science-backed ways to make consumer health accessible to everyone.
The mission was clear. The vehicle? Less so. After exploring the possibilities, Ben landed on an unexpected yet familiar choice: soda. It was something he loved as a kid, and he knew millions shared that same nostalgia. But this wouldn’t be just any soda. With most Americans falling short on daily fiber, Ben set out to create a version with more fiber and less sugar, one that was perfectly balanced. The result? A deliciously refreshing soda with 6 to 9 grams of fiber and 2 to 5 grams of sugar, delivering science-backed benefits without sacrificing the classic taste people crave.
In 2018, the first OLIPOP cans hit the shelves, bringing Ben’s vision to life with a functional soda that anyone could enjoy. And by reimagining soda, we’re also reshaping culture. That means creating products that support health for all and building a business grounded in humanistic values: empathy, integrity, and a belief in better for everyone. From the ingredients we source to the culture we foster, we’re committed to proving that business (and beverage!) can be a force for good, and that soda has the power to bring people together.
So join us, and let’s write a new American soda story together. One we can all feel good about. One OLIPOP at a time.
OLIPOP is looking for a Director of Sales Central. In this role you’ll prioritize your time to focus on the highest impact areas, while working with and inspiring our DSD partners, third-party sales resources, retailers, and dynamic team to deliver a whole greater than the sum of its parts. You’ll be leading, managing, and owning the business across the entire Central region. With laser focus, you’ll be exploring and driving new opportunities, while also building on the high velocities we’re already seeing in the market.
This role will work closely with the Vice President of Sales and broader team to further the development, sales, and promotion of the brand while building brand loyalty across all sales channels. If you’re looking for a fast pace, personal growth, responsibility and a lot of fun along the way, then this is a role you’ll thrive in.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Collaborate with senior management, marketing, and national accounts to communicate and execute against company strategic direction, priorities, and financial guardrails.
- Establish and manage partnerships with DSD distributors and regional food brokers.
- Establish and communicate a monthly volume and distribution plan to achieve overall objectives in the market.
- Translate national business strategy into clear and locally executable plans and focus resources accordingly within the territory.
- Negotiate funding agreements with distributor partners for all channels of trade.
- Design and implement incentive programs intended to guide distributor organizations in achieving sales objectives.
- Execute and evaluate rolling forecasts against annual plans on a monthly basis.
- Leverage key consumption data sources, developing fact-based plans and solutions.
- Manage key retailers: establish promotion calendars, new items, trade spend investment, post-promo analysis, and retail programs.
- Build innovative presentations for total business and distribution partners designed to initiate an action-oriented response.
- Lead, motivate, mentor, coach, and train a team of Regional Managers to deliver results by establishing measurable goals by territory and customer.
- Provide category management leadership and marketplace insights and analysis.
- Conceive of and execute big-picture short and long term plans for portfolio architecture, territory expansion, marketing support, budgets, sales forecasts by SKU, and distributors. Create vision, goals, strategies, objectives, and tactics.
- Accountable for cost containment, sales growth, revenue and profit growth.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Holistic sales skills to align to our strategic goals including:
- Use of data and data-based story telling
- Identification of primary and backup strategies
- Getting that mammoth! Tackling each day with pursuit and vigilance.
- A high EQ approach to selling and leading a team.
- Deeply passionate about OLIPOP and inspired by what we represent. Has the desire and hunger to make an impact.
- People leader with demonstrated experience managing a field sales team through servant leadership.
- Obsession for understanding customer behavior: lives, breaths & dreams about how to better reach and understand our consumers.
- Enthusiastic and comfortable working in an early stage company. Ability to think rapidly in a growing and changing environment.
- Experience in the Natural Products Industry and relevant classes of trade with CPG selling background in (refrigerated/ambient/frozen) spaces highly preferred.
- Established relationships and experience working with key retail accounts and multiple distributors across multiple channels.
- Ability to take initiative and work autonomously – you can run with something from beginning to end.
- Works well with ambiguity – can navigate in the gray and asks the right questions to get at the solution.
- Analyze opportunities quickly and have an ability to execute company goals efficiently.
- Resourcefulness to improvise and adapt to deal with daily challenges via creative problem solving.
- Strong planning, organization and p
Aplyr's read
OLIPOP is redefining soda with a focus on gut health and natural ingredients, attracting employees passionate about wellness and innovation.
What's promising
- •OLIPOP is at the forefront of the functional beverage trend, appealing to health-conscious consumers.
- •The company offers diverse roles, from marketing to R&D, providing varied career paths.
- •OLIPOP's rapid growth in the beverage sector suggests strong market demand and expansion opportunities.
What to watch
- •The niche focus on gut health may limit appeal to traditional soda consumers.
- •Competition in the health beverage market is intense, posing sustainability challenges.
- •Limited public information about company culture and employee satisfaction.
Why OLIPOP
- •OLIPOP combines traditional soda flavors with prebiotic and botanical ingredients for a unique product.
- •The company emphasizes research and development, highlighting a commitment to product innovation.
- •OLIPOP's branding leverages nostalgia while promoting modern health benefits, setting it apart in the market.
Aplyr’s read is generated by AI from public sources. Was it useful?
About OLIPOP
OLIPOP is a beverage company that specializes in creating healthier alternatives to traditional soda, focusing on gut health and using natural ingredients.
