Business Development Contractor

South River USA, LLC is seeking a contract based Business Development professional. Based in Phoenix, AZ with a hybrid work arrangement, the role centers on identifying new opportunities, cultivating client relationships, and expanding market presence in Los Angeles and the wider Southern California area through sales, marketing, and project management.

Responsibilities

• Identify and cultivate qualified sales opportunities in Los Angeles and Southern California, targeting specialty retailers, Asian premium grocery and lifestyle stores, tea, coffee, wellness and gourmet retailers, hotels, restaurants, cafés and hospitality groups, corporate gifting clients, as well as local distributors and wholesale partners.
• Build and maintain a structured pipeline of prospects, including contact details, decision makers, deal status, next steps, and expected order value.
• Initiate outreach through email, phone, LinkedIn, in-person visits, local networking, and buyer introductions.
• Present product information, wholesale terms, sample options, and opening-order models to potential channel partners.
• Coordinate with headquarters and the U.S. operations team on samples, pricing and discount approvals, buyer questions, product catalog and sales materials, and order follow-up.
• Support the conversion of qualified leads into paid orders, active accounts, and repeat business.
• Provide concise weekly updates on pipeline progress, buyer feedback, market trends, objections, and competitive observations.
• Represent the brands professionally and consistently in the local market.

Requirements

• 3+ years of experience in business development, wholesale sales, retail channel development, distributor sales, CPG, food & beverage, lifestyle products, gifting, or hospitality sales.
• Based in Los Angeles or Southern California.
• Ability to independently generate leads and convert opportunities.
• Strong communication and follow-up discipline.
• Comfortable working on a contractor and commission-linked basis.
• Able to track pipeline activity clearly and transparently.

Overview

As a Business Development Contractor, you will drive strategic growth by identifying opportunities, building robust client relationships, and expanding market presence. The role leverages expertise in sales, marketing, and project management to deliver tangible results, shaping the business through effective negotiations and targeted outreach in a fast paced environment.

Preferred

• Experience with tea, coffee, specialty foods, organic products, wellness, luxury lifestyle, or premium gifting.
• Experience selling into Asian retail channels, boutique retailers, hotels, restaurants, cafés, or corporate gifting programs.
• Mandarin or Cantonese ability is a plus, but not required.
• Prior experience as an independent sales representative or manufacturer’s representative.

Success Metrics

• Number of qualified leads generated
• Number of buyer meetings or presentations arranged
• Number of samples placed with qualified prospects
• Number of paid opening orders secured
• New wholesale, retail, or B2B accounts activated
• Repeat-order potential
• Quality and reliability of pipeline reporting