Those new to the specialty ingredients industry are often surprised to hear that folks with “sales” in their title do so much more than sell. Nicole Martini, a Technical Sales Manager in our food and beverage division, would be the first to point out that the sales process starts and ends with problem-solving. That’s especially true in the dynamic, competitive world of specialty ingredients.
Nicole’s Specialty Might Be Alphabet Soup
Nicole started with a Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Management from Delaware Valley University. Since then, she’s earned a handy collection of certifications that cover a fair bit of the alphabet and the industry’s most important qualifications, including SQF, PCQI, and HACCP. She also has a sweet tooth, which inspired her AIB certification in the Science of Baking plus a certificate from the Institute of Culinary Education for Cake Decorating.
Her industry experience includes roles in food safety management, product and project management, sales, and marketing. She was immersed in the industry from many angles, including roles at other distributors and with CPG companies, before joining Tilley Distribution in October 2024.
Education, Connection, and Innovation
At Tilley, Nicole has been honing her Technical Sales Manager skills by proactively engaging with experts inside the company and in the customer and supplier network. These resources are vitally important in deepening ingredient understanding from scientific and market perspectives.
Nicole is already a fixture at industry tradeshows and a friendly, knowledgeable contact for so many of our current and prospective customers.
The Role of a Technical Sales Manager: Challenges and Opportunities
Nicole sees consumer education as one of the most pressing challenges facing the food and beverage industry as more CPG companies expand clean label offerings to adapt to changing consumer preferences.
“The consumer is demanding more label transparency, but unfortunately, does not understand the science behind ingredients that they cannot pronounce and do not easily recognize. They think these ingredients are inherently ‘dangerous,’ which puts pressure on the industry to reformulate. The integrity of the food supply relies on the functionality of natural and synthetic ingredients alike, so customer education is an important part of the job of the food science community,” she explains.
The challenge is based on education, reinforcing that sales isn’t just about closing deals. It is an ongoing partnership built on mutual respect, troubleshooting, and a willingness to innovate.
Our Experts Set Us Apart
Tilley Distribution is proud of the combined technical expertise of our staff and the work they do on behalf of our clients. We’re more than a catalog; we’re your committed partner, providing solutions when you need them. To work with friendly, knowledgeable experts like Nicole, contact Tilley Distribution today.
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