Business Development Manager – Germany (FMCG / Food Retail)
About Yihai (UK) Food Ltd
Yihai (UK) Food Ltd is an important subsidiary of Yihai International, which is part of Haidilao Group – one of the world's most recognized hot pot brands. We manufacture and distribute premium hot pot soup bases, dipping sauces, and condiments to Asian supermarkets and mainstream retail across Europe.
We are backed by Haidilao Group – while Yihai is our employer brand, we benefit from the global recognition, quality standards, and consumer trust associated with the Haidilao name.
Our products are already listed in Go Asia and other Asian grocery channels across Germany. We are now ready to deepen our distributor partnerships and expand into mainstream retail (Aldi, Lidl, Rewe, Edeka, and more).
This is a ground-floor opportunity to shape our Germany market entry and grow into a team lead role as we expand.
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Your Mission
You will be the face of Yihai International in Germany, building and managing distributor relationships while preparing the ground for direct retail partnerships. You will also provide frontline market feedback to help us adapt our product offering for European consumers.
1. Manage and deepen relationships with existing distributors – ensure they prioritize our products, execute promotions correctly, and maintain high shelf standards.
2. Expand channel coverage – identify and onboard new distributors, Asian supermarkets, and wholesale partners across Germany.
3. Prepare for direct retail – build relationships with buying teams at Aldi, Lidl, Rewe, Edeka, and other key retailers, using distributor performance data as leverage.
4. Execute in-store visibility – visit stores regularly, ensure promotional execution, and gather competitor intelligence.
5. Shape our product offering – provide regular feedback on which SKUs, flavors, and pack sizes resonate with German consumers; participate in product decision discussions with our UK and China teams.
6. Report and plan – maintain accurate pipeline and activity reports; communicate in English and Chinese with UK HQ and China operations team.
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What You'll Do (Typical Week)
- 40% Distributor management (joint visits, performance reviews, negotiation)
- 30% Channel development (prospecting new distributors and retail opportunities)
- 15% In-store visits and competitor intelligence
- 15% Product feedback and market insights (reports, calls with HQ)
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What We're Looking For
Must-Have:
- 2–5 years of experience in FMCG sales, distributor management, or retail channel management (food industry strongly preferred).
- Fluent German (native or C2) – required for negotiations and in-store work.
- Conversational English – for reporting and HQ communication.
- Conversational Chinese (Mandarin) – daily work requires communication with UK HQ and China operations team in Chinese.
- Valid driving license and own car – this role requires regular travel to distributors and stores across Germany (mileage reimbursed at German standard rate).
- Willingness to learn – we'll teach you the rest.
Nice-to-Have:
- Experience with Asian food or ethnic food channels in Germany.
- Existing relationships with German retail buyers (Aldi, Lidl, Rewe, Edeka).
- Category management or trade marketing background.
- Experience participating in product feedback or R&D input.
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What Makes This Role Different
1. You're not just executing someone else's plan – you'll help shape our Germany strategy from day one.
2. You'll have direct input into which products we develop for the German market – your customer feedback will influence R&D decisions.
3. There is a clear path to Team Lead – as we expand, you'll have the opportunity to build and manage a local team.
4. You'll work directly with a lean, decisive leadership team – no corporate bureaucracy.
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What We Offer
- Competitive salary: €3,500/month base + uncapped performance commission.
- Company car mileage reimbursement at German standard rate (€0.42/km business use).
- Opportunity to shape a market entry from the ground floor.
- Direct impact – your work directly influences which products we bring to market.
- Backed by Haidilao Group – global brand recognition and stability.
- Flexible, performance-based work environment – we care about results, not hours logged.
- Clear growth path – as Germany business grows, this role will grow with it.
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Reports to: Managing Director, Yihai (UK) Food Ltd
Employment: Employed via EOR partner (full German employment benefits, compliant with all local labor laws).
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How to Apply
Please send your CV and a brief cover note (in English or German) via LinkedIn InMail.
In your cover note, please tell us:
1. Why you're interested in Yihai and the FMCG food industry.
2. An example of a distributor or retail relationship you successfully managed or improved.
3. (Optional) One product idea you think would work well for the German market – we genuinely want to hear your ideas.
We review applications on a rolling basis. Early applications are encouraged.
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Yihai (UK) Food Ltd is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, age, or any other protected characteristic.