First International Sales Rep for a Specialty Food Exporter

Pure maple syrup travels well, and this Canadian producer has spent almost five decades proving it. The company serves an international customer base through multiple brands, ranging from large retail chains to independent specialty stores, and is publicly traded on the TSXV Exchange. Founded in 1976 as a family business, it had grown to become a world leader in its segment, with a manufacturing base and supply chain discipline that positioned it well for the structured international growth it was now ready to embark on.

What the company needed had never existed within it before. The International Sales Representative role required finding someone who could open markets, not manage them, a truly different profile from a standard sales hire. The incoming representative would operate with a high degree of autonomy in geographies where no commercial infrastructure existed yet, responsible for building distributor relationships, working directly with import regulations in new markets, and creating an active commercial presence through trade show attendance and direct buyer engagement. 

The global nature of the role brought real complexity. Candidates could be based anywhere in the priority export regions, with location determined by commercial fit rather than a fixed address. The search was looking for true self-motivation and the orientation to create new markets versus maintaining existing ones, in addition to food industry experience and B2B credentials. It required a coordinated international approach to orchestrate a multi-geography search across disparate compensation structures and time zones.

Instead of restricting the search to a single geography, Keller Executive Search drew candidates from across all priority export regions and developed shortlists for presentation to the company’s President as profiles were compiled. Each candidate was evaluated on the strength of their international B2B sales background and food industry knowledge, and the personal commercial drive considered essential for a role that is entirely focused on opening new markets. The multi-round virtual interview process attracted profiles from established exporters as well as emerging international sales talent, giving the company a broad base to judge market placement and personal fit in addition to professional qualifications.

The right profile was found in Indonesia: a professional with commercial experience whose market positioning was directly in line with the company’s ASEAN expansion priorities. The cross-border nature of the engagement meant the role was structured on a consultant basis, which allowed active sales representation to begin without the complexity of establishing foreign payroll infrastructure. The agreement was signed, and an immediate start was arranged. Within days of joining, the new Sales Representative attended the SIAL Shanghai trade show alongside the company’s Director of Sales, turning an appointment into active market engagement with little delay.